18/10/2023 - The programme is designed to empower mid-to-senior women managers in the audiovisual industry, including in the film, TV and digital-media domains

The Erich Pommer Institut (EPI) has selected the 15 media professionals set to take part in the second edition of the Audiovisual Women female leadership programme. The initiative is designed to empower mid- to senior-level female managers working in the audiovisual industry, including film, television and digital media, and progressing through different stages of their careers.

Audiovisual Women aims to foster inclusivity, diversity and gender equality in the media industry. It offers a unique opportunity to enhance the participants’ skills, to network with industry experts, and to access valuable coaching sessions through online and on-site workshops led by top experts.

The programme focuses on topics such as (digital) leadership and entrepreneurship, innovation and change management in a VUCA world (VUCA standing for “volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity”) as well as communication and self-marketing. Another unique element of the scheme is a training module designed especially for HR managers or decision makers, which will provide them with tools to implement more diverse and gender-equal hiring practices.

Audiovisual Women is a programme funded by Creative Europe – MEDIA. Partners include EAVE – European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs, EWA - European Women’s Audiovisual Network, the Göteborg Film Festival and Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI).

Kristofer Woods, the programme’s project manager at EPI, said: “Audiovisual Women will help the selected media professionals to capitalise on their capabilities and skills to advance their careers. With Audiovisual Women, EPI aims to contribute to a more diverse, inclusive, gender-equal and, therefore, more sustainable European media industry.”

Audiovisual Women will run over the course of five modules set to take place from October 2023 to March 2024. You can find out more here.

The full list of selected participants is as follows:

Danai Anagnostou, Kenno Filmi (Finland)
Anila Balla, Kaçak Productions (Albania)
Andrea Blaser, Contrast Film (Switzerland)
Maria João Dinis, Ukbar Filmes (Portugal)
Mónica Diniz, CreativArt - Creative Visual Arts - CREART (Portugal)
Anita Hugi, HEAD (University of Art and Design Geneva)/Narrative Boutique (Switzerland)
Agata Jujeczka, Vision House Productions (Poland)
Mathilde Neau, 23bis (Switzerland)
Rūta Petronytė, Smart Casual (Lithuania)
Jasna Pintarič, Filmoteka (Slovenia)
Mara Prohaska Markovic, Beldocs International Documentary Film Festival (Serbia)
Julia Rappold (Germany)
Esther Schmidt, Vrouwen in Beeld (Netherlands)
Dorien van de Pas, Dial M Creative Consultancy (Netherlands)
Julia Wagner, HEARTWAKE films (Germany)