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The 17th Odesa International Film Festival presents its official poster for this year’s edition, which visually unites two cities — Odesa and Kyiv — and serves as a symbol of continuity, history, and the forward movement of Ukrainian culture. This year’s festival will take place in Kyiv from August 27 to September 4 with the support of the Ukrainian State Film Agency and the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
Created by OIFF in collaboration with Starlight Creative, the special visual identity marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence combines the imagery of two cities, Ukrainian light, the sea, freedom, and resilience.
Light is at the centre of the composition. Emerging above the sea, it fills the space with warmth and becomes the poster’s central image — a symbol of hope, renewal, and progress. Against the backdrop of a large sun rise the silhouettes of iconic landmarks from both Odesa and Kyiv. At the center stands the monument to Duke de Richelieu, one of Odesa’s most recognizable symbols and a long-standing emblem of the festival itself. Beside it appear the outlines of Ukraine’s capital: the Independence Monument, the bell towers of Kyiv’s historic churches, and the city’s modern skyline. Together, they form a shared cultural landscape shaped by a common memory and a shared future.
Water is another key element of the poster — an image of the Black Sea, from which the festival was born. In its reflection, Odesa and Kyiv, past and future, tradition and modernity come together. It serves as a visual metaphor for the festival, which remains true to its origins while continuing to evolve alongside the country, even in the most challenging times.
The poster’s yellow-and-blue palette references the Ukrainian flag while also evoking the sun, sky, sea, and light. It underscores the festival’s life-affirming spirit and its belief that Ukrainian culture remains visible, strong, and free.
The slogan of the 17th OIFF, “Freedom Is in Our DNA,” takes on a special meaning within this concept. Freedom is presented not only as a right or a value, but as an inherent part of Ukrainian identity, passed down from generation to generation and reflected in culture, art, and cinema.
"This year’s OIFF poster is a visual conversation about our identity, memory, and future. It reflects a festival that remains faithful to its history and mission while continuing to evolve together with the country. It is especially important to us that, even in times of war, Ukrainian culture continues to speak the language of freedom, dignity, and openness to the world,"says Anna Machukh, CEO of the Odesa International Film Festival.
"Creating the visual identity for the 17th Odesa International Film Festival at a time when Ukrainian cinema serves as one of the tools for protecting our national identity is both a challenge and a great source of inspiration for the Starlight Creative team. This year, we moved away from the festival’s traditional colour palette, choosing bright, celebratory colours instead. It is a visual greeting on the occasion of the anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence and a reminder of the powerful vitality of our culture," comments Oleksii Riepik, Head of the Design Bureau at Starlight Media and Executive Creative Director of Starlight Creative.
The key visual of the 17th Odesa International Film Festival conveys its central message: the festival remains faithful to its history, its name, and its mission, while confidently looking toward the future.
About Starlight Creative
Starlight Creative is an international AV agency with extensive experience in media marketing, design, and promotional campaigns. Its team of leading creative talents has received numerous awards for outstanding achievements in motion design and video editing.