Supporting sustainability in film: Queen Mary academic leads cultural-environmental impact in Argentina

From 14 to 17 May 2025, Dr Paula Serafini, Senior Lecturer in Creative and Cultural Industries at Queen Mary’s School of Business and Management, took part in Pasturas, the world’s only international film festival dedicated to transhumance — the seasonal migration of livestock that supports ecological balance and biodiversity.

Held in Malargüe, Mendoza, Argentina, the festival celebrates the environmental and cultural significance of transhumance, recently recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Dr Serafini attended the festival as part of MUTUA, a collaborative initiative between Queen Mary University of London and Argentina’s National University of Tres de Febrero, focused on the intersections of culture and the environment.

During the festival, MUTUA presented a new guide to environmental management for cultural organisations, developed by the consultancy firm Nómadas. Dr Serafini joined Nicolás Wainszelbaum (UNTREF), María Virginia Avila and Brenda Ferro (Nómadas) to speak about MUTUA’s work and run a workshop for Latin American documentary filmmakers as part of the Mendoza Film Lab.

The visit also marked the launch of a new pilot programme, coordinated by MUTUA and supported by Queen Mary, providing bespoke environmental consultancy to the festival itself. This work will inform a tailored report to support Pasturas in reviewing its sustainability goals and operations.

“It was incredibly inspiring to see how a festival like Pasturas can bring together filmmakers, academics and communities around themes of cultural heritage and sustainability,” said Dr Serafini. “Through MUTUA, we’re working to create practical tools that support environmental thinking in the creative and cultural industries, and seeing those tools in action is truly rewarding.”

MUTUA is a collaboration between Queen Mary University of London and the National University of Tres de Febrero.