As first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Fifteen women, eleven countries, one shared ambition: to lead the European audiovisual industry with confidence. We are delighted to introduce the participants of the fifth edition of AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN, EPI's leadership programme for women in mid- to senior-level management positions.
The new cohort brings together producers, distributors, funders, festival makers and streaming executives from across Europe. Over the coming months, they will sharpen their leadership skills, build new business models and grow a network that reaches well beyond their home markets.
First stop: Tallinn
New this year is our partnership with Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the industry platform of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF). In November, we will travel with the participants to Tallinn, one of the key meeting points for the Nordic, Baltic and Eastern European audiovisual industries. It is a chance to open doors, meet decision-makers and connect with colleagues from across the continent.
What makes AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN different
The programme combines in-person and online training, one-on-one business coaching, networking events and self-study. Topics include entrepreneurship, innovation, change management, communication and self-promotion. A signature element is the archery-based learning concept developed by coach Annette Birkholz, where focus, aim and resilience become very tangible. By involving participants' hiring managers and encouraging more diverse, gender-balanced recruitment, AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN also works towards lasting structural change across the industry.
The participants
- Aurora Alma Bartiromo, Our Films (Italy)
- Mariam Bitsadze, 17/07 Productions (Georgia)
- Susa Katz, Zürcher Filmstiftung (Switzerland)
- Rowena Kelly, Immortal Films (Ireland)
- Sari Lempiäinen, Elisa Viihde (Finland)
- Georgiana Maliovski, Vampires in the Sun (Romania)
- Nicky Onstenk, IJswater Films (The Netherlands)
- Queralt Pons Serra, MoreThan Films (Spain)
- Christine Recker (Spain)
- Mar Sáez Pedrero, Animation in Europe (Spain)
- Franziska Sonder, Ensemble Film (Switzerland)
- Daria Stilin, PALMA Artistic Organisation, Vrboska Film Festival (Croatia)
- Julie Van Den Broeck, Panenka NV (Belgium)
- Zlata Yefimenko, EF PICTURES (Ukraine)
- Milena Zajović, Cinehill (Croatia)
"With AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN, we aim to strengthen female leadership and contribute to a more diverse, innovative and equitable audiovisual industry. Investing in female leadership is essential to building a more resilient and forward-looking industry," says Gabriela Seidel-Hollaender, Project Manager, EPI International.
Welcome to the AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN community, we can't wait to get started!
AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN is funded by Creative Europe MEDIA. Partners of the programme are FOCAL, Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), PÖFF Black Nights Film Festival, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs), EWA (European Women's Audiovisual Network) and Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI).