Sure, of course, the films. And of course, yes, the meetings and events. And yes, absolutely, the rhythms and rituals of a daily life that only exists for a few days each year, almost as if it were some kind of parallel dimension (which if you think about it, it kind of is). These are the things every film festival, small or large, is made up of. But none of it would be as relevant or as profoundly beautiful if it weren't inhabited by the audience. Because the audience of a film festival is more than just a group of people sitting in front of a cinema screen: it's a multitude of souls.
And it's precisely this idea of the multitude that the Far East Film Festival focused on when it commissioned the signature image for its 28th edition from award-winning American illustrator Andy Rementer (assisted by Udine-based art director Margherita Urbani). An image that sets the desire (or need, and perhaps even urgent need) to "be together" and to fully share an experience against the disintegration which sometimes seems to be afflicting the world. So here, in Rementer's artwork, the FEFF multitude is represented: a playful and luminous gallery of faces and therefore of stories, roots, and diverse lives. The faces of Fareasters alternate (and why not?) with the faces we've seen and and will see in the festival's films. A symbol – and not a rhetorical one – of plurality and unity under the banner of cinema.
FEFF 28, which will be taking over the Teatro Nuovo "Giovanni da Udine" Theatre and the Visionario from 24 April to 2 May, is ready to offer new perspectives on Asian cinema. New trajectories of imagination and freedom which for nine days will transform Udine into Europe's Asian capital. And let's not forget that the accreditation campaign is already in full swing: until Monday 2 March, you can purchase your Red Panda or White Tiger accreditation (including the version for those under 26) online at the special Early Bird rate.
Artist Bio: Andy Rementer is an award-winning illustrator and artist known for his bold characters, playful compositions, and emotionally resonant visual storytelling. A graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, he previously joined Fabrica in Treviso, Italy, and is now based on the U.S. East Coast, where he divides his time between drawing, painting, and traveling.
His illustrations and art appear across gallery exhibitions, global advertising campaigns, editorial publications, and collectible editions. Selected clients include Apple, Nike, Samsung, Lotte, The New York Times, Lacoste, Hermes, and BMW.
Many of his commercial projects are created in collaboration with art director and Udine native Margherita Urbani, including the branding for the 28th edition of the Far East Film Festival.