Sustainability

Our contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

The Locarno Film Festival is pledged to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and has identified six priority SDGs which are most significantly impacted by its practices.

Highlights @ Locarno76

 

Mobility

Help us reduce the Festival's emissions by choosing sustainable means of transport. Here are our suggestions for getting to Locarno and around the Festival, including free public transport throughout the canton and bike hire.

Water

This year we have significantly reduced the number of PET bottles used in the official venues and, thanks to the City of Locarno, we are happy to show you here where you can find fountains with fresh drinking water to fill your water bottles.

Raising awareness

With the help of our partners, we will inform the Locarno76 public about responsible waste separation and our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals at the various festival venues.

Waste reduction

Locarno76 collaborates with Too good to go! Every day, three different meals (vegetarian, meat and dessert) will be available for pick-up at the Magistral. The announcement will be made on the Too good to go app.
Since last year, the festival has also been donating leftover materials from the event to the Diamond Foundation, which uses them to make a variety of handmade products. This year we are happy to be able to showcase their products in our online shop.

Diversity & Inclusion

A panel discussion on "Embracing Diversity: Inclusion and the Representation of Disability in the Film Industry" will be held again this year at the @Cinema Space Forum. A conversation exploring the power of diverse voices and narratives to challenge stereotypes and foster a more inclusive cinematographic industry with Clare Baines, Pascal Plisson and Stavros Zafeiris moderated by Fatih Abay.

Measuring CO2e

From this Edition, we are calculating the CO2e emissions and working towards a comprehensive plan to reduce the carbon footprint of the Festival with the support of Positive Organizations, our Sustainability Reporting Partner.

  • The Locarno Film Festival supports movie fans and industry professionals worldwide, and plays an active role in education for children and teenagers through its learning projects (Locarno Edu) and empowerment programs such as the Youth Advisory Board.
  • With Open Doors, the Festival fosters production and distribution of films in which societal and environmental issues have a high profile, and also the acquisition of skills and ideas for promoting sustainable development and a culture of inclusion that values diversity.
  • The projects dedicated to education and training of young viewers, movie fans and professionals take place in inclusive locations and settings which guarantee the possibility of effective learning for all.
  • The Festival also creates opportunities and spaces to give a voice in the education and training process to professionals from developing countries.
  • The Festival aims to achieve an appropriate balance in its staff and ensure that women are adequately involved in decision-making and governance at all levels (in 2019 Locarno was one of the first festivals to sign up to the Programming Pledge for Parity and Inclusion in Cinema).
  • The Festival guarantees gender parity and equal pay – at all levels, not only among its own staff. These values are also promoted in the selection of films presented every year.
  • The Festival actively pursues on a daily basis its commitment to health and safety at work, through a policy of zero tolerance for any form of violence, including verbal and or physical abuse and sexual harassment, and provides ethics and compliance training for all employees.
  • The event feeds into the local economy, creating jobs and promoting the image of the region. In the conduct of its activities the Festival gives preference to local suppliers, while its international importance brings major reputational benefits for the region and its perceived identity.
  • Funding from the event is directed towards activities of high social and educational value, such as renewal and refurbishment of urban and environmental sites, and the organization of highly qualified training pathways such as the Locarno Academy and the workshops of Locarno Pro.
  • The Festival offers placements and internships to young people from the region, putting its extensive store of knowhow and network of contacts at the service of developing local professional skills.
  • In addition the Festival contributes to the growth of the local economy by sourcing products and services from local businesses, creating jobs and encouraging tourism in the region.
  • In the course of its activities, the Festival makes every effort to develop lasting partnerships with local suppliers that share the same principles of sustainability.
  • The Festival does not tolerate discrimination of any kind. The organization offers equal opportunities to all employees, participants and film industry professionals.
  • The Festival fosters the film industry in developing countries and ensures that artists and professionals facing financial or political obstacles are enabled to take part in its activities.
  • Through its measures, the Festival promotes fuller geographical representation and promotes the presence of underrepresented countries in the ambit of financial and economic decision-making bodies at international and global level.
  • The Festival strives to reduce its environmental footprint as far as possible by engaging in recycling, reuse of resources and reducing consumption to a minimum. In recent years the event has succeeded in significantly reducing the amount of waste it produces, while inevitable waste is properly deposed of. By way of example, a system of distributing drinks glasses against a returnable deposit has been introduced, bringing a huge reduction in the amount of plastic waste.
  • The Festival works with industrial partners for waste recycling and disposal, and with local authorities to improve logistical efficiency and increase the percentage of waste that is reused.
  • Lastly, the event is committed to implementing new tools to monitor the impact of sustainable development: a sector that not only creates employment, but also promotes local products and culture.
  • The Festival collaborates with a range of actors (from local players to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation [SDC], via the Main partners, particularly focused on sustainable development, and all other partners), all of whom are fundamental in achieving significant results in terms of sustainable development.
  • The Festival’s partnerships are premised not merely on financial arrangements but on visions and values shared with the actors concerned.

Sustainability Reporting Partner

Support the festival now with a donation