Sustainability Sparks Calls for Industry Reform at International Film Festival of India: ‘The Beginning of a New Era’ – Variety

Report on the “Reel Green” Panel at the International Film Festival of India

Executive Summary

A panel discussion at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), titled “Reel Green,” concluded that the global film industry’s progress toward sustainability is insufficient. Filmmakers from Japan, Spain, Australia, and India asserted that meaningful advancement requires structural reform, cultural change, and the implementation of mandatory standards. The discussion highlighted how various national industries are approaching sustainable filmmaking, with a strong emphasis on aligning industry practices with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Regional Perspectives on Sustainable Filmmaking and SDG Integration

• Australia: Director Garth Davis framed the sustainability challenge as a moral crisis, linking environmental health to human relationships. His approach aligns with the overarching principles of the SDGs by embedding consciousness into storytelling. Practical measures discussed include voluntary carbon taxes on production budgets to fund offsets, directly contributing to SDG 13 (Climate Action). Davis also warned of the rising energy demands of AI, advocating for investment in green energy for data centers, a crucial component of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).
• Japan: Producer Mina Moteki reported that sustainable practices in Japan are hindered by entrenched production traditions. She stressed that achieving SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by improving workplace conditions for cast and crew is a necessary precursor to environmental reforms. Independent filmmakers are already contributing to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by using digital documents, local crews, and minimal set construction. Moteki highlighted the need for international knowledge sharing, reflecting the spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
• Spain: Producer Anna Saura provided an example of structural change through national policy. Spain mandates that productions receiving public funds must obtain sustainability certification, a direct enforcement mechanism for SDG 12. She advocated for integrating sustainability into film school curricula to make it a fundamental industry principle. While acknowledging the costs, Saura insisted that green practices must become a standard requirement.
• India: Filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda called for greater accountability for the industry’s significant waste output, a core target of SDG 12. He proposed policy innovations such as government-led sustainable carbon incentives and mandatory carbon information labels on films to advance SDG 13. Panda also suggested the appointment of a “creative sustainability director” on productions to oversee green practices from the pre-production stage.

Key Thematic Areas and Proposed Solutions for SDG Alignment

1. Structural and Policy Reform

The panel agreed that voluntary measures are not enough. Key recommendations for systemic change include:

1. Implementing mandatory sustainability protocols and certification for productions, particularly those receiving public funding.
2. Introducing government incentives and carbon labels to encourage and quantify sustainable practices, directly supporting SDG 12 and SDG 13.
3. Creating dedicated sustainability roles within production teams to ensure accountability from project inception.

2. Cultural and Workplace Transformation

A fundamental cultural shift is required to embed sustainability within the industry. This involves:

• Prioritizing crew and cast well-being to create healthier and more sustainable work environments, addressing SDG 3 and SDG 8.
• Fostering a culture of environmental consciousness where sustainable habits boost morale and create “guilt-free” work environments.
• Integrating sustainability into film education to establish it as a core competency for future filmmakers.

3. Practical Strategies for Responsible Production

Panelists shared numerous practical strategies that align with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):

• Waste Reduction: Systematically repurposing sets, props, and costumes; donating leftover food; and standardizing the use of digital documents over printed ones.
• Resource Management: Prioritizing renting over building sets; utilizing natural locations to minimize construction; and hiring local crews and using public transport to reduce transportation footprints.
• Energy Efficiency: Adopting renewable energy sources like solar-powered rigs and proactively planning for the energy impact of new technologies.

Conclusion

The consensus of the “Reel Green” panel was that the film industry is in the nascent stages of a new era of sustainability. Achieving significant progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals requires a concerted, multi-faceted approach. Through a combination of mandatory structural reforms, deep-seated cultural change, and shared knowledge across borders, the global film industry has the potential to become a benchmark for environmental responsibility and a powerful contributor to a sustainable future.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The article touches upon the energy demands of the film industry, particularly the “fast-rising energy demands of AI.” It mentions the need for data centers to be “powered by green energy” and the adoption of “solar-powered rigs” on set, directly connecting to the goal of increasing the share of renewable energy.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article highlights the importance of workplace conditions as a prerequisite for environmental sustainability. Producer Mina Moteki from Japan states, “before considering an eco-friendly environment, we have to have a workplace for crew and cast that is much healthier,” referencing issues like “long working hours.” This directly relates to promoting safe and secure working environments.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The entire discussion revolves around shifting the film industry towards sustainable practices. It addresses waste reduction through “digital documents, local crews, public transport, and minimal set construction,” and repurposing materials by “renting rather than building,” donating costumes, and creating “end-of-shoot markets” for props. The industry’s “insane” waste output is a central theme.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article addresses climate action by discussing methods to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. This includes adding a “carbon tax to budgets to fund offsets,” introducing a “sustainable carbon incentive from governments,” and putting “carbon information as a label” on films. These measures are direct strategies for climate change mitigation.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article exemplifies this goal through the “Reel Green” panel itself, which brought together filmmakers from Japan, Spain, Australia, and India to share knowledge. It emphasizes the need for collaboration, with Mina Moteki expressing a duty “to spread the knowledge so that we can move forward” and learning from “global counterparts.” The discussion on government policies, such as Spain requiring sustainability certification for public funds, highlights public-private partnerships to achieve sustainability goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
  • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. This is addressed by the call for investors to ensure data centers for AI are “powered by green energy” and the mention of crews “adopting solar-powered rigs.”
• Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
  • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers. This is identified in the statement that the Japanese film industry must first “address workplace health” and issues like “long working hours” before it can transition to greener production.
• Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
  • Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. This target is central to the article, which details practices like using “digital documents,” “minimal set construction,” “renting rather than building,” repurposing sets and props, donating costumes, and giving away “leftover bento boxes to avoid food waste.”
  • Target 12.6: Encourage companies… to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle. This is reflected in the suggestion to “onboard a creative sustainability director” from the pre-production stage and to put “carbon information as a label from the beginning of the film.”
  • Target 12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development. This is connected to the idea of embedding “environmental consciousness into the stories themselves” and the importance of “training film students so sustainability becomes as fundamental as lighting or directing.”
• Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
  • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation. The panel itself is an act of awareness-raising. The article also mentions specific mitigation efforts like adding a “carbon tax to budgets to fund offsets” and introducing a “sustainable carbon incentive.”
• Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
  • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development… that mobilize and share knowledge. The panel, featuring filmmakers from four different countries, is a direct example of sharing knowledge. The article explicitly states the need for Japan to “learn from global counterparts” and the duty “to spread the knowledge.”
  • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. This is demonstrated by Spain’s policy where productions receiving “public funds” must follow sustainability protocols, and the call for governments to introduce a “sustainable carbon incentive.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 12.5 (Waste Reduction):
  • The shift from printed to “digital documents.”
  • The percentage of sets and props that are rented or repurposed versus built and destroyed.
  • The volume of food waste reduced, measured by practices like donating “leftover bento boxes.”
  • The number of productions using natural locations to achieve “minimal set construction.”
• For Target 12.6 (Sustainable Practices in Companies):
  • The number of productions that “onboard a creative sustainability director.”
  • The number of films that include “carbon information as a label.”
  • The number of companies obtaining sustainability certification, as required in Spain for public funding.
• For Target 8.8 (Decent Work):
  • A reduction in the average “long working hours” for film crews in industries like Japan’s.
  • The implementation of formal workplace health policies.
• For Target 7.2 (Clean Energy):
  • The percentage of data centers used for film production (e.g., for AI) that are “powered by green energy.”
  • The number of productions utilizing “solar-powered rigs” and other renewable energy sources on set.
• For Target 13.3 (Climate Action):
  • The number of productions that voluntarily add a “carbon tax” to their budgets for offsets.
  • The amount of carbon emissions reduced or offset per production.
• For Target 17.17 (Partnerships):
  • The number of governments that implement policies linking public funding to mandatory sustainability standards, like the one in Spain.
  • The number of governments offering a “sustainable carbon incentive.”

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: variety.com