The winner of the Eisvogel – Prize for Sustainable Film Production is selected by a five-person jury composed of experienced representatives from both the film and media sector and the environmental sciences.
Melanie Haft
Producer
Melanie Haft is the director of nautilusfilm GmbH, one of the leading production companies for nature and wildlife films in Germany. Responsible for over 70 television documentaries and 4 cinema films, which have received over 250 international awards to date, the films she produces together with her husband, director and author Jan Haft, focus on species and climate protection through the restoration of our ecosystems. Melanie Haft is a member of the board of trustees of the German Nature Film Foundation.
Peter Dinges
Board Director of the German Federal Film Board (FFA)
"The film and television industry has the potential to play a pioneering role in climate protection through sustainable action and innovative technologies. It's great to see this commitment recognised with an award that not only acknowledges existing achievements but also incentivises a greener future. Sustainability is a shared responsibility and the industry's growing responsibility is a decisive step in the right direction."
Peter Dinges has been a board director of the German Federal Film Board (FFA), Germany's national film funding agency, since 1 April 2004.
Following his law studies, the Saarbrücken-born lawyer initially gained professional experience as a lecturer in commercial law in Magdeburg from 1991, then as a lawyer in Arnstadt. From 1993, the fully qualified lawyer worked for Telepool GmbH in Munich before being appointed Deputy Managing Director of TeleTaunusFilm GmbH in 1994. In April 1995, he returned to Telepool Munich as Head of Business & Legal Affairs and was a member of the management board there from 1999 until his move to the FFA.
Peter Dinges is a member of both the supervisory board of German Films, the foreign representation of the German film industry, and the shareholders' meeting of Vision Kino, a non-profit organisation for the promotion of film and media skills for children and young people.
Susanne Freyer
CEO of Akzente Film & Fernsehproduktion
“I am glad that a prize for sustainable film production has been created that recognises the effort and creativity that many producers are contributing to this issue, as well as providing a new incentive for green productions in the future.”
Susanne Freyer has been CEO of Akzente Film & Fernsehproduktion since 2007.
She started her film career at Bayerischer Rundfunk in 1990, where she worked on series for the broadcaster.
In 1995, she moved to ndF: neue deutsche Filmgeschäft as a producer.
In addition to period dramas including Rainer Kaufmann’s Die Kirschenkönigin and the successful crime shows München 7 and Kommissar Marthaler, she has produced made-for-television movies for ARD, ZDF, Sat.1 and ProSieben, as well as cinema features such as Fleisch is mein Gemüse, based on the novel of the same name by Heinz Strunk, Tigermilk by Ute Wieland and the drama Das schweigende Klassenzimmer (The Silent Revolution) by Lars Kraume, which premiered at the 2018 Berlinale.
The made-for-television drama film Wir wären andere Menschen by Jan Bonny was recently awarded the Grimme Award. Susanne Freyer is currently working on two new films for the Quartett crime film series as well as a new series of Der Alte for ZDF.
She started her film career at Bayerischer Rundfunk in 1990, where she worked on series for the broadcaster.
In 1995, she moved to ndF: neue deutsche Filmgeschäft as a producer.
In addition to period dramas including Rainer Kaufmann’s Die Kirschenkönigin and the successful crime shows München 7 and Kommissar Marthaler, she has produced made-for-television movies for ARD, ZDF, Sat.1 and ProSieben, as well as cinema features such as Fleisch is mein Gemüse, based on the novel of the same name by Heinz Strunk, Tigermilk by Ute Wieland and the drama Das schweigende Klassenzimmer (The Silent Revolution) by Lars Kraume, which premiered at the 2018 Berlinale.
The made-for-television drama film Wir wären andere Menschen by Jan Bonny was recently awarded the Grimme Award. Susanne Freyer is currently working on two new films for the Quartett crime film series as well as a new series of Der Alte for ZDF.
© Marion von der Mehden
Lars Jessen
Director
Lars Jessen is an award-winning German director and producer.
After finishing his master’s degree at CAU Kiel and the University of Cologne, the Kiel-born director completed a postgraduate course in film and television at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne.
Lars Jessen has been a successful director for a large number of TV properties for years. His resume includes Tatort and Mord mit Aussicht, as well as many television series and features such as Jürgen – Heute wird gelebt (Lonely Knights). Most recently, he and his co-director Jan Georg Schütte received the Grimme Award alongside actor Charly Hübner for their work on Für immer Sommer 90.
His catalogue includes five cinema films, including Am Tag als Bobby Ewing starb, Dorfpunks and Fraktus, which were premiered at the Berlinale and subsequently screened at numerous international festivals.
His miniseries Jennifer – Sehnsucht nach was Besseres, aired at intervals over several years on NDR since 2015, was awarded the Deutscher Comedypreis in 2018. Lars Jessen has produced and directed the comedy series Check Check since 2018.
He is currently adapting Dörte Hansen’s novel Mittagsstunde. Lars Jessen was awarded the State of Schleswig-Holstein’s Art Prize in September 2020.
After finishing his master’s degree at CAU Kiel and the University of Cologne, the Kiel-born director completed a postgraduate course in film and television at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne.
Lars Jessen has been a successful director for a large number of TV properties for years. His resume includes Tatort and Mord mit Aussicht, as well as many television series and features such as Jürgen – Heute wird gelebt (Lonely Knights). Most recently, he and his co-director Jan Georg Schütte received the Grimme Award alongside actor Charly Hübner for their work on Für immer Sommer 90.
His catalogue includes five cinema films, including Am Tag als Bobby Ewing starb, Dorfpunks and Fraktus, which were premiered at the Berlinale and subsequently screened at numerous international festivals.
His miniseries Jennifer – Sehnsucht nach was Besseres, aired at intervals over several years on NDR since 2015, was awarded the Deutscher Comedypreis in 2018. Lars Jessen has produced and directed the comedy series Check Check since 2018.
He is currently adapting Dörte Hansen’s novel Mittagsstunde. Lars Jessen was awarded the State of Schleswig-Holstein’s Art Prize in September 2020.
Dr. Bettina Rechenberg
Head of Division III: Sustainable Production and Products, Waste Management at the German Environment Agency
“To preserve our environment and conserve resources, we need creative solutions in all areas. In order to promote the dissemination of solutions throughout the sector, we want to recognise the film productions that develop them for their vital contribution.”
Dr Bettina Rechenberg leads Division III: Sustainable Production and Products, Waste Management at the German Environment Agency. The biologist has been working at the UBA since 1992. In the past, she has worked in the divisions responsible for water pollution control, chemical safety, sustainable production, resource conservation and material cycles . Since 2015, she has led Division III, which analyses the environmental effects associated with the extraction of raw materials, industrial production and applications, recycling and product disposal. The work of the experts in this department includes seeking and promoting practical environmentally friendly and resource-saving solutions.
© Susanne Kambor. Umweltbundesamt
