During the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival, a panel titled “Greener Festivals in a High-Footprint Business: What We Can (and Can’t) Control” was held.
The panel speakers were:
Sabine Gebetsroither (Crossing Europe Film Festival, Austria)
Karen Arikian (Hamptons Doc Fest)
Marek Hovorka (Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival)
The topic of the panel was:
Film festivals, by nature, are intensive events that bring together thousands of visitors, professionals, and partners for a short, concentrated period. This event-driven model stands in tension with the increasing demand for sustainability. How do festivals reconcile the ambition to reduce their environmental footprint with the reality of temporary infrastructure, extensive travel, and limited control over third-party suppliers? This discussion will examine the difficult trade-offs and costs that come with choosing environmentally conscious suppliers, as well as the structural limitations festivals face when trying to drive systemic change. Beyond practical challenges, the panel will explore collective approaches, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, and long-term strategies that could help the festival industry adopt more sustainable practices without compromising its cultural mission.
