Swedish-Norwegian film talents launch Climate Change Campaign

In two separate petitions launched this week in leading media outlets, 250 film talents and professionals in Sweden and 225 actors and directors in Norway have united to raise awareness among the general audience, key decision-makers and politicians, on the urgent need to create a more sustainable film and television production environment.

Behind the initiatives are Norwegian actress Brigitte Larsen and Swedish producer Ronnie Fritsche at Zentropa Sweden who quickly received a wide support, including from acclaimed directors such as Erik Poppe, Jens Lien, Sara Johnsen, Jens Jonsson, Rojda Sekersöz, actors Agnes Kittelsen, Annette Von Der Lippe, Jakob Oftebro, Anders Baasmo Christensen, Sofia Helin, Lena Endre, Alba August, Eva Melander, Magnus Krepper, Alexander Karim, producers Fredrik Wikström-Nicastro, Fredrik Heinig, Frida Bargo, Martin Persson to cite a few.

The key issue raised by the petitioners is the runaway productions lured by foreign production incentives, that increase travel, transport and consequently carbon footprint.

Fritsche said now is the good time to launch the campaign when the industry is in the middle of discussions with the government about tax rebates and/or productions incentives, still lacking in Sweden, unlike many other countries including Norway, Finland and Iceland. “We don’t have that yet, which is why many productions choose other countries for their location even though the story takes place in a typical Swedish environment,” said Fritsche to nordicfilmandtvnews.com. “That leads to air travel and energy from fossil fuel when we could film at home and use the Swedish renewable energy source.”

Besides the introduction of production filming rebates that would entice local productions to film at home, Fritsche asks for concrete measures to be taken by the Swedish Film Institute, Swedish government and the film industry, similar to green initiatives existing for instance in the UK across all film and media sectors (see http://wearealbert.org/). “The film industry has to handle environmental issues in the same way it handles diversity and the social working environment. It is not okay to harass your colleagues, neither is it okay to harass the planet,” says the Zentropa producer.

Concrete measures for Fritsche would be to educate the industry, introduce environmental guidelines for film production companies applying for financial support, a certificate for sustainably produced films, or financial incentives to motivate the industry in their green efforts. 

In Norway, although the Norwegian Film Institute is already asking producers applying for funding to fill an action plan for environmental measures, signatories of the Norwegian petition ask for tougher and specific environmental requirements. They also want the existing filming incentive scheme to apply to domestic productions on top of foreign productions, or for the government to modify the current arrangements to a ‘green incentive scheme’, that would compensate the local producers for the financial ‘disadvantage’ of filming in Norway.

“It is absurd that we facilitate foreign shoots In Norway while Norwegian producers cannot afford to film here,” says the Norwegian signatories who conclude: “Let us use the film media to make the world greener, to help avoid a climate catastrophe rather than stick to outdated solutions.”

Asked if he hoped the Swedish and Norwegian green initiatives would spread across the Nordics, Fritsche said: “Due to lack of time, we did not contact our colleagues in Denmark, Finland or Iceland, but we hope this can inspire them!

To view the full Norwegian film & TV industry petition, CLICK HERE  

To view the Swedish petition, CLICK HERE