Last year, I had the chance to work on a product I’d always dreamed of owning. The Cinephilia & Beyond team came up with the idea for a very special kind of calendar—one that any true cinephile would proudly hang on their wall. It would be a perfect blend of rich film history and striking visuals. They handled the research and data, while my task was to create 12 custom illustrations, each inspired by a different film.

Luckily, I had Sara and her incredible illustration skills by my side. We jumped right in, knowing we had months of work ahead and no time to waste—2025 was approaching fast!

The Calendar Concept

The goal was simple but ambitious: to celebrate cinema, day by day. Each date featured the premiere or release date of notable films, so every week was filled with dozens of cinematic birthdays. We also highlighted films which are celebrating milestone birthdays in 2025, dedicating one original illustration per month to an iconic film.

Here’s the lineup:

Les Diaboliques (1955) — January
Brazil (1985) — February
East of Eden (1955) — March
The Passenger (1975) — April
Mad Max (2015) — May
Nashville (1975) — June
The Night of the Hunter (1955) — July
The Usual Suspects (1995) — August
Seven (1995) — September
Strange Days (1995) — October
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) — November
Heat (1995) — December

Even though all of them are classics, some were new to us—so our research included plenty of popcorn, late-night screenings, and note-taking sessions. For others, we revisited them with fresh eyes.

Sketches & Challenges

For each film, we created initial concept proposals to share with the Cinephilia & Beyond team. These were either digital collages in Photoshop or quick iPad sketches made in Procreate—just enough to communicate the idea, mood, and color palette.

Some films inspired us instantly (like Les Diaboliques or Se7en), while others proved more difficult (Strange Days, Heat). The challenge was to craft something meaningful that reflected the plot or characters, while avoiding clichés or tired visual tropes—especially tough with films that have already been interpreted by artists countless times.

Another design challenge was the format: each illustration had to be wide and horizontal—quite different from the vertical poster formats we’re used to. This demanded a new mindset when it came to layout, storytelling, and composition.

Once all 12 concepts were approved, we moved on to creating the final illustrations in full resolution. Since the calendar would be printed in A2 format, each piece needed to be 420 x 240 mm. That’s large enough to demand real attention to detail—nothing could be left rough or unfinished.

Here are some examples of concept sketches vs. final illustrations:

The Passenger

The concept for The Passenger began with the idea of David Locke (Jack Nicholson’s character) hiding inside an oversized passport—an image meant to symbolize his assumption of a new identity. Later, we added the Jeep on the left side as a visual nod to his former life, with Locke emerging on the opposite side. The vehicle also added a sense of visual depth to the composition.

The Night of the Hunter

Robert Mitchum’s character in The Night of the Hunter is one of cinema’s great screen villains, and we knew we wanted to capture his unsettling presence. At the same time, it was important to show the vulnerability of the children he’s hunting. That’s why, in the final version, we adjusted his gaze to focus directly on them. The house added a nice period-specific touch and, by chance, aligned perfectly with the silhouette of his hat—an unexpected detail that tied the composition together.

Heat

Michael Mann’s L.A.-set crime drama is rich with atmosphere, and we wanted that mood to carry through in our illustration. A scene of Neil (Robert De Niro’s character) standing before a wall of windows, gazing out at the ocean, felt like the perfect starting point. We reimagined the window panes as flickering skyscrapers, preserving the film’s signature nocturnal tone.

“This was not a commercial venture, but a passion project created for the joy of celebrating cinema.”

A Labor of Love

Seeing the final calendar in print, with large-scale illustrations on thick paper, was a moment we won’t forget. Orders came in from around the world, from film producers, directors, and fellow cinephiles alike. It was a product we were proud to ship out.

In a time when AI-generated imagery is quickly becoming the norm, this was a meaningful project to be part of—human-made, time-consuming, and crafted with intention. From the hand-drawn illustrations to the meticulous research, this wasn’t a commercial venture. It was a passion project, created purely for the love of cinema.

A January 2025 detail...

Sara enjoying April

September is marked by a psychotic gaze...

Looking Toward 2026

Our copy of the calendar hangs on our wall, and checking which films are celebrating their anniversary has become a fun daily tradition. If everything aligns—and the stars allow—we’ll be working on 12 new illustrations later this year. We can’t wait to dive back in.

In the meantime, dive into the 12 monthly illustrations of 2025: