CLOSE-UP - European Film Academy
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
CLOSE-UP ISSUE 5 | WINTER 2019
LET’S ALL CLEAN UP OUR ACTS!
By Mike Downey
There are various and varying levels of toxicity in the
international film industry – some are in the process of being
dealt with – others have barely begun to be taken seriously.
The case in point that we are dealing with in this fifth issue of
Close-Up is sustainability in the European film industry.
There are extraordinary levels of carbon and waste created by film
production – at a rate that is escalating and must be halted.
A study by BAFTA estimated that a massive 13 metric tonnes of carbon
dioxide is created per hour of broadcast material. Add to that the vast
carbon footprint of the business travelling around the world year-round,
meeting in the same familiar places, speaking about the same familiar
things. So, surely there has to be a way of doing all this without damaging Therefore, this edition of Close-Up is not just taking sustainability as its theme,
the planet any further. it is also an informal manifesto as to how we at the European Film Academy,
In Europe especially we need to move towards the organisation of a pan- and we hope, you, as the European film industry can engage to clean up our
European industry-wide performance assessment that includes sustainable collective acts. Over-dependency on airlines, on plastics, on un-recyclable
best practices from around the world that could provide consistency goods, a culture of waste in every department, dependency on vast amounts
across film productions, as a way of cleaning up our act and moving of consumables, the throwing away of vast amounts of food, the using of
towards a more green screen. the wrong kind of wood … these are all sins of which every production –
whether it be in Europe or China, California or Patagonia – is guilty of.
As members of the European Film Academy, we are particularly concerned
for the environmental, economic, and social issues that come in the wake Come on. Greenshoot, the UK-based organisation created way back
of production. Sustainability in film production must incorporate socially and in 2009, recently points out that the average person going about their
environmentally responsible decision-making into the pre-production and daily lives, eating, sleeping, getting about, generates about 7 tonnes
production of films as well as involving sustainable development principles of carbon a year. A single film technician typically generates up to
at all levels and fully depends on co-operation from all departments and/or 2.5 tonnes of carbon on an eight-week shoot, or 32 tonnes per year.
participants in making a film. Measure that exponentially on a cast and crew of up to 250 working
on a large production, plus the whole supply chain supporting it, that
Here at EFA, we are not innocents. As an institution we need to address makes for one helluva carbon footprint.
all the travelling we do, on the endless roundabout of Cannes, Venice,
Toronto, AFM, Sundance, Berlin – to name but a few, and last but not least Enough is enough.
to attend our very own annual EFA awards ceremony. The time for change is upon us.
This year in Berlin, we have made the first steps to reduce the amounts As European filmmakers, we very often perceive ourselves as outspoken
of printed material created for the Awards – and for the first time, we are progressives expressing a love for our planet and a disdain for those
serving only vegetarian food at the after-show party. For the first time at the people who are polluting it beyond use for future generations. Well, the very
2020 awards to be held in Reykjavik, in association with our local hosts, we act of film production, sales, marketing, distribution and all aspects of its
will plant trees to the value of our carbon footprint and beyond. (Read more international nature, are contributing vastly to climate change.
about Icelandic tree planting in our interview with Benedikt Erlingsson on
page 2). We hope this is a tradition which will continue for years to come We need to wake up and start doing something about it instead of talking
about it. There are plenty of concrete examples of how to make production
These are baby steps, I know, but we have to start somewhere and we and festivals more sustainable in this issue on pages 9 and 12. If we act
must begin to show by example. together, we can be a huge force for change. But we must act collectively
Should I be elected as chairman and continue my 16-year-long commitment and fast.
to the board and membership, I hope that we can make this an annual We live in an age of choice. We surely can conceive of a time in the not
contribution, and step up our efforts to green our increasingly dirty business. too distant future, as our planet begins to fail, when people may choose to
These gestures, however, amount to a mere drip of a drop in the ocean, watch or not watch something based on whether it was made sustainably
while our habits on set, in productions and from the top to the bottom of or not. Stranger things have happened.
our vertically and horizontally integrated business in Europe and across the Mike Downey is deputy chairman of the European Film Academy
globe are barely improving year on year. and founder and CEO of production company Film and Music
Entertainment (F&ME).ISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY BENEDIKT ERLINGSSON 2
BENEDIKT ERLINGSSON:
“FILMS ARE CARBON-FARTING
ADVENTURES”
By Wendy Mitchell
Showing WOMAN AT WAR around the world, the writer/director noticed
that in some places like the Nordics, “the film is preaching to the believers
… this is a mainstream view.” Yet in America he could feel a difference in
the audience: “they were far away from engaging in the political questions,
they talked more about aesthetics.”
He had seen enough of the dystopian storytelling approach to the problems
of sustainability, and said WOMAN AT WAR was “my attempt to do a
happy, mainstream blockbuster film in the spirit of the solutions.” He says
he now sees the character of Halla as the “little sister of Greta Thunberg,
who is moving mountains.”
Since making WOMAN AT WAR, he has been busy working in theatre
in Iceland, including the National Theatre’s premiere of supermarket-set
comedy SUPER, written by comedian and former mayor Jon Gnarr.
His next project will be a TV series called THE DANISH WOMAN, reuniting
him with WOMAN AT WAR producers Leblanc and Slot.
Film Festival Forests
Icelandic writer/director Benedikt Erlingsson spent the
He shook up the industry in Karlovy Vary in July 2019 when he dared
summer planting trees. Digging 100 holes and planting to give a speech about how unsustainable film festivals are. “We aren’t
100 trees himself, on Icelandic land owned by communicating, we don’t see the house is burning now, the film industry
cinematographer Bergsteinn ‘Besti’ Björgúlfsson. has to face this,” he says now of why he felt compelled to tackle the
subject head-on.
Erlingsson is planting those trees to balance out his own carbon footprint
as a filmmaker, who has to take flights often to show and promote his “We are producing a lot of films, films are carbon-farting adventures.
work. It’s hardly possible to take a train from Iceland, after all. To cut down on that carbon farting, we should start giving prizes for
sustainable films,” he adds.
“When I go on a flight to New York for six hours, this plane is farting on my
behalf 600 kilos of carbon into the air. The flight back is another 600 kilos,” “Film festivals are also carbon-farting adventures … Are there too many
he explains. “Yes, this is a problem. Is there a solution? Yes, maybe one festivals? Can we change that or can we not change that? You have
solution is to skip the trip.” But if that’s not possible, he likes to plant trees. programmers and journalists and guests flying around the world for one
“Trees are magical vacuum cleaners,” taking carbon dioxide from the air. As interview or one Q&A that could be done on Facetime.“
a storyteller he also likes the symbolism of the tree – “the tree of life, tree of
“When we are talking about sustainability of filmmaking we have to talk
knowledge, and the stone age was a tree age… oil and coal are old trees
about all this. We should plant festival forests,” he suggests as one action
pressed together. Now we have to change them back to trees when we
to help. He isn’t calling for a travel ban, but suggests if filmmakers have to
fart them into the air.”
travel, “to stay somewhere for longer … not just flying around every few
His acclaimed second fiction feature, WOMAN AT WAR, had a climate days.”
crisis theme. It tells the story of 50-year-old Halla (played by Halldora
He continues, “The scenario is so serious (that) if we end up with four
Geirhardsdottir), who becomes an eco-warrior to protect the Icelandic
degrees raised in average temperature that will mean 97% extinction of all
highlands from industrial development. “When a child is not listened to it
life mass on Earth … If we don’t do anything there will be no film festivals.
starts to scream. This is the premise of WOMAN AT WAR,” he says. The
film premiered to rave reviews at Cannes Critics’ Week 2018 (where it won
the SACD Screenwriting Award), won 10 Eddas in Iceland as well as the
lucrative Nordic Council Film Prize, and saw Geirhardsdottir nominated for “WE ARE PRODUCING A LOT OF
European Actress at the EFAs last year.
FILMS, FILMS ARE CARBON-FART-
The production tried its best to be environmentally friendly, and to protect
the highlands areas where they shot. “We were the carbon lightest
ING ADVENTURES. TO CUT DOWN
production in Iceland at that time, but I don’t think we were perfect,” ON THAT CARBON FARTING, WE
Erlingsson says. “We tried to be plastic free, we looked at other catering
solutions, we took great care in sensitive areas with moss,” he explains.
SHOULD START GIVING PRIZES
Erlingsson worked with producers Carine Leblanc and Marianne Slot
FOR SUSTAINABLE FILMS.”
Benedikt Erlingsson
of France’s Slot Machine to contribute on the film’s behalf to Eden
Reforestation Projects (edenprojects.org) for planting 10,000 trees at
sensitive spots around the globe.ISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY BENEDIKT ERLINGSSON 3
Woman at War Woman at War
Woman at War
Personal Actions
Environmental activism has long been a passion for Erlingsson. When he He’s been eating meat-free for a few weeks since watching Netflix’s THE
was 18, he was part of a small group of Icelandic radicals who chained GAME CHANGERS, Louie Psihoyos’ documentary about how human
themselves to a whaling ship to protest industrial hunting of whales. “I performance can be enhanced by eating plant-based diets. “Good
don’t think it’s anything to brag about, people do much better and greater storytelling can be such a powerful transport medium for good ideas –
things,” he says now. “It was a piece of theatre, that is about winning the that’s not just film, that’s good art, good poetry.”
day in the media.”
Erlingsson adds, “But we have to remember that this is not just about
He’s not chaining himself to ships anymore, but he is going on weekly the consumer. We are vulnerable as consumers and civilians. We need
Extinction Rebellion marches in Reykjavik, accompanied by his 11-year-old governments to step in. The state has the obligation to make this the
twin daughters. producers’ problem, not the consumers’ problem. So we as democratic
citizens need to vote for the politicians who want this. This is the key thing,
He wishes that every school would teach lessons about how to live a
it’s structural change that has to happen.”
carbon-lighter life. Of course, he sometimes gets depressed about the
state of the planet, but he does see the silver lining of people changing UK-based Wendy Mitchell is editor of EFAs Close-Up, contributing editor
their actions. “This is a beautiful U-turn and a lifestyle change we can take at Screen International and a consultant for the San Sebastian, Rotterdam
together. It means a better life, a longer life, a healthier life, everything can and Zurich film festivals. Her website is filmwendy.com.
be better.”
Changes he’s made at home? “We are avoiding plastic, like everybody.
We are planting trees. We have an electric car,” he explains. He can also
take advantage of Iceland’s famous hydropower.ISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY FILM4CLIMATE 4
CONNECT4CLIMATE: HARNESSING
THE POWER OF FILM
By Wendy Mitchell
Before anyone else had heard the name Greta Thunberg,
Connect4Climate was interested in how youth were tackling
climate change.
Back in 2015, the organisation became one of the backers of a project
conceived in 2008 by then-15-year-old director Slater Jewell-Kemker,
following her 10-year journey in the youth climate movement. Now the
finished feature, YOUTH UNSTOPPABLE, about the international youth
climate movement, has shown at more than 50 film festivals around
the globe.
Giulia C. Braga, Connect4Climate’s programme manager, says: “The idea
for this project was to find ways for young people to tell their stories through
film and video and mentorship. Hopefully, we will see an amazing coming
together of more stories. This generation is showing the way.”
Film4Climate is just one part of Connect4Climate, a global partnership
launched in late 2009 by the World Bank Group and the Italian Ministry of X-Ray Fashion
Environment, Land and Sea, together with the German Federal Ministry for
Economic Co-operation and Development, that takes on climate change
through various activities.
Film is such a powerful medium to inspire change, Braga says. “The
“I THINK THE AWARENESS IS
work we started to do with the film industry was aimed at reaching young GROWING IN THE FILM INDUSTRY,
people through the power of film. “Film can have immediate impact, with its
emotional resonance, and reach a mass audience no matter of age, sex,
ESPECIALLY COMPARED
country. We really wanted to leverage the power of cinema and work with TO FASHION OR OTHER FIELDS.”
the film industry.” Giulia C. Braga
Since 2014, Film4Climate has concentrated on two areas of work:
developing plans for film production to become greener, and raising
awareness about climate change through the messages of films.
The organization has worked with more than 160 film organisations
so far, including Cannes Marché’s DocDay, the Venice Biennale,
Flanders Audiovisual Fund and film commissions such as Ile-de-France.
Filmmakers including Marc Forster, Wim Wenders and Fernando Meirelles
have worked with the group’s projects.
Activities include the Action4Climate documentary film competition in 2014;
the annual programme of climate-themed films and a post-production
award at the Guadalajara International Film Festival; the Cinema Green
project airing short films on Crackle’s platforms in Brazil and introducing the
Film4Climate Charter (see box, next page) in 2015.
The group has also moved into VR – working with Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan
Productions and Italian manufacturer Alcantara for the Uniting4Climate VR
pitch competition in 2017. The resulting VR project, Francesco Carrozzini’s
X-RAY FASHION developed with Danish VR company MANND, premiered
at Venice 2018 as a cinematic VR experience that guides the viewer
through the different stages of garment production from cotton farm to
sweatshop, and from catwalk to consumer purchase to the afterlife of the
garment.
Giulia C. Braga
xxISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY FILM4CLIMATE 5
Youth Unstoppable
xx Youth Unstoppable
xx
Film4Climate has also supported another feature documentary, She also hopes Film4Climate can add to its post-production award by also
THE GREAT GREEN WALL, which is directed by Jared P Scott and setting up a new sustainable pre-production award, which would come
executive produced by Meirelles. The film documents the people with in-kind support.
in the Sahel region in Africa trying to save their lands by planting an
In the years since Connect4Climate started, Braga can feel a change. “I
8,000-kilometre wall of trees. “The film is a musical journey across
think the awareness is growing in the film industry, especially compared to
Africa and the Great Green Wall countries,” says Braga. “The idea is to
fashion or other fields.”
reach people through the arts and emotions … We are not a production
company but we are trying our best to support great films.” She suggests that maybe there could be more awards, standalone or in
partnership with film festivals, that could reward films that look at climate
Of course, climate change is the focus of many outstanding documentaries
change, or are sustainable productions.
but Braga also says, “we are thinking of ways such topics could be
integrated with a film’s storyline within fiction films that are reaching many She adds, “What is still missing is the holistic approach in the film industry
people.” She notes that THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is known as a that brings all the components together. We really need to focus more on
sustainable production “but it also included messages about recycling and incentives and especially on the mechanisms of sustainable production.”
renewable energy.”
UK-based Wendy Mitchell is editor of EFAs Close-Up, contributing editor
The Charter in 2015 was “a declaration of intent to make production more at Screen International and a consultant for the San Sebastian, Rotterdam
sustainable.” She points to the many national and regional initiatives around and Zurich film festivals. Her website is filmwendy.com.
the globe that want to guide productions to be more green. “We are trying
to work with these networks and many around the world to see if all best
practices could be harmonised and have some international production
protocols, maybe with financial incentives or awards for best practices.”
FILM4CLIMATE’S INTERNATIONAL CHARTER
The charter challenges its partners:
• To demonstrate respect for the earth by limiting • To explore new technologies and innovative ways to
land modification and habitat degradation, avoiding reduce the carbon footprint of productions including
contamination, and guarding against the introduction LED lighting, cameras with advanced sensors for low
of invasive species; lighting, rechargeable batteries, alternative fuels, solar
and other sources of renewable energy;
• To utilize environmental experts to assist production
whenever possible, and to train Eco Supervisors • To use practical software or carbon calculators to
and department heads to facilitate comprehensive analyse, calculate and reduce the carbon footprints of
sustainability measures; film productions;
• To respect scientific knowledge and information in both • To create and make available Sustainability Reports
production and storytelling content, and to incorporate for each production to be shared with cast, crew
climate messaging and education whenever possible; and financiers, and to promote education and public
awareness of eco efforts;
• To use “Best Practice” guidelines to guide achievable
goals during production as outlined by industry • To employ carbon offsets, or compensate and make
leaders, including EcoProd, PGA Green, Albert and positive environmental contributions to communities
Edison Green. These include policies for responsible negatively impacted by production.
purchasing that promotes “fair trade” and “green”
products;ISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY CLIMATE LAB 6
DOC SOCIETY: “WE NEED TO UNLEASH
A RICH BIODIVERSITY OF STORIES
WITH A CLIMATE NARRATIVE”
By Michael Rosser
Doc Society has been turning up the heat on climate- “I understand that impulse. But in the same way that there’s been a mono-
change filmmaking following a startling “wake-up call”. culture in agriculture, which has led to the devastation of species, there’s a
similar thing happening in narrative storytelling.
It was three years ago when Jess Search, chief executive of the documentary-
funding organisation, found herself at a dinner with Mary Robinson, “We need to unleash a rich biodiversity of stories with a climate narrative
the former Prime Minister of Ireland and “climate justice” advocate. and hear about solutions that come from every part of society. We need
a rich, complex, multi-faceted set of stories and conversations. Not just
“I felt like I was up to speed on these issues but after spending the day “What is the answer?” because there is no one answer to the climate
with Mary, I realised I wasn’t and the penny dropped,” says Search. crisis.”
“I realised we had to pivot our organisation towards this emergency.
It’s our responsibility.” Following the pilot, Climate Story Lab UK will be held in London over four
days in March 2020 (applications now open at climatestorylab.org). Up to
Since its launch in 2005, non-profit organisation Doc Society (formerly nine projects are being sought with climate at their heart in a bid to forge
known as Britdoc) had backed several films with environmental concerns collaboration with climate experts.
at their centre ranging from tackling overfishing in THE END OF THE LINE
(2009) to spotlighting the plight of the mountain gorilla in Oscar-nominated “All of our partners want to be a part of the climate work that we’re doing,”
feature VIRUNGA (2014). says Search of Doc Society’s work throughout Europe and around the
world. Recent Good Pitch events, which bring together documentary
But Search recalls the scarcity of films available to support. “If there has filmmakers with foundations, philanthropists, policymakers and more
been a deficit in really good independent filmmaking around social change around leading social and environmental issues, have taken place in Hawaii,
then that is a problem we should be solving together,” she asserts. Indonesia and Brazil.
The decision to focus on the climate crisis marked a major shift for Doc “Our work has been global for the past eight years and half the filmmakers
Society, which had previously resisted targeting any specific subject as they we work for are based outside the UK,” she adds.
“wanted filmmakers to reflect the zeitgeist and tell us what was important.”
“We work on a small scale with independent filmmakers but they are a
Since 2017, the organisation has worked to consider climate issues in all its powerful network in every country and what they do, by its very nature,
programmatic work. “The truth is that the climate is going to affect almost is very catalytic.
every single thing so it needs to be in everything,” says Search. “It’s not just
that we need more programmes about climate, we need more climate in all
our programmes.”
“PEOPLE SEE AN INDEPENDENT
To help realise this vision, Doc Society joined forces with production
company Exposure Labs earlier this year to pilot the Climate Story Lab. DOCUMENTARY AND THAT
The inaugural event, held in New York in July, was designed to build CAN OFTEN BE WHAT SPARKS
on Doc Society’s Good Pitch Impact Labs, which has connected social
justice films with partners for more than 10 years. A REACTION. IT CAN BE THE
The first Climate Story Lab invited 12 projects from around the world,
BEGINNING OF THE CHANGE
including upcoming Greta Thunberg documentary GRETA VS CLIMATE WE ALL NEED.”
(see page 14), to present their plans at the event. It also brought together Jess Search
filmmakers with scientists, branding experts, political strategists and more
to discuss how best to inspire people and engage politicians.
Michael Rosser is a London-based writer and editor specialising in the
“Something that we’re taking on, which is big and quite systemic, is the UK and international film industry. He regularly contributes to Screen
desire from financiers and distributors to want the next big thing, asking International, previously worked at IMDb and Broadcast, and moderates
what’s the next AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH,” says Search of one of the at screenings, events and film festivals.
issues raised during the event.
xx Search
Jess xx
Climate Story Lab xx
Climate Story LabISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY SUSTAINABILITY IN PRODUCTION 7
SUSTAINABILITY IN PRODUCTION:
GETTING EVERYONE ON BOARD
By Jennifer Green
Fresco Film’s re-usable water bottles have travelled the globe,
xx xx
A water cooler on the sustainable set of Happy as Lazarro including Zimbabwe
The re-usable black water bottle of Spain-based production “It may seem daunting at first, and the breaking out of traditional ways
service company Fresco Film is a minor Instagram celebrity. of working can be quite jarring for a lot of people,” says Angela Moneke,
Production Co-ordinator at the UK’s Working Title Films. Their MARY,
Like the garden gnome from AMÉLIE, the Fresco bottle QUEEN OF SCOTS earned an Environmental Media Association (EMA)
has been photographed at tourist sites around the world, Gold Seal award in 2018 for its work toward sustainable production. “It’s
including the Colosseum in Rome, Victoria Falls only when you get into it – when all the teething issues are sorted out and
in Zimbabwe and the skyline of Bangkok. everyone knows what they’re doing and things are running smoothly – that
you see actually just how easy it can be.”
“It’s a symbol,” explains Esmeralda Ruiz, Fresco’s Head of Marketing and
Environmental Sustainability, who says this one conservation effort has Among the eco-friendly steps taken on MARY were paperless document
helped avoid the use of more than 250,000 plastic water bottles on film distribution, recycled paper, re-used office and set construction materials
sets in 2018 and 2019. Fresco slips a note explaining its sustainability from Universal Pictures’ JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM,
efforts inside each of the bottles it passes out to crews – including on re-usable water bottles and rechargeable batteries. The crew gave back
projects like HBO’s GAME OF THRONES, Sony’s SNATCH and Netflix’s locally by donating resources like props, furniture, books, costumes and
WARRIOR NUN – “so whoever uses that bottle is aware of how much food, and director Josie Rourke donated 112 trees to be planted in the
they can do.” Scottish Highlands, where the film was partially shot.
Awareness of the impact of every individual action is a key component to “The main thing is to have the sustainability manager on board from pre-
motivate more productions to “go green,” say sustainability experts across production,” suggests Ludovica Chiarini of Italy’s Tempesta Film, because
Europe, as is sharing information about success stories and best practices. that’s when major decisions are made about suppliers, locations and
contracts that can include “sustainability clauses.” Chiarini managed the
While there are plenty of resources available online to help European EcoMuvi protocol and certification process on Tempesta’s HAPPY AS
filmmakers take the initiative, the impetus has to come from the makers LAZZARO from director Alice Rohrwacher, which was estimated to have
and backers of the movies themselves, and efforts toward reducing a film’s saved the equivalent of 249 tons of CO2, “mainly due to carpooling and
carbon footprint can and should start at the earliest stages of production – using the train rather than cars.”
and be measurable afterwards.
Fresco Film’s Ruiz agrees. “When you’re selecting between one supplier
First Steps and another, try to choose those who are working more sustainably.
For example, if I have two electrical companies and one uses LED packs
“The way films are produced in general is not very sustainable,” says Birgit
and the other doesn’t, I’ll go with the one who uses the LED.” This is
Heidsiek, Green Cinema Consultant of the German Federal Film Fund (FFA),
the kind of small step, “simply through the decisions you make,” that
who launched the online forum and magazine Green Film Shooting in 2012.
Ruiz suggests producers can start taking in initial sustainability efforts.
The highest emissions on film sets are said to be generated by energy
Others can include “avoiding printing, not consuming plastic, trying to buy
usage (generators), transportation of materials (equipment, material), waste,
responsibly, renting rather than buying resources.”
and post-production energy use and transportation of people (flights to the
cheapest sound studio, for example).
People engaged in sustainability efforts insist it can actually be quite easy
to address these and other aspects, especially if you start early in the
“THE WAY FILMS ARE
process, co-ordinate centrally and spread the effort across departments PRODUCED IN GENERAL IS
through both awareness and training. Hiring local companies with their
own sustainable programmes in place, housing cast and crew locally, and
NOT VERY SUSTAINABLE”
Birgit Heidsiek
re-using, recycling and donating wherever possible are three key actions.ISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY SUSTAINABILITY IN PRODUCTION 8
Emellie O’Brien Ludovica Chiarini Carlo Cresto-Dina Esmerelda Ruiz
Heidsiek points to the example of director Emily Atef’s German-French co- Tempesta Film founder Carlo Cresto-Dina calls sustainability “less
production 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON, which she says saved time, energy and expensive” and calculates EcoMuvi protocols on Rohrwacher’s previous
money by shooting in one location in Germany and housing the cast and film THE WONDERS saved upwards of €30,000 on a €5.8 million budget.
crew within walking distance. A small second unit was sent alone to get “It’s not massive, but why not do it?”
exterior shots in Quiberon, where the film takes place. “If you want to avoid
The Producer’s Guild of America’s Green Production Guide project calls
unnecessary transportation, it would be better to do everything locally,” she
the widespread belief that it costs more to go green on set a “myth.”
says. These efforts earned the production a Green Shooting Card from the
The project published a 2014 report titled “Going & Saving Green: A Cost-
Hamburg Film Fund.
Benefit Analysis of Sustainable Filmmaking,” prepared by Earth Angel CEO
“The scales to which people are able to practice sustainability might be Emellie O’Brien, known for her work on the film widely heralded as “the
different,” Moneke concludes. “But as long as the effort is being made and most eco-friendly blockbuster” in history, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2.
people are trying and building on it, then that’s progress.”
Her report breaks down significant potential on-set savings via seemingly
Cost Concerns minor steps and tallies cost savings on productions like Paramount
Pictures’ NOAH ($45,000 savings in recycling steel) and BOARDWALK
Producers invariably question whether sustainable activities add cost or EMPIRE, season 2 (more than $160 savings per crew member to share
save on budget. “The answer is that it’s both,” says producer Marta Garcia scripts digitally), among others.
Larriu, director of the sustainability-themed Another Way Film Festival of
Madrid, now in its fifth year. “You have to make an initial investment but
you get it back in the end.” For example, a production might have
to invest up front in iPads in order to go digital, but will later save on paper,
printers and ink.
“All across the board, wherever you’re trying to re-use and repurpose
things, generally it’s most likely going to be good for your budget,” says
Moneke. On MARY, she cites specific cost savings on rechargeable
batteries rather than disposable, on re-usable water bottles and on
repurposed plywood from a past set.
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
There are not yet many incentives or official protocols in place at the “Right now, it’s the film commissions and regions that are more sensitive
institutional level in Europe to motivate and regulate sustainability, and to this that have developed something,” Cantisani notes. The EUFCN
this is widely seen as a pressing need. “Experience shows that if you say website has assembled toolkits, guides and handbooks from nine of its
something is an option, some people do it but not everyone,” consultant member commissions. Among them, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF)
Heidsiek says. “But if film funds or TV stations or streaming services are in Belgium is often highlighted as a leader because it ties sustainability to
requesting it, then it’s much better.” Tempesta Film’s Cresto-Dina agrees: funding: it requires productions to receive “eco-coaching” and to meet
“Reduction of impact should be a compulsory request for any public carbon footprint standards before they can receive the last 10 percent
investment in films and TV.” instalment of support.
“In Europe, we are moving slowly and there is no European protocol for The Trentino Film Commission’s “T-Green Film” bills itself as the first
green shooting, so each region or each country has its own criteria and regional fund in Europe that awards and certifies productions applying
rules, and it’s quite difficult because a production has to follow those environmental protection measures to their works. The Hamburg
different criteria,” adds Angelica Cantisani, Network Manager of the Schleswig-Holstein Film Commission’s Green Shooting Card is a seal of
European Film Commissions Network (EUFCN). “A common guideline approval that can be helpful when applying for location permits.
would be a good thing.”
The Green Screen initiative of Film London, a lead partner in the EU Green
The European Union launched the five-year “Green Screen” Interreg Screen project, provides an interactive step-by-step guide, department-
project in 2017 with the support of commissions, funds and development tailored tips, action plans, potential discounts on filming fees for certain
agencies in eight European regions and budget of nearly €2 million. The locations, and an official audit and Green Screen stamp at the end. The
project’s goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of European film and TV initiative, which aims to roll out nationwide after getting established in
production through the sharing of information, development of regional London, was field tested on Netflix’s THE CROWN, Ben Wheatley’s FREE
policies, and training in sustainable measures. FIRE and BBC Films’ CITY OF TINY LIGHTS.ISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY SUSTAINABILITY IN PRODUCTION 9
Marta Garcia Larriu Angela Moneke Angelica Cantisani
Next Steps
Beyond a need for more institutional support (see box, page 8), many of Women seem to be leading the charge of sustainability in film. “My belief
the people spearheading these efforts emphasize the need for sharing is that women are uniquely poised to lead on climate. We’re especially
information and experiences. “I want to know what my colleagues are good at seeing the forest through the trees and we’re naturally strong in
doing because I can learn from them and they from me. Nobody has a community leadership positions,” says Earth Angel’s O’Brien. “The film
magic formula here,” Ruiz says, noting that Fresco applies what it learns on industry is undergoing a massive social and environmental reckoning that’s
each new production to the next. going to take real, systematic change to address and I believe having more
women in leadership positions is fundamental to manifesting that change.”
Most agree that it’s helpful to have a dedicated person in production
overseeing green activities, and that it’s a good idea to explain and promote As Moneke puts it, “I think it’s just about taking that first step, people
a production’s sustainability efforts to the cast and crew so everyone is on getting more educated, more information being available, more people
board. Training is key. “Production is the spine so they have to demand sharing information, and I think that will be the way that more and more
it, but if people aren’t trained it won’t work,” says Garcia Larriu, whose productions start to do that as well. Even the littlest things will make a
October 2019 festival edition hosted a one-day training session on difference.”
sustainable production. Heidsiek highlights the opportunity to train young
“There’s no other alternative,” Ruiz adds. “Everyone needs to collaborate
people on sustainability from the time they’re in film school.
to protect the environment.”
Angelica Cantisani, Network Manager for the European Film Commissions
Jennifer Green is a Madrid-based journalist who writes for The Hollywood
Network, also adds the possibilities for “green storytelling,” or “sharing
Reporter and Common Sense Media.
green content and sustainable practices in the script and on the screen”
through, for example, character actions and dialogues. Garcia Larriu also
underscores this point and says her festival is receiving more projects every
year dedicated to the topic of sustainability. “THERE’S NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE.
“EVERYONE NEEDS TO
COLLABORATE TO PROTECT
THE ENVIRONMENT.”
Esmerelda Luiz
STEPS AT EVERY STAGE
A series of protocols and measurement for sustainable activities • Transportation: Plan logistics in less wasteful ways, for example by
developed by Italy-UK outfit Tempesta Film in collaboration with film having crews stay as close to filming as possible and using public or
professionals and environmental experts, EcoMuvi has been used on energy efficient transportation modes.
seven films since 2013. Company founder Carlo Cresto-Dina cites
• Catering: Hire a local and/or organic caterer and work to curb food
several motivations behind it: the obvious reduction of carbon emissions;
and other waste through food sharing plans, donations and non-
the public profile of the media industry that can draw a “unique spotlight”
disposable cutlery and containers.
to sustainability; the fact that film sets mimic real life and can thus serve
as experimental microcosms; and the creation of new jobs. • Studio & Set: Design eco-friendly sets with locally sourced,
repurposed and/or recyclable materials.
EcoMuvi, which also offers a third-party audit of the impact of
sustainability activities on set, is available for free to anyone interested. • Lighting & Energy: Plan ahead for daytime shoots requiring as little
artificial light as possible, and use LED and other energy-efficient light
Producers can also find myriad best practice recommendations and
sources where possible.
checklists as well as carbon calculators online. One such tool is the “Eco-
Production Guide for Sustainable Film and TV Production,” published • Equipment: Rent high-efficiency equipment, limit waste and train crew
in 2014 by a consortium of public and private French organisations and to be sensitive to these issues.
available online. Some examples of the many possible actions detailed in
this guide include: • Costumes & Make-up: Re-use, borrow and rent costumes where
possible, and opt for eco-friendly make-up and hair care products.
• Production Offices: Reduce waste and energy consumption by using
eco-friendly office supplies and contracting energy efficient office • Post-production: Choose the most environmentally aware studios,
systems for heating, cooling, etc. preferably local, broadcasting techniques and archiving methods
possible to limit energy consumption and waste. Donate materials for
re-use after filming.ISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY FESTIVALS 10
CAN FILM FESTIVALS
BE MORE SUSTAINABLE?
By Ben Croll
As concerns about a rapidly changing climate have For those who attend such events, that could mean opting for a different
dominated newspaper headlines, public squares and mode of transport. “We’d like to get to a point where it’s a no-brainer to
attend all European festivals by train,” says Jakob Abrahamsson, CEO of
political debates all across the continent, many in the Scandinavian distributor NonStop Entertainment. “The main goal would be
European industry have found themselves turning over having less of an environmental footprint when you travel a lot by plane …
the same, intractable question: How, if at all possible, can If you’re in Belgium and need to go to Berlin, or in Germany and need to go
they re-organise the travel-heavy festival circuit into a more to Cannes, then why not? Why should you fly?”
sustainable model? Over the past few years, Abrahamsson has encouraged his team to look
The simple answer, of course, is that there is no simple answer. “Every into rail options whenever possible, even if that means spending a bit
international gathering requires much travelling, and therefore causes more on tickets and taking a bit longer to arrive. However, despite his best
[significant] C02 emissions,” says incoming Berlinale co-director Mariette intentions, Abrahamsson was unable to find a simple, overnight train from
Rissenbeek. “The bigger the event, the more travelling [it requires.]” Stockholm to Berlin when planning his Berlinale trip earlier this year.
In other words, even the most ecologically conscious get-togethers find Indeed, the patchwork nature of the various national rail authorities across
themselves operating on contradictory grounds, grappling with the fact that the EU – and the herky-jerky way they interact with one another – can
festivals can neither exist nor succeed without leaving substantial carbon make international travel particularly onerous. Unable to find a direct line
footprints in their steads. And if this paradox offers no easy way out, that from Stockholm to Berlin, Abrahamsson finally opted to fly, and is unhappy
has not stopped many industry stalwarts from trying to push through. with the prospect of having to do so again in February. Going forward, the
path towards more streamlined travel might have to run through Brussels.
For some festivals, plane travel is non-negotiable. One of those is
Doclisboa, a rising Lisbon-based fest that welcomes nearly 200
international participants each year, and offers a socially engaged selection
of docs from across the globe. This past year, the doc festival gave a
platform to many Brazilian artists and activists who have been marginalised
due to their country’s continued rightward lurch – so for outgoing Doclisboa
director Cíntia Gil, that meant grappling with questions of travel and paper
use.
“Film festivals are communities, and politically, it’s very important that
they do exist as such, as places where people do travel to in order to be
together,” says Gil, who is moving onto a new post as director of Sheffield
Doc/Fest. “[People needed to be physically present, and we needed to
print a catalogue because] a book exists no matter what; on the Internet,
things can be controlled and erased, but a book will always exist unless you
burn every copy. No one can say this did not happen.”
Rather than adopting any one major change in the pursuit of greater
sustainability, Doclisboa instead took inventory of its own philosophical
goals and operational requirements, looking for ways to square them in
an internally coherent and ecologically responsible way. “You have to be
conscious of three things,” explains Gil. “Investment, expenses and waste.”
“FILM FESTIVALS ARE COMMUNITIES,
AND POLITICALLY, IT’S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT THEY DO EXIST
AS SUCH, AS PLACES WHERE
PEOPLE DO TRAVEL TO IN ORDER
TO BE TOGETHER”
German actor Alexander Scheer on the red carpet in front of Cíntia Gil
the Berlinale Palast; the red carpet is made in co-operation with xx
Engagement Global and consists of 100% recycled fishing nets
and other nylon wasteISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY FESTIVALS 11
xx xx
Jakob Abrahamsson of Sweden’s Non-Stop travels via train to markets Rome’s MIA market encouraged use of the city’s public
and festivals when possible. drinking fountains.
From an operational standpoint, that meant reducing the number of And though it might be too much of a stretch to call MIA’s several-hundred
catalogues and posters printed, offering attendees and festival staff re- page catalogue ‘eco-friendly,’ the fact that the market only printed one
usable water bottles, and simplifying the catering and cleaning, all with catalogue per accredited guest resulted in only 2,000 copies being made
the idea of limiting waste. At the same time, the festival also re-examined – down from the staggering 15,000 catalogues made for the 2018 edition.
its outward impact, both by only choosing partners with similar ecological Every bit helps.
goals, and by offering international visitors longer stays, in order to make
Trentino Film Commission chief and green production expert Luca Ferrario
their travel more valuable.
spearheaded MIA’s efforts to get third-party certification in part to give the
Finally, the festival questioned its own scope. As their project grew in market additional cachet. “Thousands of companies and events are talking
international heft, the Doclisboa team responded by streamlining the about going green and you never know what they’re actually doing to [live
selection, reducing the amount of films in both the Portuguese and up to those claims,]” he notes.
International competitions – and thus the amount of travel required. “We
“Having certification gives you more credibility … This is something that
could have more, but we decided to be precise,” says Gil. “I think this
could be helpful for communications and promotion. Someday soon, I think
very precise balance has something to do with ecology. We took up more
some people will be more willing to attend a green event rather than one
space in previous years, and we tried to reduce that, to only have what was
that’s not, so this is something more you can offer.”
needed for a meaningful program.”
It goes without saying that the requirements of a market are rather different
from those of a documentary festival, yet when it comes to sustainability,
many of the solutions are identical. And so, when the organisers of Rome-
based market MIA sought ISO 20121 certification – the international
standard for the sustainable management of events – they also handed out
re-usable water bottles, focused on local catering, and tried to limit waste.
“CERTIFICATION IS SOMETHING
THAT COULD BE HELPFUL
FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND
PROMOTION. SOMEDAY SOON,
I THINK SOME PEOPLE WILL
BE MORE WILLING TO ATTEND
A GREEN EVENT RATHER
THAN ONE THAT’S NOT, SO
THIS IS SOMETHING MORE
YOU CAN OFFER.”
Luca FerrarioISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY FESTIVALS 12
Until that day comes, Ferrario allows that certain sustainability measures Heidsiek’s message here is less a point-blank argument in favour of
could anticipate some resistance, especially in locations with limited access vegetarianism as it is an attempt to reframe the parameters of debate.
to eco-friendly partners. “[In Italy] maybe only 2 out of 10 companies work Despite all the concern about any given festival’s footprint, at the end
with recycled materials, so you have a smaller degree of choice,” he admits. of the day the things that generate carbon emissions are always the
“The hardest thing is to convince people that this is important, and to same no matter where or what.
convince them that this is worth it, even if that means paying extra money.
“If somebody insists on flying from Rome to Cannes, they’ll do it and you
You have to explain that this is good for everybody, good for society and
cannot prevent them,” she adds. “In the end it’s up to people, while you
good for the image of the event.”
can only make suggestions and create a degree of awareness.”
On the global stage, certainly no event has promoted its commitment
Heidsiek continues: “Sustainability is always a process. You’re never
to sustainability more than the Berlinale. Since first receiving EMAS
perfect, and you’re never at 100%. Even in our homes, we’ll always
certification in 2013, the festival has reduced paper use, invested in electric
generate a carbon footprint. Everybody does, somehow. But we can think
cars, recyclable cups and LED lights, powered its flagship Berlinale Palast
of measures how to be better. Every person can do it, every company can
with 100% renewable energy, and partnered with climate consultant Forest
do it, and every festival can too.”
Carbon Group to offset festival emissions.
Montreal-born and Paris-based, Ben Croll contributes to Variety, Vanity Fair,
And for all that, green consultant Birgit Heidsiek believes that Berlin’s
Indiewire, France 24 and more.
most impactful decision was to deciding to no longer serve meat
at official functions.
“In terms of carbon emissions, meat production is just as bad as flying,”
says Heidsiek, who is green consultant for the German Federal Film Fund
and founder of the Green Film Shooting magazine and website. “Meat
production requires a huge amount of water consumption; the production
of one hamburger requires the same amount of water you’d need for a
year’s worth of showers. Reducing or even avoiding meat is something that
anyone can do. If the food is good, nobody questions whether it has meat
or not, and this is something where you can make a big change.”
Cíntia Gil Birgit Heidsiek Mariette Rissenbeck Luca Ferrario
10 TIPS TO MAKE FESTIVALS MORE SUSTAINABLE
From Luca Ferrario, Manager of the Trentino Film Fund RE-THINK PARTNERSHIPS: Festivals need ethical sponsors and
partnerships. Look for companies that don’t create so much waste, that
and Commission; and Birgit Heidsiek, green consultant
take responsibility when it comes to the environment, and cut ties with
for the German Federal Film Fund and founder of Green those that don’t. – BH
Film Shooting
KEEP IT CENTRAL: Encourage foot travel by partnering with hotels
PLAN AHEAD: When it comes to sustainability, the largest share of within a 1 km radius of the central event, or look into bicycles as alternate
the work is at the very beginning. It’s all a matter of organisation and modes of transportation. – BH & LF
decisions, and that takes time to put in place. There’s little to do during
the event and a lot of work before. – LF OPT FOR LED LIGHTS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY: LED lights are
about 70% more energy efficient, bringing ROI within two years. Festivals
RETHINK PRINTED MATERIALS: If you produce something that nobody that only rent their premises should negotiate with their landlords, while
wants, then you don’t have to produce it. Ask yourself if it benefits the festivals that own their buildings could make this easy change right away.
attendees. If there’s no real demand, then it’s a waste of resources. – BH – BH
CATER WISELY: Consider environmental sustainability – i.e. re-usable ENCOURAGE RAIL TRAVEL: Offer rebates on badge fees, or partner
tableware, compostable foods, etc. – as well as social sustainability, with national rail companies to promote domestic travel. Since people
which means choosing from local producers and using seasonal always go for the cheapest and most convenient option, do what you can
products. You need to do both. – LF to make that rail. – BH
LIMIT MEAT: Reducing or even avoiding meat is something that anyone APPLY FOR THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION: Having a certification is
can do— the trick is to serve delicious food. You need good cooks, something that gives you additional credibility because if a third party with
because if the food is good, nobody questions whether it has meat or strict criteria offers their stamp of approval, it means you did something of
not. – BH worth. – LF
AVOID SINGLE-USE PLASTICS: Use re-usable dishes and cups, and
put a system in place to properly wash them. Re-usable plastic has to
become the new normal. – BHISSUE 5 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY SUSTAINABLE STORYTELLING 13
SUSTAINABLE STORYTELLING:
HOT DOCUMENTARIES AND
FICTION FEATURES ADDRESSING
CLIMATE CHANGE By Michael Rosser
As climate change protests heat up around the world,
it might be easy to assume that a major wave of films
exploring the issue is on the way. But the number of
documentaries in the pipeline is relatively few in Europe, and
the amount of “cli-fi” narrative features even less.
There have been plenty of films to explore the climate crisis – from UK
documentary THE AGE OF STUPID to Icelandic comedy-drama WOMAN
AT WAR. But this ongoing issue requires ongoing examination and few
titles have achieved breakthrough success.
“The bottom line is a lot of climate activism communications have not
been accessible enough, have not been creative enough, and have not Clouds
been impactful enough,” said Kumi Naidoo, secretary general of Amnesty
International, on a recent panel about the issue.
The scientific evidence and sometimes abstract concepts behind global
warming can prove barriers to telling stories, and some filmmakers have
turned to shorts or innovative VR experiences to get their message across.
But features have proved more of a challenge.
What is clear is that an increasing part of the population is getting behind
the issue of climate change. Film can help build on this momentum as a
medium that inspires changes in human behaviour like no other art form.
Here are some recent and upcoming European productions (or co-
productions) that hope to inspire such positive action.
ARCTIC 30 (UK) The Great Green Wall
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Producers: Iain Smith, David Puttnam, Hani Farsi
Contact: info@corniche-group.com CLOUDS (Finland)
Director: Tuija Halttunen
Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur, EFA Board Member whose credits Producer: Niina Virtanen
include thriller EVEREST, is making this drama about the attempt by 30 Contact: info@wackytie.fi
Greenpeace activists to protest Russian oil exploration in Arctic waters
in 2013. It will shoot at Reykjavik’s RVK Studios and on location in Poland With a rare documentary subect who actually wants to create climate,
and London. The lead producer is Iain Smith (CHILDREN OF MEN) this is a film about Professor Hannele Korhonen – the director of climate
alongside Hani Farsi of Corniche Pictures, which has been funding pre- research at the Finnish Meteorological Institute – who is working to create
production on the feature, which is still in development. rain in the United Arab Emirates. Directed by Tuija Halttunen, it will be
produced by Niina Virtanen of Finland’s Wacky Tie Films. The team have
pitched at the Finnish Film Affair, Nordisk Panorama Forum and IDFA as
THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND (UK) they look to secure a sales company, financing and distribution ahead of a
Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor planned 2021 release.
Producers: Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan
Written by, directed by and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor in his feature directorial THE DAUGHTER OF GENGHIZ (Denmark)
debut, this drama follows a 13-year-old boy in Malawi who invents an Directors: Christian Als, Kristoffer Juel
unconventional way – using wind power – to save his family and village Producer: Andreas Møl Dalsgaard
from famine. Produced by the BAFTA award-winning Andrea Calderwood Contact: birgitte@elkfilm.dk
and Gail Egan for Potboiler Productions, it was backed by Participant
Media, BBC Films and the BFI. Cornerstone Films handled sales on the This documentary centres on Gerel, a woman fighting to “restore the
film, which was snapped up by Netflix ahead of its debut at Sundance spirit of Genghis Khan”. She is an ultra-nationalist, shaman, gang leader
2019. It has been selected as the UK entry for Best International Feature at and single mom who wants to stop corruption, pollution and exploitation.
the 2020 Oscars. Production has begun on the project, presented at last month’s IDFA
Forum, which is directed by Christian Als and Kristoffer Juel. Andreas Møl
Dalsgaard produces for Elk Film. World sales will be handled by DR Sales.You can also read
