Audiovisual Women Leadership Program Unveils Participants, Sets Tallinn Partnership

Germany’s Erich Pommer Institut (EPI) has unveiled the participants of its fifth edition of Audiovisual Women, its program designed for female professionals in mid- to senior-level management positions across the European audiovisual sector. The cohort includes 15 media professionals from 11 countries. “The program seeks to strengthen participants’ professional networks, unlock new business opportunities and support the sustainable growth of their careers and companies,” the EPI says. “Audiovisual Women helps female leaders navigate industry challenges, develop innovative business models and harness the opportunities of digital transformation.” The offering is open to female leaders working across the entire value chain of the industry. Participants go through a mix of in-person and online training sessions, one-on-one business coaching, exclusive networking events and a self-study phase. The goal is to strengthen leadership skills and explore key topics, including entrepreneurship, innovation, change management, communication and self-promotion. New this year is a partnership with the Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the industry platform of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF). In mid-November, EPI will take the participants to Tallinn to give them the opportunity to expand their networks beyond their home markets and connect with professionals from across Europe. A distinctive feature of the program is its archery-based learning concept, developed by coach Annette Birkholz, which is designed to allow participants to connect, explore, and reflect on systemic patterns. By also involving participants’ hiring managers and encouraging more diverse, gender-balanced recruitment practices, Audiovisual Women further aims to foster “lasting structural change” across the industry. “With Audiovisual Women, we aim to strengthen female leadership and contribute to a more diverse, innovative and equitable audiovisual industry,” says Gabriela Seidel-Hollaender, project manager international training at EPI. “Investing in female leadership is essential to building a more resilient and forward-looking industry.” Audiovisual Women is funded by Creative Europe MEDIA. Partners of the program 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). Check out the complete list of Audiovisual Women participants below. 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)