SUSTAINABILITY MANIFESTO
The Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) is committed to promoting environmental responsibility in the international film festivals landscape. By aligning our operations with the five pillars of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships. The festival aims to ensure that our love for cinema and storytelling does not come at the expense of our planet.
Our headquarter is in the vibrant city of Jeddah, a historical city that stretches along the shores of the Red Sea, the inspiration behind our festival’s name. Although semi-enclosed, the Red Sea is globally acknowledged as one of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems, and we aim to keep it that way.
With that in mind, the Red Sea International Film Festival takes sustainability at the heart of all our future planning, in line with our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) as well as the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative.
Reducing RSIFF’s Carbon Footprint – SDG 12, 14, 15
The Red Sea International Film Festival acknowledges that every sector has operational impact on the environment. Therefore, we are committed to minimizing the carbon footprint of our festival. This commitment extends from our operations and logistics to the selection of suppliers and partners who share our commitment.
- RSIFF encourages all its attendees to use environmentally conscious means of travel to and from the festival, such as carpooling, or consider offsetting their carbon footprint whenever possible.
- RSIFF is committed to reducing, reusing, and recycling its waste materials, in line with the Circular Carbon Economy approach. From caterings to the screening venues, RSIFF will remain keen on recycling its waste and preventing them from ending up in landfills or seabed.
- RSIFF aims to adopt digitalization wherever possible. This means less paper used in the festival’s marketing, ticketing, and communications.
Providing Equitable Access to Opportunity and Education – SDGs 4, 5 and 8
The Red Sea International Film Festival is steadfast in its belief in the power of young talent, elevating new voices from the region and Africa and ensuring equal access to opportunities for underrepresented communities of filmmakers. We are also committed to empowering women in the film industry, aligning our goals with SDG 4, 5, and 8 to promote an inclusive film sector.
- As a forward-thinking organization that is chaired by a female leader, RSIFF is committed to enabling and empowering women in the film industry by fostering an environment where women can thrive within the film industry and beyond.
- RSIFF commits to promoting knowledge-sharing and offering access to the latest filmmaking technologies to all its beneficiaries.
- RSFF’s initiatives, including the Red Sea Fund, Red Sea Labs, and Red Sea Souk, serve as platforms to nurture young talent, by providing the resources necessary for artists to realize their dreams and share their stories with a global audience.
- RSIFF contributes to strengthening local economy and communities by creating direct and indirect job opportunities in the lead-up to and during the festival. The power of film is not just as a form of expression, but also a catalyst for economic growth.
Looking Ahead
This is just the beginning. We will continue to explore new ways to reduce our environmental impact and stay committed to making the Red Sea International Film Festival a platform for positive change, not just in cinema, but also for a sustainable future for the generations to come.