The Dutch film industry is proud to announce, that it has found it’s first on-set Sustainability Manager. As of January 1, 2015 Els Rientjes will be the first official Sustainability Manager for the Dutch film industry. The big announcement was made by Doreen Boonekamp, on behalf of the Dutch Film Fund, and during the Netherlands Film Festival 2014. A very big step forward for the greening of the Dutch Film Industry, the news was presented to the public during the Green Film Making Project’s masterclass ‘Green Filmmaking: The Future of Producing’ on October 2. [Photo: Els Rientjes and Doreen Boonekamp, by Michael Vervuurt]
The facilitating of a Sustainability Manager by the Netherlands Film Funds, is an integral step towards a greener Dutch film industry. Starting in January, film productions that receive financial support from the Film Fund will also have access to the newly appointed Sustainability Manager. This person will support and encourage a structural framework, through which to produce more sustainably. Since 2011, the Fund has been working closely alongside the Green Film Making Project, an initiative of Strawberry Earth, to help facilitate a sustainable shift for Dutch Film professionals.
One of the main goals for the role of the Sustainability Manager, is to share with filmmakers the relevant knowledge on sustainable innovations taking place within the (international) film industry. Additionally, Rientjes will connect productions to more sustainable facilities, companies and suppliers so that film industry is opting to support more sustainable business practises in general. In her daily work as Sustainability Manager, Rientjes will be in close contact with Jo Foot, who is the senior policy advisor at the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Doreen Boonekamp, Director of the Netherlands Film Fund states: “The industry clearly sees the importance and benefits of sustainable film production. Green filmmaking has truly landed within the Dutch film industry, and we are working hard on taking this next important step. In order to encourage the green shift, we are implementing it further into our industry requirements. Through facilitating a Sustainability Manager, we are offering producers the practical and structural support needed to produce their films as sustainably as possible.”
Chai Locher, Project Manager of the GFMP also states: “We are extremely proud of the sustainable steps that we, along with participants and partners of the project, have been taking towards green filmmaking. These steps have created the space needed for the Film Fund to facilitate an on-set Sustainability Manager for the Dutch film industry. When Strawberry Earth started the Green Filmmaking Project in 2011, this was one of the major goals that was set. And, this is the pinnacle of our work so far. A sign that the Dutch film industry is now greener than ever.”
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