Environmental struggles and ecological awareness run through contemporary cinema and become one of the guiding threads of Biografilm 2026. Within the Contemporary Lives section, dedicated to auteur perspectives on contemporary society, several films explore ecological issues through original and deeply relevant viewpoints.
- Making its world premiere, Spirit Animal by Yuri Pirondi and Inês von Bonhorst takes audiences across the vast landscapes of Mongolia, where modernity and ancestral traditions intertwine in the lives of three nomadic families forced to redefine their balance with nature and change.
- Screening as an Italian premiere, Elements of(f) Balance by Othmar Schmiderer is a visionary journey in search of sustainable futures for humanity and the planet, through experiences connected to fungi, mycelium, jellyfish, permaculture, and new forms of ecological coexistence.
- Also premiering in Italy, Watching People Watching Birds by Michael Loeken and Ulrike Franke observes the world of birdwatching with both irony and urgency, turning it into a reflection on the fragile state of the Earth’s ecosystem.
- With Hungry, director Susanne Brandstaetter imagines a world after the disappearance of humankind: a dystopian and philosophical tale questioning the inevitability of our extinction and the relationship between humans and the environment.
- Among the special events, Just Look Up by Emma Wall and Betsy Hershey portrays Michael Greenberg, a young American climate activist capable of mobilizing a new generation in the fight for a livable future, combining political commitment, irony, and remarkable charisma.
Biografilm’s attention to environmental issues, however, goes beyond the films in the program. The festival continues to pursue a sustainability path involving its entire ecosystem — audiences, guests, staff, partners, and the local community — through concrete practices and everyday actions. From promoting sustainable mobility to reducing printed materials, from responsible waste management to staff training and the gradual monitoring of environmental impact, the festival continues to strengthen its commitment to a culture of environmental and social sustainability, both on and off screen.
