Award Ceremony 2025
The award ceremony for the 2024/25 competition period takes place on February 12, 2025 in the courtyard of the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV) in Berlin by the head of the BMUV and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, Claudia Roth.
During the event, the nominated productions will be introduced to an invited audience of industry professionals and the "Eisvogel – Prize for Sustainable Film Production" will be handed over to the winning production.
Nominated Productions 24/25
The nominated productions are briefly presented below:

Für immer Freibad
"We agreed from the very first meeting that we would shoot ‘Für immer Freibad’ green and pay as much attention as possible to sustainability in all areas (technology, catering, set design, costumes, etc.). This worked most notably because all departments and actors pitched in and committed to the green shoot. Many of them took our offer to transport private bicycles from Berlin to the filming location in Forst (Brandenburg) so that cast and crew could ride from the hotel to the set. This not only saved us a lot of car rides, but also strengthened the team spirit. In addition, all the actors came to the filming location by train and shared a trailer.", Ursula Pfriem (Producer), Laura Fischer (Director)


Kevlar Soul
“Innovation is often associated with technology, but in our production, I am most proud of our innovative leadership. We prioritized environmental considerations at every stage, from designing a financing plan for a logistically efficient, flight-free vision to selecting collaborators who shared our values. We broke norms by traveling by train to Hamburg for filming and adopting resource-efficient practices on set, like dry wallpapering to preserve original walls. This approach was innovative because it went against conventions and challenged the expectations of creators and financiers, inspiring everyone involved to question traditional workflows. By embracing new approaches, we showed that sustainability can inspire creativity and set a standard for responsible filmmaking.”; Ronny Fritsche, Producer


Mother Mary
“A24 and augenschein Filmproduktion, in collaboration with
Roman Russo and the Green Toolkit team, have delivered a groundbreaking
sustainable production that sets international standards. “Mother Mary” is the
first international film production to have its CO₂ footprint calculated
according to ISO 14067 and independently verified through a third-party audit –
a significant step towards greater transparency and accountability in the
industry.
The zero-emission Butler M 150/150 battery system allowed
the complete replacement of diesel generators, achieving substantial CO₂
reductions. Additional innovations, such as closed water circuit systems, the
use of LED technology, and the harmonization of U.S. and German sustainability
standards, demonstrate how technological and organizational solutions can work
seamlessly together. This nomination underscores the Green Toolkit’s role as a
data-driven solution for sustainable productions and highlights how independent
ISO-certified audits are setting new benchmarks for the film industry.”, Auri
Jackson, Sustainability Manager, A24


The Song Cycle
“The Song Cycle began as an exploration of a more sustainable approach to live music. We are very proud that this project has shown not only that musicians can tour without driving but also that films can be made in a significantly more climate-friendly manner too. From the outset, we were determined to document this adventure in the most environmentally-responsible way possible. We used minimal crew, natural light, and very small cameras which we could carry on our bikes. Our cameraman Céin cycled alongside Nick to film the journey. We believe that our innovative approach to making The Song Cycle and the warm reaction we’ve had to the finished film will inspire other filmmakers by proving you can have a truly sustainable production without compromising creativity or audience appeal.; Nick Kelly - Director/Producer


Tschappel
“A sustainable energy supply for the production of our ZDFneo sitcom ‘Tschappel’ was crucial for us. In order to cover the high energy demands and the requirements at the various outdoor locations in an environmentally friendly way, we used high-performance power stations in conjunction with a 400-watt photovoltaic panel. Thanks to this solution we were able to work completely energy self-sufficient on a quarter of the shooting days, while some departments could even rely on batteries and solar power during the entire time. This concept worked very well so that we also want to use it in future projects!”; Charlotte Groth, Maximilian Greil, Paul Beck und Marius Beck (LAX Entertainment & Apollonia Film)


Rein und Raus (Newcomer category)


No More Pool Time (Newcomer category)

Award Ceremony 23/24
During the event, the nominated productions were introduced to an audience of industry professionals and the "Eisvogel – Prize for Sustainable Film Production" was handed over to the winning production.
Award-winning Productions 23/24
Three award-winning productions of the Eisvogel 2024
In addition, the jury has selected a production from the field of young talent as the winner from a field of submissions that was also of very high quality.
Below are the reasons given by the competition jury for the three award winners.
Die Schule der magischen Tiere 3 (Award-winning production in the main category)
The green production approach realised in this way went far beyond the ecological standards of the film industry and numerous innovative green measures were implemented with great motivation and conviction.
Thanks to an energy-optimised lighting concept, the targeted use of green electricity and the first-ever use of the battery-hybrid generator
hybrid generator "Kemama-Filmhybrid 30/60" mounted on an electric vehicle, emissions from diesel generators were effectively reduced despite a large number of "on location" shooting days.
The environmental impact was also significantly reduced in post-production, catering and many other areas.
(From the statement of the Eisvogel competition jury)

C‘est le monde à l’envers ! (Award-winning production in the main category)
In order to achieve this ambitious goal, a comprehensive energy and mobility concept was developed and implemented with truly exemplary consistency. Important key points:
• The electricity on set was produced entirely with mobile solar panels. Some of this solar power was temporarily stored for times when the sun was not shining, and surplus electricity was even fed into the public power grid.
• The fleet of 28 electric vehicles were also charged on site at mobile charging stations, which were specially developed for this type of use "in the countryside" as part of the Tour de France.
(From the statement of the Eisvogel competition jury)

Moddergat (Award-winning production in the newcomer category)
For example, by consciously integrating the characteristics of the existing film locations into the creative concept, it was possible to significantly reduce the resources required for set construction and decoration. The realisation of these and many other measures through the joint commitment of all those involved is coherent and sympathetic.
The commitment in the end credits draws attention to the fact that honesty and transparency, and not just perfection, should be essential guidelines for green production, but also for our actions in general.
(From the statement of the Eisvogel competition jury)

Nominated Productions 23/24
The nominated productions are briefly presented below.

C'est le monde à l'envers !
- The electricity on set was produced using mobile solar panels and the surplus electricity was fed into the public power grid.
- Some of the solar power generated was stored in an 11kW battery storage unit for use at different times
- Mobile charging stations, which are normally used at the Tour de France, were used to charge the 28 electric vehicles in total

Die Schule der magischen Tiere 3
Lisa Plesser, CEO Grüner Werkzeugkasten / Green Toolkit



Habibi Baba Boom
Thomas Matysiak, Green Consultant

Never Ever
Thomas Matysiak, Green Consultant
"With the support of our client, we have pursued a holistic approach in addition to our electricity concept in production, involving all departments and, among other things, electrifying the vehicle fleet, offering catering with 'real' organic meat and thus obtaining the Green Motion Label and the EMA Gold Seal."
Sara Heidelbach, Line Producer


Am Ende sind wir alle Gesang (newcomer production)
Thomas Slatter & Felix Sommer, producers



Gutartig (newcomer production)
Justus Hagemann, Production Manager


Moddergat (newcomer production)
On the last panel of the film, we then proclaim with a wink:
95% of our CO2 budget is compensated through the climate bet
5% has been greenwashed"
Elisabeth Köller, producer


Archive
Award-winning Productions 22/23
Nominated Productions 22/23
Award Ceremony 21/22
Award-winning Production 21/22
Nominated Productions 21/22
Newcomer Productions 21/22
Newcomer Productions 21/22
Impressions of the Award Ceremony 21/22
Award Ceremony 22/23
During the event, the nominated productions were introduced to an audience of industry professionals and the "Eisvogel – Prize for Sustainable Film Production" was handed over to the winning production.
A movie shows impressions of the ceremony: Link
Award-winning Productions 22/23
Three award-winning productions of the Eisvogel 2023
In doing so, the jury, chaired by producer Lars Jessen, considered the high quality of the many submissions on the one hand and the diversity of potential areas of improvement between documentaries and fictional productions on the other.
In addition, this year for the first time a prize was awarded for the newcomer productions.
Below you will find the reasons given by the competition jury for the three award winners.
22. Juli – Die Schüsse von München (Award-winning production in the category documentary)
Sky Deutschland made a clear commitment to climate-friendly film production at a very early stage, making it one of the pioneers of sustainable production in Germany. The European Sky Group has set itself a net zero target for CO2 emissions across the entire value chain by 2030. These aspects were also important factors in the jury's decision.
(From the statement of the Eisvogel competition jury)

Irgendwas mit Medien (Award-winning production in the category of fiction)
Due to the use of cargo bikes, the motor-driven vehicle fleet could be minimized and CO2 emissions in this area could be reduced by about eighty percent.
In addition, during production, there was very active participation by the cast & crew to develop ideas for further environmental measures and to implement them consistently.
(From the statement of the Eisvogel competition jury)

Exit Pangea (Award-winning production in the newcomer category)
The potential but also limitations of LED lighting were part of the visual design concept from the very beginning, and the reduction of material requirements was understood as a creative challenge for the book but also for the cast & crew on location. Through the direct involvement of all parties, many creative solutions could be developed and successfully implemented.
This learning system and the holistic approach make Exit Pangea an award-worthy production that is exemplary for the newcomer sector.
(From the statement of the Eisvogel competition jury)

Nominated Productions 22/23
The nominated productions are briefly presented below.

22. Juli - Die Schüsse von München

Cicero - Zwei Leben, eine Bühne
Katharina Rinderle, Producer



The Swarm
Philip Gassmann, Green Film Expert and Green Consultant

Irgendwas mit Medien
Helga Löbel, Producer,UFA Serial Drama
"I'm very pleased that we successfully implemented the minimum ecological standards at the production of Irgendwas mit Medien for the first time so that we received the 'green motion' label. This was only possible because sustainability was such an important topic for every crew member that they adjusted the workflows. I hope that it won’t be a big deal anymore for future projects to comply with the minimum ecological standards, but rather become the standard."
Marc Waterkamp, Production Manager and Green Consultant, UFA Serial Drama



Le Pupille
Ludovica Chiarini, Eco Supervisor

Liebes Kind
Thomas Matysiak, Green Consultant



Lu von Loser
Christopher Albrodt, Production Manager

Notruf Hafenkante
Mareike Pielot, Green Consultant



Tatort Köln: Pyramide
Tobias Wolf, Sustainability Manager

Exit Pangea (newcomer production)
Sarah Dreyer, Producer



Cotton Candy (newcomer production)
Tayran Razzak, Director of Cotton Candy

Isolation (newcomer production)
P. S. S. Gupta, Director of Isolation



Riyan (newcomer production)

A Tale of a Haunted Soul (newcomer production)
Towhid Riyadh, Director of A Tale of a Haunted Soul


Award Ceremony 21/22
During this ceremony, the nominated productions were introduced to an audience of industry professionals in the presence of the competition jury. The presentation of the "Eisvogel – Prize for Sustainable Film Production" was the highlight of the event.
The award ceremony took place in the presence of the Federal Minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection, Steffi Lemke, and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, Claudia Roth, among personally invited guests.
Award-winning Production 21/22

Tatort Dortmund – Gier und Angst

Decision of the competition jury (excerpt):
In addition to a wide range of measures to reduce the environmental impact of transport (e.g., use of low-emission vehicles and traffic-optimized planning of shots), catering (e.g., regional, seasonal, and organic-certified catering), and accommodation (e.g., consistent use of certified/resource-saving accommodations), an energy-saving lighting concept was implemented. This concept helped to reduce energy use at the set by approx. 80%.
In the opinion of the competition jury, this lighting concept constitutes an effective and readily transferable "innovation". New elements - but available on the market - and particularly bright cameras (Sony FX-6 camera) are combined with efficient and flexible light sources (LED orbiters) as well as other tools (such as skypanels) in such a way that the energy savings make it possible to shoot with "normal" power connections and without the use of a generator, even with demanding design requirements and "on location".”
Nominated Productions 21/22
From these six nominated productions, the competition jury selected the final winner of the Eisvogel 21/22.
The nominated productions are briefly presented below.

SaFahri – eine Reise zu den Elementen
“From the North Sea to the Bavarian Forest and from the North German Moor to the Swiss Alps: even the journeys to the filming locations were as consequently environmentally friendly as possible. Fahri Yardim alone travelled over 5500 kilometres by train.” Christian Asanger, VP Entertainment Sky

Die stillen Trabanten



Die Luft, die wir atmen

Les Incorrectes
“Les Incorrectes” was produced with the financial support of the Alice Milliat Foundation, the National Sports Agency (ANS) and is backed by the Comité National Olympique et Sportif Français (CNOSF). Since the beginning, eco-responsibility has been a strong commitment for Lucien TV and reducing environmental impact was a major concern from the planning stage.
Thanks to the support of Secoya Eco Tournage and their innovative tool Seco2, the carbon footprint on the set of “Les Incorrectes” has been estimated and compared to what would have been the environmental impact on the same project, but without eco-responsible actions.


Tempête
In the area of scenery construction, the input of environmentally harmful substances was reduced in an innovative way. A new type of mobile device was used to clean painting tools and painted materials.

Newcomer Productions 21/22
These newcomer productions will be honoured separately at the EISVOGEL 21/22 award ceremony “out of competition”.
These two newcomer productions are presented briefly below.
Metanoia
Producer Thea Herrmann and director Alina Podschun have made an explicit commitment to a green production approach and signed corresponding industry agreements. This clear commitment motivated the entire crew to support and implement environmentally related measures.


Alles Perfekt
For example, hiring handcarts was a creative way to transport material to the beach. Other solutions included vegetarian catering throughout the entire production, the purchase of second-hand costumes and equipment, as well as donating it after the end of the production.

Impressions of the Award Ceremony 21/22
Below are some picture impressions of the ceremonial act in the courtyard of the Federal Ministry for the Environment in Berlin. The recording of the livestream of the event is available here.
Welcoming words and introduction to the Eisvogel award





Presentation of the nominated Productions






Awarding of the Eisvogel 21/22


