Framing Pride: Visualizing the Spectrum for "Cine Con Orgullo"
Designing for Cine Con Orgullo (Cinema with Pride) is more than creating a poster; it is about creating a visual space where independent and experimental narratives can resonate. As Guatemala's premier platform for diverse storytelling, the festival requires an identity that is both safe and bold—a beacon for a community that often exists on the margins. For the 2018 and 2023 editions, I developed a consistent visual language based on the concept of "interference" and "resolution"—using horizontal scanlines to construct images, symbolizing how queer stories emerge from the static to find their clear, vibrant form.
For the 2018 edition, the design embraced a soft, luminous aesthetic. Set against a dominant pink canvas, the central motif is a perfect circle—a sun or a lens—formed by a gradient that shifts gently from warm yellows to cool blues. This visual approach was about warmth and visibility, using a "vaporwave" inspired palette to create a sense of nostalgia and welcoming community. The typography is woven directly into the lines, suggesting that the festival's identity is intrinsic to the image itself, inseparable and harmonious.
In contrast, the 2023 edition marks a bold evolution into high-contrast activism. The background shifts to a deep, void-like black, allowing the central figure—a massive inverted triangle—to burn brightly in the full spectrum of the rainbow. The triangle, a historically charged symbol for the LGBTQ+ community, is reclaimed here not just as a mark of identity, but as a prism of light cutting through the darkness. The "scanline" texture remains, but the energy is different: it is electric, urgent, and undeniably modern, reflecting the festival's growth and the increasing resilience of the voices it champions.
Together, these two pieces demonstrate how graphic design can serve as a vessel for cultural advocacy. Whether through the gentle, unifying circle of 2018 or the sharp, defiant triangle of 2023, the goal remains the same: to use color and geometry to celebrate the full spectrum of human experience. These posters do not just announce an event; they signal to the audience that this is a space where they are seen, heard, and celebrated.
