Written by Kianna Best on May 17, 2023. Posted in Awards and Festivals

BFI award sustainability partners BAFTA albert and Julie’s Bicycle

BAFTA albert and Julie’s Bicycle have been awarded a total of GBP 586,755 of National Lottery funding over three years. This is part of the new BFI National Lottery Sustainable Screen Fund in support of all BFI National Lottery awardees in building environmental understanding and action on positive environmental change. Keir Powell-Lewis acts as head of environmental sustainability, managing the fund, related BFI work that aims towards minimising environmental impact in the sector and leading the BFI’s routemap to net zero.

“We are also delighted to appoint Keir Powell-Lewis in a new role managing the new fund and supporting our commitments to environmental sustainability across our activities,” commented Harriet Finney, BFI Deputy CEO and executive director of corporate and industry affairs. “The role will be central to delivering a step-change in how we work as an organisation to reach netzero across our activities and our estates, and report against Government Functional Standards around environmental sustainability and energy use. Our BFI cultural programme – including festivals, BFI Player and our archive Collections – have a role to play in promoting the importance of reducing humanity’s impact on the planet. Our BFI National Lottery funded projects must be as environmentally sustainable as possible. ”

Ensuring BFI National Lottery awardees access to a range of sustainability support, tools and resources, the fund has awarded Julie’s Bicycle GBP 299,800 and Bafta albert GBP 286,955. The portion of the fund received by Bafta albert will go towards production across the wider screen sector including film, XR/immersive and video games, with Julie’s Bicycle’s portion contributed towards audiences, screen heritage, skills, education, innovation and industry services, and international projects.

Image courtesy of Joe Yates by Unsplash

“The screen sector’s ability to act on the climate and ecological crisis, to adapt and build resilience in the face of its consequences, is crucial for the industry to thrive,” commented Alison Tickell, founder and director of Julie’s Bicycle. “It also has a unique role to play through its ability to tell and share stories which shine a light on both the issues we face and the solutions at hand, and to inform and inspire positive action across audiences and communities. We are delighted to be working in partnership with the BFI on the Sustainable Screen programme, to support BFI National Lottery awardees and the wider industry in building environmental understanding and supporting meaningful and positive environmental action.”

Carys Taylor, director of albert, said:  "It's great news that the BFI have put sustainability front and centre of their strategy and I'm incredibly proud of the TV industry having led the way in this important work through albert. We know from our research that film is often significantly more carbon intensive than TV production so it's critically important that the film industry is more central to albert’s offer and support. We've a lot of work to do to but we're excited to be working with the BFI, and its partners and awardees, to ensure this vibrant sector continues to have the right kind of impact on the planet."

Both of the recipients have been dedicated to encouraging environmental sustainability in the industry. Providing access to a range of free resources and tools for BFI supported projects, Julie’s Bicycle has contributed to Green Cinema Toolkit, a programme aimed at helping everyone from small independent exhibitors to larger cinemas. Alongside them, BAFTA albert have become a staple in the industry with their carbon calculator. As  standard point of contact for all feature productions backed by the BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund and co-funding partners BBC film and Film4, projects are equipped with a well-rounded understanding sustainable screen practices.