Festival du Film Maudit (1949) Poster, French

Festival du Film Maudit (1949) Poster, French

Artist: Jean Cocteau (1889-1963)

Unframed: 24 x 16 in. (61 x 41 cm)

This poster was designed by the famous French artist Jean Cocteau. He was a multi-talented artist working in many different mediums: painting, illustration, writing, films, tapestry and jewellery.

This poster was printed for the first Festival du Film Maudit film and therefore not many were printed. Very few of these posters have ever surfaced.

In 1949 an avant-garde cine-club called Objectif 49 was formed in France. Its founder members included Andre Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, Alexandre Astruc, Claude Mauriac, Rene Clement, Pierre Kast and Jean Cocteau as President. The club became the cradle of the French Nouvelle Vauge. In the club's first year it organised the Festival du Film Maudit, which was to be the first festival dedicated to promote avant-garde films. The festival only ran for two years.