CREATIVE FUTURE for AUSTRÈ - green - STUDIO

This year, AUSTRÈ seized the opportunity to rebrand and redefine the company’s image and core values. We focused on internal upskilling, particularly related to producing films in the most sustainable way possible within our current market. This rebranding and upskilling effort was kickstarted by receiving a grant from the CREATHRIV-EU program, which supports innovative and sustainable practices in the creative and cultural industries to enhance resilience, strategic autonomy, and green transformation within the EU’s creative ecosystems.

This year, we focused particularly on developing sustainability strategies for two of our key projects: “Barracuda,” a new film by Tomas Vengris that received the largest financing support this year from the Lithuanian Film Center, and “Tierra Mala,” an ethno-fiction set on the Pacific coast. With consultancy from external experts, our sustainability plans included carbon management, sustainable production tools, and social sustainability. We have been testing innovative approaches such as online writing rooms, file sharing, and carbon accounting tools. It was important for us to prototype and test all available tools, and understand our supply chain to ensure they meet our sustainability standards.

We also moved to a new sustainable office location, aligning with our commitment to environmental responsibility. This new office space is designed to minimize energy consumption and promote a healthier working environment. However, Lithuania currently lacks many local sustainable initiatives or tools. Our long-term goal is to identify what was manageable with internationally provided toolkits and determine if our region is in desperate need of local initiatives.

Looking ahead, we plan to actively share our sustainability efforts once our projects are in production. A new company logo is coming, and our website will be updated soon. On our social media, we will share case studies from our films “Barracuda” and “Tierra Mala” throughout the year. These case studies will include the use of fur in a film about the 1980s and how we justified historically unsustainable behaviors, our active online writers’ room with team members working from one of the most remote jungle regions of Colombia’s Pacific coast, and our analysis of the supply chain and the debate on the secretiveness of local suppliers’ sources and materials. We will also discuss whether sustainability tools are overproduced or still lacking, among many other topics. Additionally, we will post links to recent articles and relevant literature for industry professionals who want to stay up to date with local and global public policy.

The support from the CREATHRIV-EU 1st Call program has been crucial in helping us achieve our sustainability goals. Follow our journey and join us in creating a greener, more equitable future. Stay tuned for more updates on our projects and sustainability initiatives on our website and social media channels!