“Our goal was to simplify the process by developing a common framework for producers across Europe, built by the industry, for the industry”
– We explore the landscape of sustainable animation through the ANiMPACT initiative, which recently entered its pilot phase
ANiMPACT, a collaborative initiative between CineRegio, Ecoprod and the Trentino Film Commission’s Green Film, recently wrapped its public consultation and launched the pilot phase of its programme at the Annecy Film Festival. To learn more about ANiMPACT, Cineuropa spoke with Linnea Merzagora, project manager at Green Film, to take a deep dive into its objectives, what sustainability means to the initiative and the impact of cross-border cooperation.
Cineuropa: How did the ANiMPACT initiative and the collaboration behind it begin?
Linnea Merzagora: Ecoprod, the French initiative for sustainable audiovisual production, had written an excellent and comprehensive green animation guide that was only available in French. They were looking for partners to make an international version of the guide, so we joined forces with CineRegio. This became our first collaboration, and it led to the release of the International Green Animation Guide in Annecy in 2025. CineRegio was very helpful in getting a lot of regional film funds on board, which is crucial to a project’s success.
Both Ecoprod and Green Film have certification schemes for live action, and they run in parallel, with similar criteria for independent auditing. We felt the animation sector needed certification built around its own production methodologies. Animation is different from live-action sets in terms of material consumption, but there can be huge demands on energy when it comes to digital workflows.
We decided to work together to create a single, shared tool, because it’s quite fragmented in live-action, in terms of how you can move towards sustainability. Producers, especially in international productions, can be asked to follow different protocols in different countries. This creates unnecessary complexity and it can be an administrative burden, which we wanted to avoid. Our goal was to simplify the process by developing a common framework for producers across Europe, built by the industry, for the industry.
The projects you’re seeking out for the pilot phase are at a later stage of development, such as post-production or near completion. What’s the reasoning behind this?
We needed to connect the pilot phase to a defined production stage in order to have the certification ready within a reasonable timeframe. The production companies interested in taking part in the pilot phase are usually already very highly committed to sustainability and therefore already implementing practices in that regard. That’s what makes it possible to test the criteria in those scenarios. Once the certification is fully launched, projects would have to apply for that certification in the development stage.
Animation productions can span several years, which could prove challenging for the auditing process. That’s also why we’re trying to assess the feasibility of auditing in a short space of time. The pilot phase also allows auditing companies to discuss and collaborate with production companies in order to assess how long the process will take and possible ways of conducting the audit.
Can you tell us about one particular aspect of sustainable animation that tends to be misunderstood, either industry-wide or specifically within animation?
In terms of the digital workflow of animation, sometimes there’s this misconception that if you increase efficiency, while rendering or using AI to streamline iterative work, for example, then you reduce the environmental impact. In reality, this isn’t always the case. There’s a phenomenon called the rebound effect, where efficiency runs the risk of encouraging more renders and iterations, leading to an overall increase in consumption. Since digital interactions and IT infrastructure account for much of animation’s energy impact, our criteria emphasise production pipelines, digital resource management, and improving the efficiency of technical infrastructure.
ANiMPACT also looks to tie the social side into sustainability and green animation. Could you tell us about this dimension and why it was included?
A couple of years ago, while we were updating the Green Film rating system for live-action works, we got the feeling lots of producers and sustainability experts were suggesting adding social sustainability elements to the protocol and rating system. I was particularly excited to be looking into this, and to discover what we might be able to incorporate, because I think it’s really important to see sustainability as a whole.
Yes, environmental sustainability should remain our main focus because climate change is real and we have to act now. But it’s not only about having a planet to live on, it’s also closely connected to living well. It’s about how workers are treated. We’re not saving lives in this sector, but stress levels can be exceptionally high. So it’s also important to address mental health themes and inclusion – diversity, equity, accessibility and so on. I’ve been encountering new professional roles I didn’t know about before, like well-being facilitators and accessibility coordinators. This is a whole new area which we’re exploring and which I want to integrate into ANiMPACT as well.
Why is the collaborative aspect of this initiative particularly crucial?
I would like to highlight the importance of European collaboration, as ANiMPACT is a true example of this. In the end, we all have the same goal, which is to reduce the impact of the sector. The more we can collaborate and work together, the greater the impact we will have. The “Statement of Sustainable Animation” that we published in October 2025 garnered more than 120 signatures from 30 different countries from all around the world, not just Europe. I think that speaks to the industry’s desire to build a global community and a solid, shared perspective on sustainability.
