Our fantastic poster for this year’s festival is designed by another young and brilliant Cuban graphic designer.

Roberto Pérez Curbelo (aka Potto) studied visual communication design at the Superior Institute of Design of the University of Havana (ISDi). He grew up in Cerro, Havana and loved Cuban cartoons. He now makes graphics for visual arts exhibitions, book covers, the design of serial publications, video spots and film and theatre posters, as well as teaching design at ISDi.

Roberto’s inspiration for our poster was to combine the feel of the traditional Cuban home – with tiles and rocking chair – with the film director’s chair, as well as the screen print aesthetic of Cuban film posters. Several of the films being screened this year reflect ordinary women’s lives and domestic conflict.

Roberto has said about his work generally:

“In Cuba, poster art was a form of expression that was at the forefront of the visual arts in the 1960s. Artists considered part of the Cuban poster school had different styles and resources they used to find visual solutions for various political, social, and cultural themes. That influence is still very much present today. My work is always marked by the humour that characterizes Cubans, a style that is still evolving, and by being influenced by illustrators and designers in Cuba whom I greatly admire.”

Roberto’s work is also recognised internationally for example he achieved first prize in Latin America’s Congress of Design CADi LATAM 2022 and Bronze Award in the Cultural poster category in the 2023 United States International Poster Biennial.

You can follow Roberto’s work at https://www.instagram.com/___potto___/

Muchas gracias, Roberto!

Posters will be on sale soon online and at the Festival screenings to help raise funds for ICAIC archive restoration and other projects.