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Norte, the End of History

Norte, the End of History
A poster for an epic cinematic reimagining of Dostoevsky's ‘Crime and Punishment’

Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan
Director: Lav Diaz
Client: Origin8 Media
Poster dimensions: 27 × 39 in
Year: 2013
About the film

A gem of slow cinema, the four-hour epic revolves around the lives of three people, one of whom is thrown into prison for the crime of the other. Premiered at the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival.


Design notes

The challenge was to create a compelling poster for a director known for the difficulty of his films.  Images were selected for their internal drama as well as their painterly composition. The spacious and quiet feel of the poster echoes the languid pace and visuals of the film. The use of empty space highlights the characters' relation to their external world, which bears down on their minute existence. The color is monochromatic to signify a kind of heightened drama and portent, without giving away too much. A simple book-like type treatment was used to capture the literary feel of the film. Diaz’s name is highlighted to give more local prominence and weight to a director who is considered, in international circles, a master and an auteur. The still image in the final poster is intriguing and has a quiet terror to it―a young family standing still, wind blowing through their hair and clothes, staring down into a ravine. They are literally caught between light and dark.
Left: Original poster for the 2013 Cannes premiere, with French translations. Right: Alternate study (unused) featuring lead actor Sid Lucero.
Left: Director Lav Diaz at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where the film screened at the Un Certain Regard section.
Right: ‘Norte’ cast and crew on the Cannes red carpet. Third from left: producer Moira Lang, actors Archie Alemania and Angeli Bayani, and Lav Diaz.
“[It is] imperative to see a film like Norte, the End of History on the biggest possible screen. Both in their grandeur and in their willingness to dwell on issues relating to morality and the spirit, these are images and themes best suited for the great cathedral of cinema.”
—The Nashville Scene
Related links

Film info via IMDb
Norte, the End of History
Published:

Norte, the End of History

Poster design for “Norte, the End of History,” a 2013 film by master of slow cinema Lav Diaz.

Published: