Primal Screen
A pack of wolves gathered around a fire, their gaze turned toward us—it is with this striking image that Manon Diemer has created the 2027 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival poster. An image with a dual perspective that reveals itself gradually: at first, a close-up of the wolves, then, drawing back, an entire city twinkling in the distance, like another hearth of light in the middle of the wilderness.
© Manon Diemer
Having roamed the surroundings of Clermont-Ferrand before taking to the drawing board, Manon Diemer drew her inspiration from a novel she read during her stay about the reintroduction of wolves in the Scottish Highlands. The central theme of the poster was born from this reading, a figure she has drawn since childhood and that she wished to rehabilitate against its negative portrayal in the collective imaginary.
Here, the wolf becomes the symbol of a primary relationship with nature, the ancestor of the dog, an animal that lives in groups, by mutual aid, and whose gaze turned toward us silently questions the cohabitation between the natural world and modern society.
Surrounding this pack, fire carries an equally ambivalent symbolism: a source of warmth that brings people together, but also a symbol of struggle and a direct reference to the very origins of the art of projecting images, those shadow plays cast on rock by early humans. An echo that the artist wished to bring into the city itself: during the festival, each venue is transformed into a similar kind of hearth where people gather to share a moment suspended in time before the screen.
Finally, discreet details pay homage to the local fauna of Clermont-Ferrand’s natural surroundings and lay hidden in the corners of the poster (a squirrel, an eagle owl, badgers). These elements reflect the illustrator’s vision of sharing nature, in resonance with the Festival’s 2027 thematic retrospective on democracy.
The 49th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival will take place from January 29th to February 6th 2027.
Learn more about the making of the poster
My drawings often represent nature and landscapes, and I have a strong desire to preserve the environment and to be mindful of what surrounds us.
The element of surprise that I intended to create is there: we first discover the wolves gathered around the fire in portrait, and it is only then, when the poster unfolds in landscape, that we realize there is also this city, which is itself a source of light and gathering, in the middle of this preserved nature. In this way, the poster operates on two levels, with two worlds that must live together: a dense, modern society, and a world that is still wild and continues to exist around us.
Who are you, Manon Diemer?
Trained in Applied Arts, at the Beaux-Arts de Lyon, then in motion design at Gobelins, Manon Diemer first worked at an agency in Paris for several years before refocusing on a more personal drawing practice, driven by a need to reconnect with nature. Based in La Rochelle, she made this practice her full-fledged profession, taking on major commissions such as a planisphere for Air France, a stamp for La Poste…ever true to her subjects of landscapes and living things.
Her work can be found in magazines like KIBLIND, in books, on clothing, stamps, as well as in many exhibitions. She is represented by the KG Talents Paris agency.
She attended the 48th edition of the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in 2026 to draw inspiration from the environment and atmosphere of the event.
© Camille Dampierre (report) and © Baptiste Chanat (photocall)
Keep in mind for 2027
Manon will be back in Clermont-Ferrand during the Festival and will participate in a signing session at Les Volcans bookshop (date to come).
You will also have the chance to experience an exhibition showcasing her illustrations at the Hôtel Mercure Centre Jaude in Clermont-Ferrand from January 15th to February 7th. On the agenda: all her risograph prints created for KIBLIND magazine (including the 2027 festival poster, available for purchase!), as well as exclusive A2 and A1 prints of other works.
Where can I get the poster?
Find this poster now available for purchase:
- A2 (42 × 59.4 cm), portrait and landscape formats
- Postcard (10.5 × 15 cm), portrait and landscape formats
… with many more variations (small poster 30 × 40 cm, cinema-format posters…) and merchandise (mug, magnet, puzzle, tote bag, etc.) coming soon!
Place de la Victoire
63000 Clermont-Ferrand
Monday*-Sunday:
10:00 – 13:00 / 14:00 – 18:00
Closed :
– *Monday mornings
– on Sundays in January and November
– on December 25 and January 1st
6 place Michel-de-L’Hospital
63000 Clermont-Ferrand
Monday-Thursday
8:30 – 12:00 / 14:00 – 17:30
(Closed on Fridays)
