Sustainability in Lithuanian Film Industry: New Directions
Sustainability in film projects today is perceived as inevitable. We no longer raise the question of whether it is needed, we discuss how to start and which measures are the most effective and appropriate to integrate into film production activities. European Film Forum “Scanorama” continues the sustainability discussion, started by Vilnius International Short Film Festival at the beginning of this year bringing up the question what have we done during the year to make our national film production industry more sustainable and how we could move faster in a joined effort towards environmental and social changes – from personal to institutional.
The participants:
Lineta Miseikyte, the executive producer of “Baltic Film Services”;
Romas Zabarauskas, film director and producer, NGO “Naratyvas”;
Stasys Baltakis, film producer, founder of “Film Jam” and “Baltic Productions”;
Jurate Pazikaite, director of Vilnius Film Office;
Aurimas Saladzius, head of the Sustainable Development and Strategic Changes Group at the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania.
Moderator: Goda Januskeviciute, European Film Forum “Scanorama”, Lithuanian Journalism Centre.
Lineta Miseikyte, a film producer, the founder and co-owner of the film production company “Baltic Film Services”. Working as the executive producer together with foreign as well as Lithuanian partners, she has produced more than thirty films in Lithuania. L. Miseikyte’s work includes famous Lithuanian films such as “Fireheart: The Legend of Tadas Blinda” (2011) and “Ekskursante” (2013), BBC mini-series “War and Peace” (2016), “Netflix” TV-series “Stranger Things” (2016–), French feature “Kompromat” (2022), a feature documentary “Fragments of Paradise” (2022), HBO mini-series “Catherine the Great” (2019) and “Chernobyl” (2019) to name a few. Mostly filmed in Lithuania, HBO’s “Chernobyl” mini-series dominated the Creative Emmys with seven statues, including awards for production design. During her master's thesis work the alumni of ISM University of Management and Economics Executive School L. Miseikyte analysed sustainability and the producer’s role in integrating it into film production activities.
Romas Zabarauskas, a film director, screenwriter and producer. His debut short „Porno melodrama“ (2011) was presented at Berlinale and his third feature “Advokatas” (“The Lawyer”, 2020) was screened in more than 30 international film festivals. Together with lawyer Jovita Gabniene Zabarauskas renewed the memorandum of understanding for cooperating filmmakers, which was recommended by the Lithuanian Film Centre and the Independent Producers Association of Lithuania to other country’s producers as good practice to follow. His established NGO “Naratyvas” follows this memorandum in all shootings, aiming for sustainable film production.
Stasys Baltakis, film producer, founder of the film production companies “Film Jam” and “Baltic Productions”. Since 2009 produces feature and short fiction and documentary films. His produced feature film “Izaokas” (“Isaac”, 2019) was awarded by Best Score and Best Cinematographer statues at the Lithuanian Film Awards 2020.
Jurate Pazikaite, director of the Vilnius Film Office. Since 2012 works with Lithuanian and foreign productions in Vilnius city. Represents Vilnius in various international film events and markets. For 10 years participates in the European Film Commissions Network and Association of Film Commissioners International activities. In 2022 received a national Golden Crane award for input into the Lithuanian film industry. Member of Baltic Film & Creative Tech cluster, since 2021 participates in NEST Northern European Sustainability Team-Up meetings.
Aurimas Saladzius, environmental sustainability expert, since 2016 working in The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania. Currently leads Sustainable Development and Strategic Changes Group, responsible for coordinating sustainable development implementation, green purchasing and investment policy in the country. Since 2021 is a chairman of UNECE - Bureau of the Aarhus Convention, aiming to increase societal involvement in environmental decision-making. Holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy Analysis.
Goda Januskeviciute, lecturer at The Lithuanian Journalism Centre, author of the science communication program, and an active member of Vilnius Actors Studio creative initiative. For long years wrote for Delfi.lt, Alfa.lt, “Lietuvos rytas”, “Lietuvos žinios” editorial offices. Manager of industry events at European Film Forum “Scanorama”.
Event in Lithuanian.
Idea partner – Vilnius International Short Film Festival
In partnership with The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania
The event took place on November 19th, 2022.