Has this film festival served up the best logo of 2021?

We've seen plenty of brand new logos in 2021, and not all of them have been winners. From Amazon's Hitler-esque new app icon to countless uninspiring new flat designs from car brands, it can sometimes seem like there are few good ideas left. Until we see something like this ingenious design from Karlovy Vary Inernational Film Festival. 

Now in its 55th year, the festival, based in the Czech Republic, is one of the oldest in the world. But its branding is far from stale, with Studio Najbrt serving up a brilliantly bold and playful identity for this year's event. We'd say it even has eyes on our best logos roundup.

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival logo

(Image credit: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)

The monochromatic design (above) features the number 55, stylised to look like a pair of eyes (you know, the things you watch films with). And that's it. It's just a beautifully striking and simple design that perfectly fits the subject it's been created to promote. What more can we ask for from a logo?

"The visual follows the black and white typographic games with numbers and visibility that have characterized the graphics of the festival for the last two years," says Studio Najbrt. "We’re just glad to be back in the dark of the theatre together."

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival logo

The design works just as well with the colours inverted (Image credit: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)

And the design is proving a huge hit online. "Brilliant – and now I can't unsee it!" one fan tweets (opens in new tab), while another adds, "This project was so well made!". "That took me a moment, what a lovely observation," another user declares. Indeed, in a world of opinions and hot takes online, it's a pleasure to see a design that it seems the internet can't find fault with.

See more

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival logo

The festival has a history of striking black-and-white designs (Image credit: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)

We love a good old logo with a hidden message, and Karlovy Vary Film Festival's eyes design is up there with the best of them. For more brilliant examples, check out this infographic revealing over 50 logo secrets. And if you're inspired to create a design of your own, take a look at our guide to logo design

Read more:

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Daniel Piper
Senior News Editor

Daniel Piper is Creative Bloq’s Senior News Editor. As the brand’s Apple authority, he covers all things Mac, iPhone, iPad and the rest. He also reports on the worlds of design, branding and tech. Daniel joined Future in 2020 (an eventful year, to say the least) after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more. Outside of Future, Daniel is a global poetry slam champion and has performed at festivals including Latitude, Bestival and more. He is the author of Arbitrary and Unnecessary: The Selected Works of Daniel Piper (Selected by Daniel Piper).