A European training initiative aimed at making film production more environmentally sustainable is bringing industry professionals to Thessaloniki this March. The city will host the second in-person workshop of the Green SCAP programme, an Erasmus+ project focused on developing "green skills" for the cinema and audiovisual sector across Europe.
The workshop will take place from 9 to 11 March 2026 at the Region of Central Macedonia's venue, "New Conference Centre". It is organised in Greece by the regional Film Office of Central Macedonia together with the Hellenic Film Commission of EKKOMED.
Green SCAP (Green Skills for Cinema and Audiovisual Production) aims to equip professionals with practical tools to reduce the environmental impact of filmmaking. The programme focuses on sustainable production methods and on preparing industry workers to adopt greener practices throughout the production cycle.
The Thessaloniki workshop follows the project's first training session in Italy. Supported by the Agora industry section of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the event will connect Greek professionals with wider European discussions about sustainable filmmaking and environmental responsibility in audiovisual production.
Twelve selected professionals from Greece, Italy and Spain will take part in the workshop. Through applied exercises and hands-on training, participants will collaborate on designing environmentally responsible audiovisual projects. The training will analyse each stage of production, from preparation and planning through to the completion of filming, with a focus on reducing environmental impact.
Alongside the workshop, a public industry discussion will take place as part of the Agora Talks programme during the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. Titled "From vision to reality: Unleashing the sustainability superpower in film production", the event will be held on 10 March at the Thessaloniki Municipal Music Centre and will explore collaboration between film producers and sustainability managers on set.
Speakers and trainers include sustainability consultant Julia Tordai, founder and CEO of Green Eyes Productions, Italian film producer Serena Alfieri and Linnea Merzagora, coordinator of the European Green Film network and the Trentino Film Commission. Greek audiovisual professionals will also contribute to the workshop as guest trainers, including producer Danae Spathara of Heretic, location manager Giannis Sotiropoulos of LocationHound and cinematographer Panagiotis Salapatas, a professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
A networking event will also bring together partners from two European sustainability projects implemented by the Region of Central Macedonia: Green SCAP and MINEV, an Interreg Europe initiative focused on waste management at large events. Hosted at the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, the meeting aims to encourage exchange of practices and strengthen interregional cooperation on the green transition.
The Green SCAP programme is funded through Erasmus+ with co-financing from the European Union. The project is led by the Veneto Film Commission in partnership with the Film Office of Central Macedonia, the Hellenic Film Commission of EKKOMED and the Mediterranean Creative Hub of Mallorca, under the scientific supervision of the European Green Film network.
