By Ryan Thomas
The Independent Picture House celebrates its second anniversary on June 22, and we want you to pick the poster that will represent us for the next 12 months.
There is so much to remember about IPH’s first two years, from its first screenings in the summer of 2022 and selling 30,000 tickets in 2023 to the recent news of our expansion this fall. All eight of this year’s submissions in our second-annual poster contest reflect that growth in some way, along with the spirit and creativity of the Charlotte arts community. “I love how everyone took a different direction,” IPH marketing coordinator Ivana Woodcock said. “You can feel the love that went into it.”
You can read more about each submission below, or visit the IPH lobby and see them all in person before your next screening. Be sure to cast your vote here or at IPH before Sunday, June 16, for a chance to win two tickets to a screening.
Poster and ticket winners will be announced Saturday, June 22, at our anniversary celebration. Don’t miss it!
Submission 1: Grace Serdula
“I’ve created an Alphonse Mucha inspired piece, highlighting our identity as the Queen City, with my interpretation of Queen Charlotte.”
Submission 2: Elizabeth Ouzts
“I’m hoping to capture the whimsy and fun of going to the movies using my own style of art, which is mixed media on vintage books and magazines.”
Submission 3: Lance Mar
“My design was inspired by the beautiful Charlotte skyline and my love of film art from The Criterion Collection.”
Submission 4: Tim Sampson
“I took inspiration from Charlotte’s Queen City nickname and decided to base my design on my favorite cinema queen, the Xenomorph queen from Aliens. Also, in another homage to the city, the crown she’s wearing incorporates the Charlotte Hornets team colors.”
Submission 5: Kathryn Buckingham
“I’ve always been drawn to more old-school graphic design. I wanted to design something that felt classic yet fun, something that could pop if hanging up in an entryway. It also serves as a nod to vintage cartoons (and the opening to any IPH showing), with a dash of art deco to pull it together.”
Submission 6: Billy Klein
“I really liked [the previous winners] and nearly felt the need to make mine a portrait as well, but I ended up finding the idea of Queen Charlotte actually sitting in a modern theater pretty funny. I imagine this is almost what it would look like if you had to sit behind her majesty when watching her favorite film: Tommy Wiseau’s The Room.”
Submission 7: Trevor Leander
“The image is made to look similar to an old blank VHS tape. Inspiration was the architecture on the front of The Independent Picture House, with the five colors taken from the interior (and rendering on the new expansion’s exterior).… In the top left, “IPH” is the same font as the old “VHS” logo. “T704” is my first initial and the Charlotte ZIP code (a play on T-120 tapes). The miniature crown polygons on the bottom right and top left are for the Queen City.”
Submission 8: Anuja Jain
“I would describe my pieces as the source of meditative and healing powers. During this amazing journey of self-exploration and expressionism, I have used vivid textures, hues and materials. I feel like I am not bound to any specific medium/surface.… I believe every piece of mine portrays a specific message to the audience.”
Cast your vote here, and celebrate two years of independent cinema at IPH!