Chicago is synonymous with film culture, serving as a hub for filmmakers, actors, and critics who have shaped the industry. Its residents are passionate cinephiles, always seeking innovative ways to engage with cinema.

The Chicago International Film Festival, now celebrating its 60th anniversary, has been pivotal in launching indie films into global prominence, screening over 14,000 films since its inception.

To honor this milestone and reinforce the festival’s reputation, we created a bespoke typeface inspired by the aspect ratios that define cinematic storytelling.

Every element of the campaign was crafted with precision: the typeface became a symbol of the festival’s legacy, incorporating frames from iconic films screened over the past six decades.

This design system resonated with Chicago’s film-loving audience, showcasing the festival’s commitment to film-making while inviting new audiences to attend.

While reaching its 60th anniversary, the Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) faced a critical challenge in engaging younger audiences - they were unaware of its rich history and significant legacy in cinema.

Over the last few decades, the festival had created breakthrough impact - debuting new directors, showing international films, giving queer stories a huge platform etc. The problem was to showcase this history while celebrating the 60th milestone.

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Chicago International Film Festival required a bold, creative approach that honored its legacy while driving engagement. We developed a bespoke typeface inspired by the aspect ratios of film—the technical foundation of cinematic storytelling.

Painstakingly scrubbing through the festival’s archive of over 14,000 films, we curated pairs of iconic frames to embed within the typography itself. Many executions featured frames from festivals famous films. This typeface flexed across mediums, transforming posters, digital assets, and outdoor spaces into works of art that celebrated the festival’s impact on global cinema.

Aspect ratios are the backbone of filmmaking, defining how stories are framed and experienced. For the "60 Years of Films" campaign, we used these proportions to create a bespoke typeface that celebrates the artistry of cinema.

The number ‘60’ incorporates frames from iconic festival films, blending technical precision with emotional resonance. This typographic system not only honors the craft of film-making but also transforms it into a visual narrative, bridging the festival’s rich history with its future. It’s a tribute to the meticulous craftsmanship that defines both cinema and design.

The 60th annual Chicago International Film Festival was a truly a groundbreaking one in festival history — more theaters for festival films sold out than ever before.

- The festival saw a 17% increase in ticket sales compared to 2024.

- The website views went up to 1,115,251 page views.

- Total campaign's earned media impressions were around 1.5 billion.

- 60% of the audience was younger than 35 years old — the youngest it’s ever been.