Join EWA Network and apply to our mentoring programme for emerging women producers.
Mentoring for Women Producers
The EWA Network’s Producers’ Mentoring Scheme is a 10-month career enhancement programme for 16 female independent audiovisual producers. Launched in 2018, the Scheme enables participants to to upgrade their core professional skills and competencies such as financing, negotiating, management and business development. It is aimed at female producers established in Europe, with at least five years of proven experience in audiovisual production, who are ready to acquire new skills and advance their careers.
The Mentoring Scheme is an exclusive programme specifically aimed at women producers who have already made their mark at a national level and who now wish to take the next step to a wider European/international dimension.
Why Mentoring?
Mentoring has revealed itself to be one of the strongest tools to help women to grow within closed business environments. Women do not need “more” training, on average they are already well trained, and often better trained than male producers, but in industries where networking and personal links are very strong, mentoring is a clear tool to enhance women's social capital and improve their business skills to have better access to the market. That is why EWA Network launched its first mentoring programme in 2018.
We are proud to have launched the 4th edition in 2022 with the partnership of Thessaloniki's Co-production Market and When East Meets West Co-production market in Trieste and the support of Creative Europe.
What is Mentoring?
Business mentoring is a one-to-one relationship focused on the mentee’s need to develop/reinforce specific competences, skills, and a problem-solving attitude, as well as on the availability and capability of the mentor to provide advice on those issues. The experience and competences of the mentor match the specific needs of the mentee.
Mentoring is not training. Training schemes have general objectives, well-structured activities and group dynamics. Mentoring is a tailor-made activity based on the specific relationship between mentor and mentee. It is a space where the mentee can ask questions that would be difficult to raise in a training group.
EWA Network’s Producers’ Mentoring Scheme would allow mentees to upgrade the core skills and competences needed in their profession such as financing, negotiating, management and business development. Mentors do not deliver solutions to mentees, the purpose of mentoring is not to achieve results in a specific project/activity, but to support the mentee’s professional growth and to take the next career step in a direction they themselves identify during the mentoring process.
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Who is involved in the programme?
EWA Network draws on a pool of experienced women producers who have a successful track record in winning the top international prizes and leading the best practices of European film and TV production. EWA Network mentors have a successful business background and therefore understand what it takes to succeed as a producer. You can glance at their bios here.
In addition, several consultants will bring their expertise to the online seminars and the on-site meetings that kick off and close the programme.
Zeynep Atakan
Zeynofilm
Turkey
Rea Apostolides
Anemon/ pro
Greece
Laura Briand
Les Films d'Ici
France
Martichka Bozhilova
AGITPROP / Balkan Documentary Center
Bulgaria
Carlotta Calori
Indigo Film
Italy
Bettina Brokemper
Heimat Film
Germany
Martina Haubrich
CALA Filmproduktion
Germany
Enrica Capra
Graffiti Doc/ Tag Film
Italy /France
Marta Donzelli
Vivo Film
Italy
Elizabeth Karlsen
Number 9 Films
UK
Natalia Drozd
CTB
Russia
Ada Solomon
Hi Film Productions
Romania
Paula Vaccaro
Pinball London
UK
Cristina Zumarraga
Tandem Films
Spain
Naomi Levari
Electric Sheep GmbH /
Black Sheep Film Productions
Germany & Israel
Jelena Mitrovic
Film House Baš Čelik
Serbia
Marianne Slot
Slot Machine
France
Olena Yershova
Tato Film
Turkey
Costanza Coldagelli
Matrioska
Italy
Nadya Gorshkova
Vivo Films
Cyprus
Anita Elsani
Elsani Films
Germany
Katleen Goosens
Bulletproof Cupid
Belgium
SNEžANA van Howelingen
This and That
Serbia
Sára Laszlo
Camp Film
Hungary
Madeleine Ekman
Nordisk Film
Sweden
Francesca Feder
Æternam Films
Italy
Leila LYYTIKÄINEN
Citizen Jane
Finland
Linda Beath
Canada/ Italy
Tutor of the programme
Linda Beath set up Ideal Filmworks in Canada 25 years ago to raise development and production financing for international co-productions of high quality feature films and television programmes. It was incorporated in Italy in 2000 adding Business and Strategic Planning to its core business of entertainment industry financing. Linda Beath annually works with producers to find funding for four or five projects which range from features to documentaries, animated features and primetime television drama. She trains producers and other practitioners in Europe and occasionally internationally in project financing and strategic business planning for their companies. She consults to public funders on policy issues, especially with respect to the industry\'s need for new business models involving digital media.
Linda Beath has been tutoring the EWA Network Mentoring programme since the first edition.
The call to the 2022 edition is now closed.
How does the programme work?
The programme runs for 10 months and consists of several physical group meetings in the context of European Film markets,in addition to the monthly conversation with the assigned mentor. Moreover, there will be three additional seminars with experts, follow-up online group meetings and two mid-term gatherings in Cannes and Venice.
The cycle starts with a two day introductory meeting of mentees and mentors in THESSALONIKI hosted by the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival in March 2022. The meeting includes a masterclass on business development to be held by a renowned expert attached to the programme. In addition, the group will also have time to explore the networking possibilities in the market.
A second group gathering will close the cycle in Trieste, hosted by When East Meets West co-production market in January 2023. The group will meet again for two days.
During the year, further informal gatherings will be organized for the participants attending the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. And we can offer inofficial online attendance to another Film Market, to multiply the networking possibilities.
In addition, four mandatory online meetings are foreseen for all mentors and mentees. The purpose of these sessions is to integrate updated know-how to the actual exchanges between mentors and mentees and to strengthen the capacity of all participants to adapt to new business practices, such as alternative financing models, digital distribution strategies and issues related to green shooting. Three of those meetings are organised around the knowledge sharing of experts, and one is a case study on the setting up of a European co-production.
Furthermore, throughout the mentoring program, the EWA team will find other opportunities for the mentees to participate in other EWA programming and networking in 2022.
Mentors and mentees will work online at their own pace. Each mentor will be available for four hours per month. Halfway through the programme, we will ask for feedback to make sure the match is working.
A maximum number of 16 mentees will be selected.
The fee to enroll in the 4th EWA Network’s Mentoring Programme for Emerging Women Producers is €1000.
EWA Network will provide two scholarships. If you want to apply for a bursary, please, send in a letter indicating why.
Who can apply?
- Women producers established in Europe (larger Europe, 47 Council of Europe countries) having a proven experience of at least five years in film production department and having produced (delegate and executive producer are accepted) at least one long feature film (fiction or documentary) already distributed (theatrically, TV, or wide festival trajectory)
- Who are motivated to grow professionally, acquire new skills (financial, managerial, negotiation) and evolve in a European environment and/or have a business growing plan
- Who are fluent in English
How to apply
To apply to EWA’s mentoring scheme for emerging producers, please send us following documents through the following form
- CV in English
- Copy of a valid ID
- Proof of your experience as a producer. Provide evidence of the production of at least one feature film (fiction or documentary) already distributed (theatrically, TV, or wide festival trajectory) with links to films or shows.
- Motivation letter of maximum 500 words explaining why you wish to take part of a mentoring programme and which skills and competences you wish to develop/improve;
- Description of the projects on which you are currently working (maximum 5.000 characters);
- Business development plan (only applicable if the producer is a company owner) or career orientation plan - this element is not compulsory but strongly recommended.
- If you would like to receive one of the two available bursaries please write us a motivation letter
SELECTION CRITERIA
The mentees will be selected on the basis of their motivation and professional growth potential, with particular interest in including filmmakers from countries with limited access to this kind of scheme.
After the selection committee has revised the applications, selected candidates will have an in-depth interview and the successful applicants will be notified by the end of February. The match-making with the senior producers will be made after the mentee-to-be has confirmed her enrollment in the programme.
EWA Network will allocate two scholarships for participants in need.
Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to write to us at contact@ewawomen.com
Please note that due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the programme might be changed by force majeure to adapt its agenda. The on-site gatherings might be partially or completely held online, in case of emergency and so may be the group meetings.
Meet the mentees!
1st EWA Mentoring Scheme for Emerging Women producers in 2018/2019
2nd EWA Mentoring Scheme for Emerging Women producers 2019
3rd EWA Mentoring Scheme for Emerging Women Producers 2020 (1st Cycle)
3rd EWA Mentoring Scheme for Emerging Women Producers 2020 (2nd Cycle)
4th EWA Mentoring Scheme for Emerging Women Producers 2022/2023
EWA Network's mentoring programme is supported by Creative Europe Media