5th International Forum of UNESCO Creative Cities of Film – “Sustainability and Eco-practices in Film and Creative Industries”
Culture and creativity have increasingly been recognized as a key to sustainable urban development. Cities have evolved into living laboratories, devising actions and policies that further leverage the impact of creativity to make cities better places to live and improve people’s lives. The UNESCO Film Cities Network stretch across the entire world, from Japan to South America, bringing together this international and prosperous sector, encouraging partnerships and the exchange of ideas. Each film city carries a unique cinematic heritage defined by the different histories of the cities themselves, the great minds that inhabit or originate from them, and the inspirational innovators who created cinema and paved the way for today’s moving images.
The designated UNESCO Film Cities share similar characteristics: important cinema-related infrastructure, such as film studios and film landscapes/environments; continuous or proven connections to film production, distribution, and commercialization. The film cities work together to achieve a common goal: putting green solutions in film and creative cultural industries at the heart of local engagement for responsible urban communities and prioritizing cross-border cultural collaboration towards sustainable development. The network aims to stimulate international cooperation, especially with other member cities, highlighting environmental and social sustainability in Film and Creative industries as a driving force for sustainable urban development, social inclusion, and cultural radiance.
Considering these priorities and the fact that film and television productions account for significant carbon dioxide emissions, the film cities have come together to address carbon footprint reduction within the film and creative industries and to support productions to achieve greater environmental sustainability. The film industry impacts on the environment through many areas with key ones being transport, waste, catering and energy. The film industry is a successful driver for growth across countries and an important contributor to the creative industries within the country’s economy. While sustainable filmmaking initiatives are on the rise in some of the UNESCO Creative Cities of Film, there is still progress to be made in terms of widespread adoption and standardization of practices. Challenges such as budget constraints, lack of awareness, and logistical hurdles can hinder the implementation of sustainable practices across the industry. Studies show that the audiovisual sector contributes substantially to carbon emissions. For example, a single high-budget film can produce up to 2,840 metric tons of CO2.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the international community in September 2015 underlines the importance of culture and creativity as a driver of urban and sustainable development of cities. In particular, Goal 11 which states “Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. In this regard, the Creative Cities Network, of which Bitola is now a member, will continue to be key to contributing to the implementation of this international agenda.
Considering all above mentioned and in continuation to the networking between the member cities of the UNESCO Creative Cities network, Film Center Bitola is organizing the 5th International UNESCO Creative Cities Forum with a focus on Sustainability and Eco-practices in Film and Creative Industries from 5th to 7th December 2024 in Bitola. The event will reconnect cities from the UNESCO Creative Film Cities network to advance their partnerships by commitment towards eco practices, as well as the exchange of future new ideas and collaborations in the direction of building inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities. The Forum will serve as a steppingstone in the acceleration of the socio-cultural, socio-economic and technological transformation of the city of Bitola.
BITOLA
Located in the south of North Macedonia, Bitola is second largest city in the country with around 100,000 inhabitants. The city’s film heritage originated from the early 20th century with the film industry now representing the backbone of the city’s creative economy. Bitola’s history with film dates back to the Manaki brothers, Yanaki and Milton who as film and photography pioneers, brought to Bitola – formerly named Manastir – the Bioscope 300 film camera. Te brothers famously filmed the very first motion pictures shot in the Ottoman Balkans. Bitola is mostly known for the Manaki Brothers International Cinematographers Film Festival and Non Professional Documentary Film Festival – Camera 300 which celebrated 40 years in 2019. Also, the city is recognized as an open studio and thanks to its famous for the beautiful locations, in and around the city, a lot of films are shot each year in Bitola and the surrounding villages. Near Bitola is Heraclea Lyncestis. It was an ancient city in Macedon, ruled later by the Romans. Its ruins are situated 2 km (1.2 mi) south of the present-day town of Bitola. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles. The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built.
Bitola became a UNESCO City of Film in 2015, joining 180 members from 72 countries. As a Creative City of Film, Bitola envisages:
1. Nurturing the vibrant role of film in Bitola’s creative economy, notably by expanding the scope of the programme Film Center Bitola through public private partnerships involving public cultural centres, universities, academia and private production companies;
2. Fostering the city’s cultural offerings through exhibitions, festivals, workshops and other events especially based on the film heritage of the Manaki brothers;
3. Positioning Bitola as an international hub for film creations;
4. Exchanging experience and knowledge with other Creative Cities of Film
Bitola is one of 21 Cities of Film in the network. As part of the network, Bitola gets new opportunities for promotion and further development of the film story of the city. This potential was recognized by the Ministry of Culture of North Macedonia. Namely, in 2019 a first forum was held with the participation of representatives from other cities on the UNESCO film city network. In 2020, the second Forum of Creative Cities from the UNESCO network in Bitola was held, with a focus on various topics from the creative industries and film, sharing experiences, workshops and similar. In 2021, the Third Forum managed to gather more than 30 domestic and foreign participants with the support within the UNESCO Participation Program for 2020-2021.
Organizer
Founded in 2017, FILM CENTER BITOLA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of film as an artistic medium in Bitola. It was founded by a group of professionals in the field of culture, as well as film lovers and professors. As to this end, it co-ordinates Bitola`s activities related to the statute as a creative city of the film within UNESCO, as well as a number of activities related to Bitola as a UNESCO Film City, as well as other film activities that emerge from the specificity of Bitola as a film center of the Republic of North Macedonia.
The main goal is to help in the realization of existing projects and manifestations organized by the City of Bitola, especially in the field of film. The association provides services for the city’s film-related activities and relations with the film industry, develops the awareness of the public, the benefits and significance of the film industry in Bitola and the wider economic area.
ORGANISATION COMMITTEE
Film Center Bitola
Shirok Sokak 37
7000 Bitola
+389 (79) 233 176
centarzafilmbitola@gmail.com
bfc.mk
Venues
HOUSE OF ARMY (OFICERSKI) IN BITOLA
“Oficerski” or The House of Army (Офицерски дом) in Bitola, according to its historical and architectural aesthetic values, has the status of a monument of culture in the Republic of Macedonia. The construction of the building started in 1909, and in 1912 the building was covered. Its construction was completed after the First World War. The architectural expression of the building is typical of the period of historicism in European architecture in terms of plan, decoration, and composition tables, with the highlighted Oriental elements. The emergence of these elements in Bitola is normal when it comes to objects built during the period of Turkish rule.
Conceptually the object is built as a synthesis of a palace and fortress. Elements of the palace are in the conception of space and masses, and the fortress is visible in the elements in monumental space and secondary decorative plastics derived in the form of cannon tubes. Officer’s house was a location for the Turkish, Serbian, Bulgarian, Yugoslav, and Macedonian army. Here once the door was opened only for generals and officers and this was the only preserved ballroom in Bitola. Marshal Tito stayed here, Suleyman Demirel, chess player Karpov and others.
MANAKI CINEMA
In 1921, the brothers Janaki and Milton Manaki bought a yard on Shirok Sokak with the intention of building a cinema hall and founded the Manaki Cinema. The first cinema screening was shown in the summer garden in August, and in the spring of 1922 the construction of the building began. In 1933, the bankruptcy of the cinema was announced, which gave the bank the right to dispose of it, and in 1939 the building was affected by a fire and burned to the ground.
Today’s cinema Manaki is built on a location close to the former, with the support of the EU Funds and funds from the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Bitola. Only in the part of the front facade resembles the former cinema of the Manaki brothers, but increases the capacity of the Municipality of Bitola for development of cinema culture and sends a strong message to the people of Bitola and the world, that tradition and living cultural heritage are part of local cultural policies and identity.