SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES

Project Housekeeping

Developed with the technical expertise of consulting company Fourthmore,  the Project Housekeeping guides the Aegean Film Festival’s sustainability  transformation through 2030, creating an ESG-aligned roadmap. The project  underscores the festival’s commitment to sustainability by redesigning and  replacing all of its operations with eco-friendly alternatives. So far, we have  introduced a new waste disposal system, replaced the majority of the festival  menus with vegan, local and organic options, measured CO₂ emissions to set a  reduction baseline, and replaced most of team vehicle rentals with eco-friendly  alternatives. In addition, we replaced all single-use plastic, upcycled PVC banners  into beach bags, and T-shirts and tote bags into a new, sustainable collection.

Rewilding Patmos

During its 13th edition, the Aegean Film Festival launched a reforestation project,  introducing a donation per ticket for all parallel events and connecting wild parties to rewilding. Donations gathered during the festival transformed into a tree planting initiative called Rewilding Patmos, reflecting the Echoes Programme’s  dedication to addressing environmental issues impacting local communities. At  this stage of the project, 650 native trees, shrubs, and aromatic plants have already  been planted in collaboration with the local environmental non-profit organization 

Community of Trees, with the aim of creating a self-sustaining local ecosystem to  prevent erosion and restore biodiversity on the island. For the upcoming edition,  the Echoes Programme maintains a focus on how to restore the ecological balance  in the Aegean and deepen the connection between the community and its natural  environment. A gathering to discuss how to scale up the festival’s rewilding project  will be hosted on July 19th, 2026 at 12.00 in Patmion Festival Centre. If you  wish to contribute with a donation for tree planting, click here.

Focus on Marine Ecosystems

Over the years, the Echoes programme has repeatedly focused on marine  conservation. Key scientific and conservation subjects such as blue carbon and the  role of keystone species, including Posidonia Oceanica within the Mediterranean  ecosystem, were addressed with a curated selection of films, panel discussions and  roundtables, accompanied by activities such as visits to marine protected areas,  coastal cleanups, and guided diving tours. On July 20, 2026 (location tba), we  will take a closer look at endangered marine ecosystems through a panel exploring  the transformation of underwater habitats and the role of climate change as an  accelerant on ecosystems under pressure.

Track Record of  the Enviromental Programme

By collaborating with scientists, filmmakers, and environmentalists, the Echoes  Programme has addressed global climate challenges and fostered sustainable  practices since 2017. We have presented 34 documentaries, 28 short films, 3 script  competitions, 10 panels, 3 round tables, 5 workshops, 5 local activations and  funded more than €100K in awards, evolving into a platform for sustainable  storytelling and climate action:

2017 – Echoes environmental programme launched with seminars, screenings and an  expanded advisory board including BAFTA and Emmy-winning director Nicholas Brown,  as well as leading marine conservation ecologist Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara. 

2018 – The festival expanded across the islands of Patmos and Paros over 12 days, with  Echoes becoming an official part of the programme. 

2019 – First 4-day edition of Echoes held at the Environmental & Cultural Park of Paros.

2021 – Echoes received the auspices of UNESCO; Rescript the Future launched with  Adobe, WaterBear and NBC Universal as a script competition for young storytellers,  offering up to €25,000 in production support for bold, visionary ideas. 

2022 – Presentation of the Festival Alliance for the Climate, an international network  enhancing the distribution and visibility of environmental films and promoting sustainable  practices in the film industry. 

2023 – Launching of rewilding efforts in collaboration with the Community of Trees. 

2024 – Location Greece: Sustainability Standard workshop introduced with the support  of EKOMED and the WaterBear Network to shape Greece’s first national guidelines for  sustainable film production. Visit to Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary in Lipsi in collaboration  with the Archipelagos Institute. Launch of the initial phase of the project: we planted 300  trees, bushes and aromatics, and supported the infrastructure necessary for the plants’  higher chances of survival.  

2025 – Posidonia Oceanica beach Day in collaboration with Azzurro Diving, second part  of the Location Greece: Sustainability Standard workshop, bringing together  audiovisual professionals, sustainability experts and public institutions to develop tools  and standards to encourage low-impact production.  

For its 2026 edition, the Echoes Environmental Programme aims to reinforce connections  between environmental advocacy and the creative industries, enhance the Project  Housekeeping, set a target for tree planting for 2030 and introduce new sustainability  practices for the island.