The kissing characters in front of Kino Tapiola are the work of artist Teemu Keisteri, also known as Windows95man.
In the 2024 festival poster, visual artist Teemu Keisteri's yellow Ukkeli characters return closer to Espoo Ciné's home theater, Kino Tapiola. The atmosphere is humorous, tender, and summery-mystical: the sun shines with its pink eyes, and something is happening in the bushes in front of the movie theater.
Keisteri, who has created the festival look for Espoo Ciné three years in a row, describes the poster-making process as follows:
"Ukkeli is a big part of my life, and I haven't been able to work on it all year due to Eurovision commitments. So, it was wonderful to fit the making of this poster into my schedule. Kino Tapiola is also a special place for me because I attended an art school next to it at the turn of the 2000s. I spent two years in the animation and comics program, where I developed my Ukkeli-like style, and that's where this Ukkeli vibe originated. Kino Tapiola is my favorite movie theater and a nostalgic place for me, as I spent my youth there, so it was nice to choose it as the subject for the poster."
Keisteri's illustration beautifully showcases Kino Tapiola's functionalist architecture. Designed by architect Aarne Ervi and completed in 1955, the building charms in the poster with its red neon signs and stylishly clear design language. The string of light bulbs around the roof evokes thoughts of darkening summer evenings and the gently glowing lights of the August festival terrace.
The artist says he works best under pressure, and in the midst of Eurovision and parenting responsibilities, he finds time for drawing where he can:
"I am the father of an almost four-year-old boy, and whenever there's a moment amidst the rush, I try to focus on drawing and find inspiration; go with the flow."
In addition to the official festival poster, Espoo Ciné's overall look will be updated more broadly during the summer. You can get a taste of the new look on our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram) and in our newsletter, which will be released this week. Besides the juicy colors and playful Ukkeli characters, the new look emphasizes accessibility with more readable fonts.
Check out the 2024 festival poster down below:
