Sunny Bunny
First Ukrainian
LGBTQ+ Film Festival

SUNNY BUNNY, a program of LGBTQ+ films within the International Film Festival Molodist, recently broke free and became its own independent queer film festival in Ukraine. This exciting change happened during Kyiv’s Pride Month celebrations. The festival needed a fresh identity and style to stand out truly.

Impressed by our work at the 51st Molodist Festival, our team was invited to become SUNNY BUNNY’s creative partner. The festival aimed not only for aesthetic and cultural impact but also to increase LGBTQ+ visibility, find more allies, and fight for fairer legislation in a time of war.

Our task was to create a distinct visual style for SUNNY BUNNY and develop materials for different aspects of the festival.

To establish the festival’s brand identity and determine appropriate materials for use, we delved into the festival’s political and spatial contexts.

We started with the logo, simplifying it while embedding new messages. “The bunny” in the logo now has a partner, symbolizing the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil partnership laws in Ukraine, particularly important during the ongoing war. Visibility, a key festival theme, was expressed through light, showcased by a subtle light effect surrounding the logo.

For the festival’s materials, we used authentic photographs featuring community members. We opted for a “simplicity” approach, avoiding typical queer aesthetics. This naturalness resonated better in society, where LGBTQ+ topics are still sensitive. By avoiding excessive makeup and special effects, we portrayed people as they truly are, emphasizing their social integration.

We adopted different approaches for various platforms within the festival’s ecosystem, carefully considering context and asset usage.

Our work at SUNNY BUNNY led us to a formula for addressing sensitive topics, diverse contexts, and scales. We crafted an organic and comprehensive visual language that extends beyond the festival’s identity, even able to be described through emojis 🐰🐰

The festival’s goal of positively impacting society and the state motivated us to bridge the gap between the LGBTQ+ community and institutions. SUNNY BUNNY FILM FESTIVAL became a supportive platform where the community finds hope and protection.

We embedded visibility, diversity, and equality in all materials while maintaining aesthetic value. Our efforts helped “the bunny” leave a lasting mark on the international film festival map, reminding society and the state that the LGBTQ+ community needs and deserves equal and fair treatment.