Sustainability

As a film festival that deals with the possibilities and opportunities of human coexistence, the topic of sustainability is very important to us. We try to take as many factors as possible into account in the planning and implementation, to constantly change the festival and to make it a place that has a positive impact on people and the environment.

Ecological sustainability

Since 2023, our festival grounds at Eibenhof have been a car-free area. To encourage festival-goers to completely dispense with cars when arriving, we offer various climate-friendly shuttle and travel options. A DALLI on-demand bus runs at regular intervals between the „Bad Saarow“ train station and the festival grounds. In addition, visitors arriving have the opportunity to ride rental bikes the 4 km from the station to Eibenhof. For the VIP guest festival shuttle, exclusively electric vehicles are used. Both the DALLI on-demand bus and the VIP shuttle are organized by a partner whose commitment to sustainability has been recognized with the „Sustainable Berlin Performance“ award.

It is also important to us to pay attention to regionality when it comes to the culinary catering for our visitors. Our food stands are run by restaurants and eateries from the region. Food and drinks are served in reusable crockery. Team and VIP catering is provided with organic mineral water in reusable bottles from Brandenburg.

To avoid excessive paper production, our ticketing is handled via digital tickets. Only tickets purchased at the box office will be issued in printed form.

When printing our flyers, postcards, and programs, we use FSC-certified paper from sustainable forestry and eco-friendly paper.

When it comes to technology, we also pay attention to sustainable standards and exclusively use energy-saving LED lights.

The Eibenhof, where our festival grounds are located, sources green electricity from Polarstern Energie and heats using solar thermal energy modules. In addition, a photovoltaic system is in the planning stage.

Social sustainability

FILM WITHOUT BORDERS aims to inspire people to reflect on the topics covered at the festival each year. With film screenings, lectures and discussions, we invite people to actively engage with current topics and participate in the search for solutions to various social issues.

By working with many local companies and organizations, we aim to promote the Brandenburg region. The food stands will be run exclusively by regional catering businesses, while for accommodation we are cooperating primarily with two local hotels, the Esplanade Hotel and the Velotel Bad Saarow. The festival trailer is produced by a regional company.

FILM WITHOUT BORDERS wants to include all generations. For years, we have been offering workshops for young people from Brandenburg with and without a migration background. An annually changing youth jury selects the films for the school screenings during a project week, to which we invite school classes from the region.

In addition, in cooperation with Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, the Antonius-Verein zur Jugend- und Kulturförderung, and Lupa Film GmbH, we award the „Wolfgang Kohlhaase Fellowship“ every year to filmmakers to enable them to plan and implement a project.