Vienna Shorts becomes the first Austrian film festival to go green
– The next events hosted by the gathering will carry the Austrian ecological label and will be authorized as “Green Events”; the certificate is valid for the next four years
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The international short film festival Viennese courts it is the first gathering in Austria to receive a formal certificate to host so-called Green Events. The festival therefore satisfies the criteria established by art Federal Ministry of Action for Climate, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology. The certificate will include film screenings and industry events and will already be in effect by the 19thth edition, to be held in May this year.
Valid for a duration of four years, it allows the festival not only to label its events as green, but also to assign this recognition to the events of other organizers. While the certification is already in place, its formal presentation and official handover ceremony will take place later this spring, with the minister Leonora Gewessler herself to do the honors of the house.
“As a cultural institution operating internationally, we are aware of our responsibility towards the environment and are planning to act accordingly”, the directors of the festival Doris Bauer And Daniel Ebner said of the finish line. Minister Gewessler added that with this certificate, Vienna Shorts will take “a pioneering role and show how sustainable event organization can be implemented in a practical way”.
Vienna Shorts has been following the guidelines set by the city of Vienna’s “ÖkoEvent” label since 2020. Taking the next step to qualify for green events, the festival is committed to avoiding unnecessary waste of resources whenever possible. This includes organizing environmentally friendly travel for filmmakers and industry guests, preventing waste and using energy-saving equipment when assembling and dismantling venues, sustainable printing modules (or avoiding them from the all) and a CO2– neutral server panorama for digital infrastructure, as well as guaranteeing regional, seasonal and fair trade catering.
Internationally, Vienna Shorts is also renowned for being Austria’s only qualifying festival for the Academy Awards, the European film awardsthe BAFTA and the Austrian Film Award. The event features short films lasting up to 30 minutes and will take place from 25 to 30 May this year, on location in Vienna and online.