The Lanzarote International Film Festival (FICL), which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has reinforced its commitment to the environment with a symbolic and transformative action: the planting of native trees in different urban spaces of Arrecife. Under the name of Raíces de Cine (Cinema Roots), this initiative is part of the compensatory measures included in the Sustainability Plan of the event, which seeks to mitigate the environmental footprint of the event and leave a green legacy for future editions.
The Culture Councilor of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Jesús Machín Tavío, has pointed out that "actions like this demonstrate that culture can also be a driver of ecological and social transformation. We are not only celebrating 25 years of cinema, but we are reinforcing the commitment to build a festival aligned with the environmental challenges of our time, linked to the territory and the future of the island."
The planting has included species adapted to the island's climate and aims, beyond compensating for the emissions generated, to enrich the urban landscape and consolidate a project of progressive revegetation. The action, carried out in collaboration with the capital's City Council, far from being a one-off gesture, is born with a vocation for continuity, growing edition after edition and generating a positive footprint in the environment.
Measures for a greener future
This planting is part of a broader environmental strategy that the festival has developed in recent years. Among other measures, it highlights the reduction of paper use by 25%, the use of ecological inks and certified materials, and a firm commitment to digital communication to avoid unnecessary printing.
The festival awards have also been redesigned with noble and sustainable materials, such as wood, and the use of shared and hybrid vehicles has been promoted among the team and guests. In all venues, the selective collection of waste has been reinforced, eliminating the use of single-use plastics and replacing them with glass bottles, reusable cups and personal containers for the team and juries.
Another key axis of the sustainability plan is internal training and awareness: both the technical team and the collaborators receive specific training on sustainability, given by professionals in the sector. To this is added a firm commitment to local consumption, with zero kilometer products, merchandising with organic cotton and ecological dyes, as well as the prominent presence of island talent, which in this edition has accounted for 65% of the official jury.
With this action, the Lanzarote International Film Festival reaffirms that making films is also taking care of the planet. Culture thus becomes a tool to promote a more conscious, fair and committed development model with the territory.
Organized by Fisme Producciones, the FICL has the support of the Culture Area of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, the Government of the Canary Islands, the Canary Islands Institute of Cultural Development, Canary Islands Film, the Society for the Promotion of Foreign Affairs of Lanzarote through the Lanzarote Film Commission, Promotur Turismo de Canarias, the City Council of Arrecife and the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism of Lanzarote.
