IECNEMA

IECNEMA is an international non-profit consortium that promotes environmentally sustainable practices in cinema and new media arts while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among filmmakers, technologists, scholars, and educators. The organization develops and harmonizes guidelines, supports research, and coordinates professional development across production, post-production, distribution, exhibition, and archiving.

IECNEMA was founded in 2012 by a coalition of filmmakers, environmental scientists, and media scholars seeking to reduce the carbon footprint of film production and to broaden access to cultural resources through open standards and shared tools.

Governance consists of a rotating council with regional chapters (Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific) and several standing committees focused on Sustainable Production, Open Standards, Education and Outreach, and Digital Archives.

Key activities include publishing guidelines for carbon-neutral production and life-cycle assessment, developing open-source software templates for production workflows, and promoting metadata and archival formats that support long-term accessibility. IECNEMA also organizes an annual Summit and maintains an online repository of best practices, case studies, and educational materials.

Impact: Some national film funds and festival programs have adopted IECNEMA guidelines; collaborations with universities advance research in sustainable media and digital archiving. Critics note limited global reach and dependence on member funding. Proponents emphasize transparency and adaptability of open standards.