Towards sustainability in filmmaking: what is being done in Europe

Sustainability: it is a concept that is also increasingly present in the world of cinema. The audiovisual industry entertains millions of people around the world, it has the power to inspire the collective imagination, it can contribute in a tangible way to the path towards ecological transition. At the same time, making a film, a series, a documentary, has a considerable environmental impact that translates into tonnes of greenhouse gases generated for each production.

Not to mention locations: what would it be like for cinema to no longer be able to shoot action scenes on glaciers, romantic sequences in blooming gardens, dramatic moments by a lake under a fine grey rain? Yes, climate change has an influence on content and the way films are made.

Many steps remain to be taken towards a 'green cinema' that respects the needs of our planet in the face of the climate crisis. But it is also true that the process is already underway, albeit in a context that is still inconsistent in terms of rules and initiatives. The Ticino Film Commission is also aware and attentive to this topic, and not only through the Green Filmmaking section on this site. "Sustainability in the audiovisual industry in Europe - Mapping the current situation" is the title of the study commissioned to the Ticino researcher Noemi Buzzi, a graduate in film history from Zurich. The research, presented as part of the latest Solothurn Film Days and accessible via the links on this page, takes a snapshot of how the Old Continent is addressing an increasingly pressing need in the audiovisual world.

Earth Day 2023, dedicated to the environment and the preservation of our planet and celebrated by the United Nations on 22 April, offers an ideal moment to share this report, commissioned by the Ticino Film Commission and produced with the support of Zürcher Filmstiftung, SSFV, Film Commission Zurich, Valais Film Commission, Film Commission Lucerne & Central Switzerland, Swissfilm, Garp, SFP, Unhabängige Schweizer Filmproduzenten, ARFDS, Media Desk Suisse, Berner Filmförderung, Swisslos Culture Canton de Berne and Fachauss Film und Mediendkunst Kanton Basel Stadt Kultur Basel Landschaft AMT für Kultur.