The Loft Film Fest
Loft Cinema Executive Director Peggy Johnson contacted me to design a new logo for the Loft Film Fest. The festival was being rebranded with the image of a jaguar to honor of the mythical cat whose only US home is the Tucson desert. Named El Jefe, the jaguar has come to represent the strength, beauty, and uniqueness of southern Arizona’s multicultural heritage.
→ Creative Direction / Branding Identity / Print Design
Many international film fests choose animal icons for their themes. Fezlab was tasked with creating a new identity mark for Tucson’s festival featuring a jaguar as an eye-catching element—but one that would not detract from the additional artwork commissioned annually from various artists.
Early in the sketch process it became clear that either a profile or front-facing jaguar face would be most powerful. The cat’s spots, sourced from a poster design, became decorative elements used throughout the campaign, and can still be found in the festival’s award laurels.
Artist designs are carried throughout festival collateral, including various print pieces, banners, badges, and swag.
I designed a new grid layout and typographic styles for the program booklet, which allow the program to grow as the Fest adds more films and events.
Every year I’m super excited to see who the next artist is that’s doing the poster and what they’ve come up with. The results have been truly as inspired as the Fest itself.
