Going Green: Anima Is Committed to a More Sustainable Festival
Skwigly
Anima, the Brussels International Animation Film Festival, is returning to Flagey in Brussels in February 2023. Folioscope, the non-profit that organizes Anima, is making every effort to make its events as environmentally friendly as possible. Besides adhering to the Green Charter for Film Festivals, Folioscope has applied for the Ecodynamic Label awarded by Brussels Environment.
‘This green shift gives even greater meaning to the festival: the whole team felt very strongly about this, it was a commitment we all wanted to make.’ – Dominique Seutin, co-director of Anima
Anima will take place in Flagey, a listed building perhaps, but one that is committed to a more ecological future. ‘To us, the fact that it is a listed building is an important nuance because we really are doing what we can, but within the limits imposed on us at present’, explains Antoine François, building manager at Flagey. Besides having a roof covered with solar panels that have been operational for the past eight years, heat pumps were recently installed in the building to heat the auditoriums in a more ecological way.
Throughout the festival, Anima will offer a completely vegetarian canteen, will work primarily with local and sustainable suppliers, and will continue to reduce and sort as much as possible the waste produced. The festival will also pay particular attention to the means of transport of its visitors. Various initiatives have been taken to encourage the public to choose soft mobility: bike racks on Place Sainte-Croix opposite Flagey, a dynamic partnership with Pro Velo, etc. In addition, Anima will no longer invite guests from far-off places and is dedicated to using more reasonable means of transport for its international guests, choosing trains over planes and public transport (bus and tram) over taxis and private cars.
After two editions held totally or partially online on the Anima Online platform, the festival has decided to renounce its digital presence and to opt instead for digital sobriety. The 2023 edition of Anima will focus on in-person meetings and real-life gatherings between the public and the various guests of the festival as well as on fun exhibitions for families, thematic evenings with specific showings and, of course, the usual programme of feature films and short films with more than 250 animated films and aimed at all audiences.
The next Anima Festival is set to take place from 17 to 26 February 2023
Come and join us on www.animafestival.be