The BFI is continuing its commitment to embedding sustainability across its venues, partnerships, funding, and public programmes with a series of events at BFI IMAX for London Climate Action Week (21–29 June).
The focus highlights the role of film and storytelling in tackling the climate crisis to inform, inspire and mobilise audiences around one of the defining challenges of our time – with maximum impact on the biggest screen in the UK. As one of the most iconic cinemas in the world, BFI IMAX is also leading the way in cinema sustainability, including the early adoption of energy-efficient heat pump technology.
The flagship event of the week, on 23 June, will be a free “In Conversation” event with creators of the acclaimed Netflix series Toxic Town, Jack Thorne and Annabel Jones, in which the pair will explore the power of storytelling in spotlighting environmental issues, hosted by BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra presenter Swarzy. Audiences will also be treated to a screening of There Will Come Soft Rains, a short film directed by Elham Ehsas that explores the impact of climate change, specifically rising sea levels, on a daughter’s relationship with her deceased father.
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BFI IMAX will also host a screening of Fungi: Web of Life, an exploration of the hidden world of fungi narrated by Björk, and featuring acclaimed biologist, Dr. Merlin Sheldrake, with the latter taking part in a Q&A about the film. The event will be chaired by Keir Oldfield-Lewis, Head of Environmental Sustainability at the BFI, and will explore the remarkable role fungi play in the planet’s ecosystems.
To round off the week, there will be a screening of Studio Ghibli’s beloved My Neighbour Totoro for the studio’s 40thanniversary introduced by Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham, authors and podcasters who have explored the wide world of animation on microphone and in print, joined by Arunee Sarasetsiri, Environmental Sustainability Partner at the BFI, who will speak to the film’s environmental themes.
Since resuming operations of the iconic BFI IMAX in 2022, following ten years of Odeon operation, it has made major strides toward energy efficiency and is a leader in sustainable cinema operations. BFI IMAX is one of the first cinemas in the UK, possibly the world, to be designed using heat pumps. The venue was originally built with this innovative technology in 1999, using four air-to-water reverse cycle heat pumps, a system that replaces traditional gas-based heating and cooling, using advanced refrigeration technology to efficiently regulate the building’s temperature. These heat pumps, alongside other incremental improvements to the sustainability of the venue, have seen BFI IMAX reduce its electricity consumption by 50% compared to the early 2000s, with consumption down by 18%since the BFI resumed operating the venue in 2022.
A key part of the efficiency gains has been optimising how air is supplied to the auditorium, with ventilation rates now dynamically adjusted based on audience size, ensuring the space is only heated or cooled to the extent necessary. This occupancy-based adjustment is part of a broader commitment by the venue to sustainable and responsible building management.
Tickets are now on sale via the BFI IMAX website
