EWA Network's 10 anniversary packed with thought-provoking talks and networking
EWA marked its 10th anniversary in 2023: a milestone in the history of this still young, feminist and very tenacious association. The Berlinale invited us to participate in the European Equity & Inclusion Pathways Seminar and the Collegium Hungaricum hosted the annual EWA Network event once again.
The founder of the European Women’s Audiovisual Network (EWA), Francine H. Raveney, opened the day by recalling the origins of the network, namely a recognition that women were under-represented in European film and TV production, and the obvious need for a pan-European that would boost the volume, and the visibility of content made by a richer, and more diverse mix of voices. (Intersectionality and non-discrimination have been at the heart of EWA’s work from the outset, as the results and impact of EWA’s campaigning, mentoring and training activities over the last 10 years can attest). There was – and still is – an urgent need to build bridges, to work together with funders, festivals and institutions for greater equality, and to raise awareness of the gender imbalance within the audiovisual sector.
Since its inception in 2013, EWA has brought about change, firstly by empowering filmmakers through training and secondly by raising awareness of how the gender gap works in our sector, as outlined in EWA’s landmark report from 2016, ‘Where Are The Women Directors?’. While there is relatively healthy gender balance among film school directing graduates, the percentage of women falls progressively as budgets rise. Similar trends can be observed across other roles and disciplines.
Lastly, Raveney outlined the upcoming challenges facing women in the industry today, and the opportunities for EWA to reinforce its position as an Equalities Knowledge Hub for the screen industries.
Next, the Director of Programmes, Alexia Muiños, summarised the main initiatives that had been carried out in the past year, with special mention of the Mentoring Programme for women producers. She also mentioned the awards that EWA had presented for projects in development in 2022, all written/directed by women or with a clear diverse approach. The Kazakh filmmaker Zhannat Alshanova joined her on stage to present her project, A Winner is Seen at the Start. Italian director Mo Scarpelli then had the opportunity to present her project A Song that Slays.
Next, IDM Südtirol, a partner association, presented RACCONTI, a script development programme aimed at international screenwriters and producers who want to write stories beyond the borders of their national markets.
The first panel discussion for the afternoon, for EWA members only, focused on the gender pay gap in the screen industries, which is a major campaigning priority for EWA Network. Esther Schmidt (Vrowen in Beeld), Edel Brosnan (EWA Network's Director of Strategy) and Anamaria Antoci (EWA Network's Executive Director) discussed the root causes of the pay disparity in the audiovisual sector in particular: while the average pay gap across all sectors and industries in Europe is 13% female film directors earn 37% less than male directors at their career peak. This trend is also evident in other roles, from entry-level to department head: earlier in the week, at the Berlinale’s Power to Transform event, a cinematographer from the DACH reguion reported a gender pay gap of 56%.
The lively Q&A offered revealing anecdotes and inspiring comments, and a general agreement that greater pay transparency would enable women to negotiate for rates of pay in line with their male colleagues. As a starting point, we need accurate data on the gender pay gap in our sector, across all disciplines, career stages and roles. Esther Schmidt and Vrowen in Beeld (Women in the Picture) are working on a research project on this crucial topic in the Netherlands, and we look forward to seeing the results. The panel also discussed the need for audiovisual professionals to be more open in discussing rates of pay, and for male allies to share information on their pay rates. Producers can drive change by using gender budgeting, and removing non-disclosure clauses from contracts. Above all, we need to challenge the lower value assigned to traditional female roles and to continue supporting one another, hire more women on our own productions, network with one another and share opportunities.
After a coffee break to recharge the batteries, (let's not forget it was already the 5th day of the Berlinale!), the session recommenced with two panel discussions open to EWA members and non-members alike.
The second panel of the day explored, Double Discrimination, explored the additional barriers faced by women of colour, women belonging to the LGBTQI community, disabled women, older women, and women from lower-income backgrounds. Edel Brosnan moderated an impressive panel of experts: Melanie Hoyes, Head of Inclusion at the British Film Institute (BFI), Fatih Abay, Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Researcher in Migration and Racism at the European Film Academy), and Lisa Smith, Berlin-based film producer, and co-creator of the Ake Dikhea Festival of Romani Film.
Despite the title of the panel, there was widespread agreement that women from marginalised groups often faced three, four or more layers of disadvantage. Melanie Hoyes outlined the impact of data collection and monitoring on inclusion and diversity in British film, and pointed out that while it’s a necessary first step, wider cultural change is needed. Fatih Abay identified specific barriers, such as documented incidents of misogyny in film schools, and Lisa Smith summarised the lived experience of filmmakers from a Roma background, whose stories are all too often appropriated by creatives from more privileged backgrounds. The panel agreed that the disability rights’ adage ‘Nothing About Us, Without Us’ was a useful watch word for improving representation, on and off screen. On a positive note, the panel acknolweged that audiences are increasingly open to audio-visual content from diverse voices. Finally, the importance of ‘being the change you want to see’ was highlighted: for example by advertising roles more openly and aiming to hire more inclusively on our individual productions.
ns .
The last talk of the day, chaired by producer and EWA’s Executive Director Anamaria Antoci, explored Safety on set and in production. She was joined by Nataša Bučar, the Director of the Slovenian Film Centre, and Prague-based festival programmer and producer Louise Højgaard Johansen, whose brainchild, Sane Cinema launched at the Berlinale in partnership with the European Film Market.
The discussion dealt with the sensitive and timely topic of mental health and wellbeing for everyone working in the screen sector, along with physical health and safety, protecting production staff from bullying, harassment and sexual violence at work, and best practices in shooting intimate scenes.
The event concluded with the launch of a new online pitching initiative by EWA Network and our partner Wscripted, namely a development platform and marketplace for content written by women, Pitch Producers Beyond Borders.
Guests and audience continued discussing the topics of the day, at a lively networking cocktail which lasted for a couple of hours while EWA Network's 10th anniversary was celebrated. Long live EWA Network!
