The Garden State Film Festival Commits to

New Environmental Initiatives

Garden State Film Festival Sustainability Commitment

The Garden State Film Festival (GSFF) is New Jersey’s premier independent film festival, which on an annual basis reaches an in-person audience of up to 30,000 individuals. While most of our attendees come from New Jersey and the surrounding states, we have many filmmakers and fans who attend from across the country and around the world. Film festivals, such as ours, can provide a considerable economic, educational, and social benefits to a city and a region. Like almost most human activities, however, film festivals are not without some degree of environmental cost. 

Each year our festival includes environmental programming where we feature films that challenge us to think about the impact of human activity on our planet. While educating our audience through such programming is important, the Board of Directors of the Garden State Film Festival recognizes that we must all strive to do more than just talk about the human-caused problems facing the Earth. In whatever sphere we have influence, we must take action.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Garden State Film Festival is establishing an Environmental Sustainability Committee which shall:

Assess existing actions GSFF has already taken to reduce its environmental impact and make recommendations to the Board of Directors towards building upon those successes.
On an ongoing basis, explore additional meaningful ways to reduce and mitigate the environmental impact of GSFF activities, and recommend to the Board of Directors action items to be implemented accordingly.
Work with GSFF staff to facilitate and assess implementation of adopted action items.

Work with GSFF staff to establish vendor criteria that grants preferences to vendors that provide for reuse alternatives where feasible, and that minimize or eliminate single use packaging; Work with GSFF staff to assure high recycled content in all printed materials and festival merchandise.
On an ongoing basis, investigate relevant industry best practices on environmental sustainability and report back to the Board of Directors on same.
Work with the Board of Directors to establish quantifiable sustainability goals for GSFF (for instance, in the area of waste reduction/recycling).
Explore the introduction of opt-in carbon offset funding through our ticketing platform.
Explore and make recommendations to the Board of Directors on ways to encourage filmmakers to create content that deal with environmental issues.

Existing and current environmental sustainability action items implemented by GSFF:

Reducing quantity of printed programs by providing QR Codes at venues allowing attendees to access digital programs available on the website with ADA access on their smart phones.
In partnership with the New Jersey-based mission-driven companies such as TerraCycle, providing recycling stations at all venues for attendees, volunteers, and staff to recycle materials that are traditionally not recyclable (i.e., flexible film snack packaging, non-#1 & #2 plastics).
Reduction of promotional mailings in favor of electronic and digital outreach.
Elimination of single-use non-recyclable plastic cups/bottle at GSFF cocktail party and Awards Dinner.
ADA Compliant shuttle offered between venues during festival weekend to reduce vehicular traffic by attendees.

Mandated year-round recycling policy at GSFF office.
Making permanent the COVID-era policy of allowing remote participation in Board meetings, reducing negative impact of travel.
Annual featured environmental film blocks consisting of shorts and feature length programming, with post-screening audience discussions with filmmakers.

“It is our determined commitment,” said Lauren Concar Sheehy, Executive Director of the GSFF, “to help our environment and pave new ways to safeguard our sacred duty to planet earth, starting right here in New Jersey.”

About the Garden State Film Festival

The Garden State Film Festival is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization, created to promote the art of filmmaking on all levels. This globally recognized festival also provides creative arts education programs and creates a forum where local and international independent filmmakers can exhibit their work. Their outreach programs also support the U.S. Military, seniors, children, and the underserved populations. Since 2003, thousands of films have made their public premieres, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have attended; and the total infusion of cash to local businesses since inception exceeds $10 million. It is held in Asbury Park and surrounding area as well as Cranford, NJ.

The artistic philosophy of the Garden State Film Festival is rooted in the celebration of the independent film genre and the creation of a forum where local and other independent filmmakers can exhibit their work. It was also created to pay tribute to New Jersey’s legacy as the birthplace of the American filmmaking industry in Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratories where he invented the first film cameras and projectors, to Fort Lee, where the original studios were founded. Our event provides novice and aspiring filmmakers, actors, and others interested in careers in the film business, the opportunity to meet and network with industry professionals in an atmosphere conducive to learning and mentoring. Further, we are happy to be present each spring in Asbury Park and to serve as an added engine for the city’s vitality through arts, commerce, and culture.

 For more information visit gsff.org or email lauren@gsff.org

For social media updates on the GSFF, please visit the sites below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GardenStateFilmFestival/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GardenStateFilm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gardenstatefilmfestival
Hashtags:
#GSFF #gsffasburypark #asburyparkfilm #GSFF2021 #youhavetowatchthis

A 501-c-3 non-profit organization, GSFF was named winner of the 2023 & 2022 M&A Today Global Awards - Best Independent Film Festival - USA, 2022 Global 100 Best Independent Film Festival –USA, Corporate Vision Media Innovator Award 2021, Film Festival of the Year (New Jersey) 2021 – Lauren Concar, 2021 Corporate America Today Best Independent Film Festival –USA, 2020 Brookdale Community College Foundation for Service to the Community, 2019 Spinnaker Arts & Culture Award from the Eastern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, 2018 Corporate USA Today Best Independent Film Festival – USA, and the, 2017 Global Excellence Awards & Best Independent Film Festival – East Coast’ by TMT News, 2014 International Film Festival Manhattan Best Music Video, 2012 Monmouth Ocean Development Council Silver Gull Award for Tourism Achievement.

The 21st Annual Garden State Film Festival could not be possible without the generous support of the following sponsors:

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