The Icelandic Film Policy 2020–2030 aims to promote sustainable filmmaking. All applicants seeking funding through the Icelandic Film Centre are required to submit a sustainability plan.
The Icelandic Film Centre has initiated a one-year pilot program in collaboration with the Green Producers Club, aimed at collecting data on carbon emissions during productions.
Three productions funded by the Icelandic Film Centre are currently using the Green Producers Tool to calculate their carbon emissions. The Centre also grants funds for other carbon emission calculators.
Notable examples include the Icelandic production The Mountain (2023), which achieved Green Film Certification, and the production of the fourth series of True Detective: Night Country (2023), filmed in Iceland, which earned the Gold EMA Seal.
As an island nation, achieving certain emissions reductions may be more challenging due to a high reliance on imports and limited availability of specific services.
Social rules
Gender Equality: Important steps have been made towards gender equality in Iceland in past decad
Important legislation has been passed to ensure a more equal society, such as legislation to increase the number of women in leadership positions, and to combat gender-based and sexual violence and harassment.
Key laws include:
Gender-Based Violence: Comprehensive reforms aim to prevent and address gender-based and sexual violence, including:
Iceland aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting sustainable practices, equal rights, and inclusion.
As part of the cultural test for film and television reimbursements, environmental criteria can earn additional points. However, this criterion is not mandatory and is one of several cultural criteria used in the test. Further details are available in the Film and Television Reimbursement Act.
No other requirements are made at this stage, though emission calculation will likely be requested within 1-2 years, to fulfill EU legislation CSRD.
The Icelandic Film Centre requires a sustainability strategy for all production funding applications.
It also requires a social sustainability strategy and evaluates projects based on gender equality.
Tax Reimbursement: Currently, there is no requirement for a sustainability strategy or emission calculations.
Broadcasters: Local broadcasters do not yet mandate emissions reports for third-party projects. However, this is expected to change soon.
All studios in Iceland are connected to the power grid. In rural areas, access to grid connections depends on local infrastructure.
Iceland has implemented a detailed waste management system with unified classification markings under the Fenúr initiative.
Sigríður Rósa Bjarnadóttir, Karólína Stefánsdóttir, and Heather Millard: Certified green consultants for creative industries, trained through the Train the Trainers Green Consultant Certification course from Hochschule Der Medien (Modules A and B, ISO 14001/EMAS/DNK).
Green Producers Club: A network and resource hub for sustainable production practices.
The Icelandic Film Centre offers resources, such as the Green Film rating system, and funds up to five emission calculator tools during 2024–2025.
CALCULATORS
Country’s decarbonization strategy
Iceland signed the Paris Agreement and ratified it in 2016. The government has committed to reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels, with a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.
The Icelandic Film Policy 2020–2030 aligns with these goals by emphasizing sustainable filmmaking practices.
This factsheet was produced by Sigríður Rósa Bjarnadóttir, Karólína Stefánsdóttir, Heather Millard from USE SEE ehf and the Green Producers Cub Iceland.
