It’s a rare feat for a scientist to win a major film award; let alone twice. Yet Andy van den Dobbelsteen has managed it. The man who has spent recent years embedding sustainability thinking deep into the very fabric of TU Delft was honoured with a Golden Heron for the short film The Climate Fighters. At the festive awards ceremony in the newly revamped Beeld & Geluid, Andy’s production even triumphed over entries featuring NAC Breda and the Dutch National Ballet.
The Climate Fighters playfully blends science and fiction. The film had already made a promising debut late last year at Delft’s art-house cinema Lumen. With plenty of humour, it shows how a seemingly simple solution - carbon offsetting - can quickly spiral into unexpected, even absurd consequences. When a family decides to plant trees en masse to offset their CO2 emissions, their good intentions grow into a chain of effects that ripple across their community and eventually the nation.
A standout element is the film’s young protagonist, who holds a mirror up to her parents and neighbours, confronting them with the impact of their choices. It was precisely this fresh perspective that left many viewers deeply impressed at the premiere.
Reflections and jury report
Charissa Dezentjé, who served as executive producer, the organisational heart of the film, looks back on the making of The Climate Fighters:
-The idea came from writer and visionary Andy van den Dobbelsteen. The brilliant directing duo Hans de Jonge and Kuba Szutkowski took Andy’s script and brought it vividly to life. What makes Hans ( production company Oculus ) so exceptional is his instinctive ability to translate socially relevant stories into compelling visuals and production. A great example of Hans and Andy’s previous collaboration is Energy Slaves , a 2020 production that also won a Golden Heron. In that film, they cleverly illustrate household energy consumption by walking through a staggering number of everyday devices that quietly use (a lot of) energy; powered, amusingly, by human energy slaves.-
But back to 2026, back to The Climate Fighters. Thanks to the dedication of the cast and crew, the film once again captivated not only the audience but also the jury. Charissa reflects: -A few highlights from the jury report: the film’s humour, its striking visuals and performances, the clear storytelling, and the bold approach that makes you laugh, think, and maybe even take action... reading it again, I can’t help but feel immensely happy and proud.-
An idealist from Delft
Andy van den Dobbelsteen’s second Golden Heron is the perfect crown on years of dedicated work. In January 2021, he was appointed Sustainability Coordinator at TU Delft. Andy recalls: -When I started as a student, hardly anyone knew the term sustainability. In fact, it was barely addressed during my studies.-
Change came gradually when Andy joined the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment in 2009 as Professor of Climate Design & Sustainability. In that role, he focused primarily on sustainable building and sustainable energy systems in urban environments. Later, when he also took on the role of part-time Sustainability Coordinator, he set out to make TU Delft a shining example, launching countless projects; an impressive overview can be seen here. -Looking at what we’ve achieved on campus, from geothermal energy to vegetarian catering, I think: that’s no small feat. Today, students don’t even need convincing about why sustainability matters.-
Andy describes his driving force with the Japanese concept of ikigai: -It’s where everything comes together. What you-re good at, what the world needs, what you can get paid for, and what gets you out of bed with joy. When these four elements intersect, you know you-re on the right path. That’s exactly what motivates me to keep going; especially with fantastic, hopeful projects like The Climate Fighters.-
Want to know more about Andy’s award-winning film? Contact Dave Boomkens, press officer Climate & Energy, at D.J.Boomkens@tudelft.nl or +31 6 34081461.
