Panel discussion Sarajevo

The Panel discussion was held on 18th August in the Festival Garden during the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival. The panelists were Sabine Gebetsroither (Crossing Europe Film Festival, Austria), Karen Arikian (Hamptons Doc Fest and Green Vision Festival), and Marek Hovorka (Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival). The discussion was moderated by Maša Marković (Head of Industry, Sarajevo Film Festival).

During the panel, they discussed how festivals reconcile their ambition to reduce environmental impact with the realities of temporary infrastructure, extensive travel, and limited control over third-party suppliers. The conversation examined the difficult trade-offs and costs that come with choosing environmentally conscious suppliers. The panel also addressed the structural limitations festivals face when trying to encourage systemic change.

In addition to practical challenges, the discussion touched on the importance of exploring collective approaches, sharing knowledge among peers, and developing long-term strategies that could help the festival industry adopt more sustainable practices without compromising its cultural mission. This panel contributed to sharing information about the practices of different festivals that can be applied to other festivals and similar events.

The audience included partners and students from Bitola, guests from the Sarajevo City Administration, two employees from the UNESCO office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as other Sarajevo Film Festival guests.