The Festival
Our values
The Anima Festival promotes diversity and inclusivity by showcasing a wide range of voices and stories and by taking concrete steps to make the festival accessible to as many people as possible. The Festival is committed to limiting its impact on the environment. The Festival also works to limit its environmental impact, to protect the younger generations who are at the heart of our event, and to restore their hope in the future.
In 2022, Folioscope, the non-profit organization behind the Festival, was awarded the Ecodyn label (2 stars) by Brussels Environment. That same year, the Festival joined the Green Charter for Film Festivals to have its carbon footprint calculated.
In 2025 Folioscope followed an eco-coaching programme at 21 Solutions, a Brussels-based company that advises, guides and supports organizations in matters of transition. People are always at the heart of this process. This eco-coaching programme was made possible thanks to the participation of the players of the National Lottery.
21 Solutions: ‘Folioscope’s emissions are much lower than the average of similar festivals examined by The Shift Project in their study “Décarbonons la culture”. 100 tonnes of CO₂ eq is really very little!’
OUR COMMITMENTS
SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY
We're committed to greener ways of getting around. Every year, we set up secure bike parking in front of the Festival in partnership with parking.brussels and the Municipality of Ixelles, and we encourage our guests to come by train. Year-round, the whole team commutes on foot, by bike or by public transport, and we keep work-related travel to a minimum, always choosing walking, cycling or the train where we can.
ORGANIC & VEGETARIAN FOOD
Meals for staff and guests are 100% vegetarian and are prepared by Refresh, a social economy restaurant in Brussels. Products come from local Brussels suppliers, mainly from a market garden on the roof of a building in Ixelles: an urban agriculture laboratory covering almost 2,200 m², of which 900 m² are suitable for cultivation. For our audience, we offer local and sustainable alternatives in terms of drinks, homemade desserts and local beers.
A MEANINGFUL PROGRAMME
Anima pays particular attention to building a rich, socially engaged and globally minded programme, highlighting major societal issues such as environmental sustainability, women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ issues, and support for populations affected by genocides and conflicts. Beyond film screenings, the Festival also offers talks, panel discussions, workshops, and educational and interactive activities that provide opportunities to explore these themes in greater depth while discovering the many facets of animated cinema.
ETHICAL & SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIPS
Our main venue, Flagey, has also been awarded the Ecodyn label (2 stars). Flagey has undertaken major modernization work to improve its energy efficiency, including the installation of solar panels and heat pumps. We also ensure that we work with partners who share our values: the programme they print for the festival uses eco-friendly inks and 100% recycled paper, the team’s T-shirts are made from organic cotton, our data host offsets its emissions by 200%, and our bank is ethical and sustainable.
INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY
Anima is taking practical steps to make the Festival accessible to as many people as possible: screenings accessible to people with hearing or visual disabilities with the collective La PERCHE, partnerships with associations working for inclusion, such as EQLA, Article 27, and Paspartoe, solidarity rates and easy access for remote audiences. The Festival also ensures that it takes into account the needs of people with disabilities and neuroatypical audiences, and is gradually working to make its programme more accessible.
PARITY & REPRESENTATION
The Festival maintains gender balance across its team, programme, panels and juries, and gives space to voices and stories from a wide range of backgrounds through dedicated programmes and events. Each year, its films engage with gender, cultural diversity, disability, multiple identities and social justice, always with respect and care for the people involved.
TRANSMISSION
Anima places great importance on young audiences, families and schools through a programme designed to spark curiosity, foster critical thinking and broaden the imagination. The Festival presents a diverse selection of films, accessible to audiences of all ages, that explore rich and thought-provoking themes. It showcases works that reflect the diversity of the world and of life experiences, while encouraging creativity, empathy, dialogue and shared experiences.
ANIMA BY THE NUMBERS
We know that ecological responsibility, diversity, inclusivity and transmission are ongoing processes, never fully achieved. That's why we stay attentive to our practices, and remain curious and critical about them. We work with specialised partners, take part in training, and belong to professional networks that reflect on these questions, so that we can move forward together.
We'd love to hear your comments, ideas and suggestions at dominique@folioscope.be
