WITHOUT BORDERS – 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

Our festival area at Eibenhof has been car-free since 2023. In order to encourage festival visitors to travel without a car altogether, we offer various climate-friendly shuttle and travel options. A shuttle bus will run at regular intervals between the “Bad Saarow” train station and the festival site. In addition, travelers have the option of using rental bikes to ride the 4 km from the train station to Eibenhof. Only electric vehicles are used for the festival shuttle for VIP guests.

It is also important to us to ensure that the culinary catering for our visitors is regional. 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.

In order to avoid excessive paper production, our ticketing runs via digital tickets. Only tickets purchased at the box office are issued in printed form. We also pay attention to sustainable standards when it comes to technology and only use LED lights. Eibenhof, where our festival site is located, uses eco-electricity from Polarstern Energie and heats with the help of solar thermal modules. (Photovoltaic system to be added soon)

In addition, we have been cooperating with the Heinz Sielmann Foundation for several years now, which is dedicated to the topics of nature conservation and biodiversity, which in turn are also reflected in our festival films.

Social sustainability

WITHOUT BORDERS aims to inspire people to think about sustainability with the topics that are dealt with 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 collaborating 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.

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 cooperation with the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, the Antonius Verein zur Jugend- und Kulturförderung and Lupa Film GmbH, we also award the “Wolfgang Kohlhaase Scholarship” to filmmakers every year to enable them to plan and realize a project.