Only two months to go until the 2010 Tacoma Film Festival, and the winner of the poster contest has just been announced by host venue The Grand Cinema. Jason Larche, 25, a graphic designer and illustrator from Norwalk, Connecticut, has been named the winner for his design which gives a nod to many local iconic images, from the Narrows Bridge to Art Deco design, collegiate colors and font, and a maritime blue.

“The poster is clean, simple and does a good job of mixing film and Tacoma,” says Philip Cowan, executive director for the Grand Cinema, who helped choose the winning design from 195 worldwide entries, alongside a panel of judges. “With so many talented entries it was really difficult choosing just one winner.”

The Tacoma Film Festival was begun by the Grand in 2006, and is now an eight-day festival over various venues like the Grand, the Tacoma Art Museum, Annie Wright School and the School of the Arts. The focus of the festival, which runs Oct. 7-14, is on art house, foreign language, independent, documentaries and numerous short films, with special emphasis on Northwest filmmakers.

Larche’s poster design is not final; he’s still working on a few adjustments before the festival will use it for promotion. Says Larche: “My goal with this design was to boldly announce the festival by establishing a reputable and contemporary look. I wanted to convey Tacoma’s character in a classical manner through a high-contrast color palette. It was important for me to show my appreciation of traditional film in what has increasingly become a digital art form.”

Information: www.TacomaFilmFestival.com