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What is Green Film?
Green Film is a certification protocol for environmentally sustainable audiovisual productions. It provides producers with a concrete framework to reduce the environmental impact of their projects while maintaining efficiency and creative freedom. The certification is awarded only after a verified process that covers planning, implementation and final assessment.

Who developed the Green Film protocol?
Green Film was developed through a close collaboration between Film Commission Trentino and APPA (Agenzia Provinciale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente di Trento). This partnership ensured a strong scientific foundation and alignment with recognised environmental standards and methodologies.

How does the certification process work in practice?
The process is divided into three key phases:
• Before production: the producer submits a Sustainability Plan and commits to specific criteria through a checklist. A Sustainability Manager is appointed.
• During production: the declared measures are applied on set, covering areas such as energy, transport, catering and materials.
• After production: an independent verification body checks compliance. If the required score is reached, the Green Film certification is granted.

What areas of production does Green Film address?
Green Film covers the entire production workflow, including:
• energy efficiency and renewable energy use
• transport and accommodation
• catering and water management
• materials, reuse and recycling
• waste reduction
• social sustainability and crew wellbeing
• communication and audience awareness
This holistic approach ensures that sustainability is embedded across departments rather than treated as a standalone issue.

Is Green Film only suitable for small or independent productions?
No. One of Green Film’s strengths is its scalability and flexibility. The protocol can be applied to feature films, TV drama, documentaries and large entertainment formats. A notable example is X Factor Denmark, which successfully obtained certification, demonstrating that the system works even for complex, high-impact productions.

How many productions have been certified so far?
To date, 330 audiovisual works have been certified, across 10 different European countries. including 10 European feature films. These numbers reflect the growing adoption of Green Film at both national and international level.

Why is certification important, beyond environmental impact?
Certification adds credibility, transparency and comparability. For producers, it provides a clear framework and often leads to cost optimisation. For broadcasters, film commissions and public funders, it offers measurable proof that sustainability commitments are being met, rather than simply declared.

What makes Green Film different from generic “green guidelines”?
Green Film is not a voluntary set of recommendations. It is a verified certification system with measurable criteria, minimum score thresholds and third-party checks. This makes sustainability accountable and transferable across territories and co-productions.

What is the long-term goal of the Green Film project?
The ultimate objective is cultural change within the audiovisual industry. Green Film aims to normalise sustainable practices, turning them into standard production behaviour rather than exceptional measures, while fostering a shared language around sustainability across Europe and beyond.

photo credits: Giuseppe Duranti