GREEN SCREEN Festival

What GREEN SCREEN Festival does

GREEN SCREEN Festival is a non-profit international nature film festival founded in 2007 and headquartered in Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It operates as Förderverein GREEN SCREEN Festival e.V., a registered association (eingetragener Verein) led by Chairwoman Irene Ulrich and Festival Directors Dirk Steffens and Michael Packschies. The core offering is an annual five-day festival (September 9–13, 2026 for the 20th edition) screening 100+ nature documentaries across 16 award categories, accompanied by Speed Pitching workshops for emerging filmmakers, professional pitching sessions for industry commissioners, and a youth development pipeline including the Naturfilmcamp at Eekholt Wildlife Park and the Heinz Sielmann Youth Film Award.

The organization runs on a hybrid revenue model combining four streams: (i) film submission fees (€75/film, with early-bird discounts and free entries for shorts and youth), (ii) ticket sales for screenings and regional summer cinema events, (iii) corporate and municipal sponsorships — primarily prize endowments from 15+ named partners including Stadt Eckernförde (€10,000 Nature Film Award), SIGMA, sh:z, NABU, Heinz Sielmann Foundation, and the Schleswig-Holstein ministry, and (iv) professional accreditation for industry attendees. Underlying technology is minimal: a TYPO3-based website, an online submission portal, and Matomo analytics; no proprietary platform or AI capabilities are present.

Beyond the main festival, the organization operates a year-round regional programming slate (Open-Air Strandkino, Räuchereikino, Sommerkino an der Hafenspitze, Kieler Nacht des Naturfilms, sh:z statewide tour) and the Palles Kurzfilmpreis children's short film award distributed through a three-state library network (Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Lower Saxony). GREEN SCREEN is a member of the Green Film Network (39 environmental festivals across 33 countries), giving it international positioning it describes as Europe's most popular nature documentary festival.

Name

GREEN SCREEN Festival

Legal name

Förderverein GREEN SCREEN ® -Festival e.V.

Website

https://greenscreen-festival.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GREEN SCREEN Festival is a German non-profit running an annual international nature documentary film festival in Eckernförde, serving professional filmmakers, broadcasters, youth audiences, and nature film enthusiasts across 16 award categories and regional events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature Documentary Film Festival

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nature, Science & Wildlife Documentaries (MPADADAF), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Nature documentary festival
• Film competition awards
• Environmental film programming
• Youth filmmaking workshops
• Industry pitching events

Headquarters

HQ city

Eckernförde

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Film Submission Fees: Filmmakers pay submission fees to enter films in competition categories. Standard fee is €75 per film (runtime >20 min), €30 for Best Newcomer category, €5 per additional category. Short films (<20 min) are free. Earlybird 25% discount available until January 31, 2026.
2. Ticket Sales: Online and at-venue ticket sales for film screenings, special events, and festival venues. TicketCenter operates during festival period (Aug 31 - Sept 13, 2026) with sales at Bürgerbegegnungsstätte Rathausmarkt 3.
3. Sponsorships and Donations: Corporate sponsors donate prize money and support (e.g., Stadt Eckernförde donates €10,000 for Nature Film Award, various organizations sponsor specific award categories). The festival is operated by Förderverein GREEN SCREEN Festival e.V. (registered association).
4. Professional Accreditation: Industry professionals pay for festival accreditation to attend screenings, workshops, pitching sessions, and networking events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

GREEN SCREEN Festival operates an annual international nature documentary film festival in Eckernförde, Germany, complemented by year-round regional cinema events, a youth film camp, pitching workshops, film competitions across 16 award categories, and library-based children's voting programs. The festival serves nature documentary filmmakers (submission-based competition with €75 fees for long-form, free for short films), industry professionals (accreditation, pitching sessions to broadcasters), and the general public (ticket-based screenings, outdoor cinema events, family programming).

Product overview

GREEN SCREEN Festival operates as a multi-component nature film festival ecosystem. The core product is the annual International Nature Film Festival held in Eckernförde, Germany (September 9-13, 2026), featuring film competitions across 16 award categories. Supporting the main festival are regional event programs including Naturfilm & Exkursion excursions, Open-Air Strandkino beach cinema, Räuchereikino smokehouse cinema, Sommerkino Hafenspitze, Kieler Nacht des Naturfilms, and the sh:z Tour statewide film tour. Youth engagement is served through the Naturfilmcamp at Eekholt Wildlife Park, Heinz Sielmann Youth Film Award, and GREEN REPORT Junior competition. Professional development offerings include Speed Pitching Workshop and Pitching Sessions for emerging and established filmmakers. Digital assets include comprehensive Film and Director Archives. Special programming includes Palles Kurzfilmpreis für Kinder, where children vote on short films through library screenings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GREEN SCREEN International Nature Film Festival The main annual festival event showcasing nature documentaries from around the world, held in Eckernförde, Germany. Features film competitions, screenings, workshops, and networking opportunities for filmmakers and nature enthusiasts.
• Film Competition & Award Categories International film competition with 16 award categories including GREEN SCREEN Nature Film Award (€10,000), Heinz Sielmann Award, Best Cinematography (€3,000), sh:z Audience Award (€3,500), Nordic Nature Film Award (€2,500), and various craft and specialized categories.
• Speed Pitching Workshop Speed pitching program for emerging filmmakers aged 18+, modeled after speed dating, offering 5-minute pitches to expert panels from production companies, broadcasters, and film schools. Includes partial travel cost reimbursement, free accreditation, and accommodation for the festival weekend.
• Pitching Sessions Professional pitching session where filmmakers present planned nature film projects to commissioners, producers, and distributors from the industry.
• Naturfilmcamp (Youth Nature Film Camp) Summer film camp at Eekholt Wildlife Park for ages 13-18, where young people learn camera operation, editing programs, and sound recording under professional filmmakers' guidance to create nature or animal films.
• Heinz Sielmann Youth Film Award Youth film competition for filmmakers up to 18 years old, with films about nature, animals, and environment. Prizes: 1st €500, 2nd €300, 3rd €200. Films must be max 15 minutes and submitted by August 15, 2026.
• GREEN REPORT Junior Subcategory of youth film award focused on short films about sustainability and environment, open to young filmmakers.
• Palles Kurzfilmpreis für Kinder Children's short film award where exclusively children vote on the winning film. Libraries in Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, and Lower Saxony screen programs of short films from mid-June to end of August, with children voting by ballot card. Prize money of €1,000 donated by libraries SH.
• Open-Air Strandkino Open-air beach cinema event held at the beach section in front of the Ostsee Info Center, with free admission.
• Sommerkino an der Hafenspitze Summer cinema event at Hafenspitze featuring free outdoor screenings during the festival season.
• Räuchereikino Cinema event held in the courtyard of the Old Fish Smokehouse (Alte Fischräucherei) in Eckernförde.
• Kieler Nacht des Naturfilms Nature film night event held at Studio Filmtheater Kiel at Dreiecksplatz, part of the festival's regional programming.
• sh:z-Tour State-wide film tour organized in partnership with Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag (sh:z), featuring festival films touring through Schleswig-Holstein in August.
• Naturfilm & Exkursion Nature film excursions for enthusiasts that explore natural treasures in Schleswig-Holstein combined with screenings of outstanding nature films from the festival.
• Film Archive Searchable archive of films from past festivals since 2007, filterable by year, country, duration, and award category.
• Director Archive Archive of directors who have participated in the festival, searchable and browsable by name.

Quantifiable outcome

• €10,000 prize money for GREEN SCREEN Nature Film Award (donated by Stadt Eckernförde)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Stadt EckernfördecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal sponsor donating €10,000 for the GREEN SCREEN Nature Film Award. The festival is hosted in Eckernförde and the city provides support for festival operations.
• Heinz Sielmann FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndows the Heinz Sielmann Award for nature films inspiring audiences to protect nature, and sponsors the Heinz Sielmann Youth Film Award with prize money totaling €1,000.
• SIGMAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates €3,000 for Best Cinematography award, providing equipment brand visibility at the festival.
• Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag (sh:z)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsors the sh:z Audience Award (€3,500) and conducts statewide film tour through Schleswig-Holstein in August, promoting nominated films.
• Ministerium für Energiewende, Klimaschutz, Umwelt und Natur Schleswig-HolsteincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndows the Nordic Nature Film Award (€2,500) and co-operates on GREEN REPORT Junior youth sustainability film award.
• Büchereizentrale Schleswig-HolsteinmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDonates €1,000 prize money for Palles Short Film Award for Kids. Coordinates statewide library screenings for children's film award voting.
• Bücherhallen HamburgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating library network in Hamburg for Palles Kurzfilmpreis children's film screenings and voting.
• Büchereizentrale NiedersachsenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating library network in Lower Saxony for Palles Kurzfilmpreis children's film screenings and voting.
• Green Film NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of 39 environmental film festivals from 33 countries. GREEN SCREEN is a member, facilitating worldwide exchange and festival connections.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates the GREEN REPORT award for best journalistic investigative treatment of an environmental topic.
• Stiftung Natur im NordenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndows Best Innovative Film award for nature/wildlife films with experimental or surprising approaches.
• Kieler NachrichtenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates Best Story award recognizing films with continuously captivating story and originality of plot.
• Allianz Generalvertretung Thomas Grötsch e.K.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsors Best Score award (€1,000) for best film music score and its dramaturgical use in nature films.
• Wirtschaftskreis Eckernförde e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndows Best Postproduction award recognizing best further processing of original film material.
• Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig-HolsteinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates Best Science Film award for best scientifically based documentation about ecological systems.
• Waldemar Behn GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsors Best Marine Film award for nature films set predominantly in or on the sea.
• Rotary Club Rendsburg-MittelholsteinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates Award of the Juvenile Jury for best program targeting a young audience.
• Blickpunkt Brillen and Gemeinde DampminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-donate GREEN SCREEN Short Film Award for best short film under 20 minutes dealing with nature/environmental/animal themes.
• Eekholt Wildlife Park (Schleswig-Holstein)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts annual Nature Film Camp for youth ages 13-18 where young filmmakers learn camera work, editing, and sound recording under professional guidance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival): Germany's flagship general film festival with industry program (EFM) and NaturVision-related sidebars. Comparable as a Germany-based festival with industry accreditation and a scale that dwarfs GREEN SCREEN — relevant competition for German public broadcaster attention and sponsorship.
• Sheffield DocFest: UK-based major documentary film festival and industry market. Comparable as a leading European documentary festival with industry pitching, awards, and a sizable delegate program — broader in scope than GREEN SCREEN but overlapping in nature/wildlife documentary programming and pitching infrastructure.
• Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival: North America's largest documentary festival, held annually in Toronto. Comparable as a major documentary festival with competitive awards, industry programming, and audience development — broader in genre but overlapping in nature/wildlife documentary showcases.
• DOK Leipzig: Germany's leading documentary and animated film festival with strong industry and pitching components. Comparable as a fellow German-based documentary festival with industry accreditation, pitching, and youth programming — competing for the same German-language nature documentary submissions.

Emerging players

• International Ocean Film Festival: Marine-focused documentary festival with touring program. Comparable as a sub-genre nature festival with audience awards and event-based screenings, relevant because GREEN SCREEN has a specific Best Marine Film category supported by Waldemar Behn GmbH.

Direct peers

• International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF): Annual wildlife and environmental film festival held in Missoula, Montana. Closely comparable as a long-running (since 1977) nature documentary festival with competition categories, professional programming, and youth components.
• Wildscreen: UK-based nature and environmental storytelling organization running a flagship festival plus the Wildscreen Festival industry event in Bristol. Comparable as a nature-focused film competition, networking, and emerging-talent platform.
• Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival: Major international festival for mountain, adventure, and nature filmmaking held in Banff with a global touring program. Comparable as a specialized nature/outdoor film festival with competition awards, professional networking, and a worldwide screening tour (parallel to GREEN SCREEN's sh:z Tour).
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival: The leading US-based wildlife/nature documentary festival and industry gathering. Directly comparable as a specialized nature film competition and filmmaker/professional networking event with associated industry marketplace.
• Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital (DC EnviroFilm Festival): Washington DC-based environmental film festival showcasing nature and sustainability documentaries. Directly comparable as a non-profit environmental film festival with curated programming and youth/community outreach components.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GREEN SCREEN Festival