Green tips, tools, trends, and training initiatives have all been spotlit at the Marché du Film’s Eco Hub in Cannes, which was hosted by Greenigma and Green Film Shooting in collaboration with Ecoprod, Green Toolkit and Baltic Green Film. “Our approach is to present a showcase of sustainability strategies, programmes, and practices from different countries and continents”, emphasised Laila Lala, founder of Greenigma. The Eco Hub served as an umbrella booth for more than forty green initiatives and organizations from all around the world.

Over the course of three days, the Eco Hub hosted a series of green talks, whose topics ranged from education and training, procurement, planning, and management to calculating carbon footprints and certifications. The impact of AI was also on the agenda, as well as green animation, post-production, and sustainability requirements for funding applications. Eurimages’ programme manager and financial controller Thierry Hugot explained how sustainability is assessed when selecting films. For producers trying to navigate sustainability without losing track of budgets and schedules, CEO of Italian consulting service EcoMuvi Ludovica Chiarini presented a streamlined roadmap of key steps to take.

In France and Germany, all requests for production support require applicants to submit their films’ carbon footprint. French organisation Ecoprod has developed the free carbon calculator Carbon’Clap for the film and TV industry, a tool which enables productions to measure their carbon footprint and reduce their environmental impact from pre- to post-production. In Germany, the Green Toolkit has been approved by the German Federal Film Board to accurately record and calculate relevant carbon emissions of feature films, TV films, series, and documentaries. It’s a software which offers customised solutions for reducing environmental impact, creating efficient workflows, and optimising processes in order to achieve ecological goals. British filmmaker Aidan Rhode presented the potential and pitfalls of using AI to automate carbon calculations in film and TV production.

Saving resources and budget and avoiding waste is the circular economy concept which British production designer Blair Barnette applies to set design, while British producer-director Maxim Jago described how his large-scale, one-room film production approach minimises travel and waste whilst allowing more time for creativity. Through creative solutions and incentives, Australian productions have achieved measurable reductions in waste and energy use, proving that joy and engagement can drive meaningful environmental outcomes. Netflix’s production sustainability advisor in Australia Heidi May emphasised the power of play and gamification, and its success in engaging cast, crew and creatives in adopting eco-friendly practices. For her part, Juliette Vigoureux, who founded La Base, Cut! Cinéma Uni Pour La Transition, and Fresque du Film, used her Eco Talk to highlight the need for closer co-operation in order to reach climate goals.

Besides taking eco-friendly action behind the cameras, sustainability can also be tackled on screen. But, all too often, climate stories in popular culture have either focused on the impact of climate change or on dystopian warnings of an apocalyptic future. However, Marine Goulois from Climate Spring showcased how climate-focused stories are expanding in new and surprising directions - from true crimes to thrillers to romantic comedies.

Ultimately, the Eco Hub provided a meeting place for all those committed to fostering sustainable practices in the film and audiovisual sectors. In order to make this information easily accessible, an over-sized global map featured locations where sustainability professionals could be found. “Eco Hub is emerging at a time when the accelerating climate crisis demands urgent action, and when the industry must recognize and embrace its crucial role in shaping a more sustainable future”, insisted Ecoprod’s Pervenche Beurier and Alissa Aubenque.