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Audiovisual Women


 AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN is the first leadership and career enhancement programme designed for 
female professionals across the European audiovisual industry.


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Overview


AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN is a leadership programme designed for female professionals in mid- to senior-level management positions across the European audiovisual industry. The programme empowers women to meet today’s industry challenges head-on, develop forward-thinking business models, and embrace the opportunities of digital transformation.

With its interdisciplinary approach and unique combination of elements, AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN helps participants sharpen their skills, expand their networks, and unlock new business opportunities — all contributing to the sustainable success of their careers and companies.

The programme is open to female leaders working across the entire value chain of the audiovisual sector. It also includes the hiring managers from their companies, fostering change not only on an individual, but also on an institutional level.

Participants will benefit from a rich mix of live on-site and online training, 1:1 business coaching, exclusive networking events, and a flexible self-study phase with access to cutting-edge online courses. Key topics include (digital) leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation and change management in a VUCA world, as well as communication and self-marketing — all tailored to support women in navigating and leading in a fast-evolving industry.


Workshops & coaching
Format


English
Language


500 - 2.500 EUR
Programme Fee


Nov 2026 - Apr 2027
Duration


September 4, 2026
Application Deadline


Info Sessions

Join this non-binding online session to learn more about the programme's different elements, as well as the application requirements and technicalities!


23 June 2026

14:00 CEST | Online   

Charlotte Voillequin, Film Marketing Manager at Alphapanda (Germany), alumna of the last edition of AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN, will be there with the members of the team to answer questions about the programme and share experience.

Session Ended


 21 July 2026
14:00 CEST | Online 

Laura Walde, Project Manager at Stiftung für Kunst, Kultur und Geschichte (Switzerland), alumna of the last edition of AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN, will be there with the members of the team to answer questions about the programme and share experience.

Sign Up For Free!


25 August 2026

14:00 CEST | Online   

Anny Tubbs, documentary filmmaker & founder of First Move Productions (Belgium), will be there with the members of the team to answer questions about the programme and share experience.

Sign Up For Free!



Programme Elements

Module 1 | Leadership & Communication

October 19th-20th & 26th-27th, 2026 | Online

  • Understanding who you are and what drives you
  • Motivating your team through mindful and healthy leadership
  • Navigating levels of communication and conflicts
  • Communicating who you are and positioning yourself as a female leader while staying true to your values

Online workshop, 2 x 2 days

Module 2 | Development

November 2026 - March 2027 | Online

  • Access to a selection of EPI's innovative online courses​​​​​​​
  • Five 1:1 business coaching by a designated business coach

Self-study phase, 30-50 hours of learning/coaching

Module 3 |  Innovation & Change Management

November 15th-19th | Tallinn

  • Models of change and the psychological basics of change processes
  • Recognizing innovation potential, drivers and barriers in the AV industry
  • Attendance at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event in Tallinn

On-site workshop, 2 days + festival & market attendance, 2 days

Module 4 | Inclusive & Sustainable Workplace Culture

Early March 2027 | Online

  • Workshop for hiring managers on inclusive, sustainable people practices
  • Understanding the value of inclusive and equitable people management 
  • Implementing gender equality management and sustainable HR practices in organisations

Online workshop, 2 days

Module 5 | Manifestation of Leadership Path

April 14th-17th, 2027 | Berlin

  • Aligning communication, decisions, and behaviour with the leader you want to become
  • Turning insight into action by defining your leadership aspirations
  • Manifest your values in your daily leadership practice

On-site workshop (4 days)

What you will take away

Designed to support your career development, strengthen your professional skills, and expand your network



Entrepreneurial, Leadership & Communication Skills

Develop entrepreneurial mindset, leadership abilities, and communication skills to lead and navigate the challenges of today's audiovisual industry.


Collaboration, Innovation & Change

Strengthen your ability to work across teams, navigate dynamic environments, and respond to change while fostering innovation.


Personal Development & Career Positioning

Benefit from tailored 1:1 business coaching to reflect on your career path, address individual challenges, and position yourself strategically for future opportunities.


Cross-Border & Interdisciplinary Networking

Connect with a selected group of female professionals, expand your network, and benefit from meaningful exchange across disciplines and borders.

Experts & Coaches 2025/2026


Annette Birkholz

Annette Birkholz

Annette Birkholz is a certified systemic creative consultant, coach and facilitator. She has qualifications in systemic organisational development (artop / HU Berlin) and systemic coaching (certified according to DBVC) and has as several years of international experience. In 2009, she founded her own creative consultancy Incendo and the Archery Academy Berlin (bogenakademie.de). In the following years, she also opened up the Leadership Academy for Stone Sculpture (bildhauerakademie-dresden) and in 2021 leading.digital which offers virtual leadership journeys “for women by women”. Her clients range from NGOs to international corporates - including organisations and individuals from the media, art and music industry. She also coaches film- and theatre actors. 

 

 Andrea Halmy

Andrea Halmy

Before starting her own business Andrea Halmy worked as a Career Redesigner/ Coach/Consultant/ Trainer/Workshop Designer & Facilitator. Andrea´s passion is to empower women to strive for leadership positions or start their own business. She helps her clients break through limiting beliefs, so they have the confidence to think bigger and strive for more. Her expertise is founded on her experience as a Leadership Coach and Trainer, a CAS in Personnel & Organisational Development and Change Management, a bilingual Bachelor in Business Management and years of experience in recruiting and marketing as well as training and workshop facilitation. In her coachings she combines classic coaching methods with Design Thinking, Business Model Canvas, and many more, often creating her own unique methods. Besides coaching Andrea runs workshops on topics like Female Entrepreneurship, Authentic Leadership, Starting a business, Business Growth, and Money Mindset. https://beyourbest4success.com/

Nikola Joetze

Nikola Joetze

Nikola Joetze has been the Project Manager of Berlinale Talents, the talent development initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival, since 2023. With more than 25 years of experience managing film and art projects in Berlin, across Europe, and internationally, she brings extensive expertise in finance, fundraising, and production. Her career includes key positions at Haus der Kulturen der Welt and Sources 2, followed by over 16 years at the European Film Academy / EFA Productions, where she oversaw production, event management, sponsorship, and acquisition for major international projects such as the European Film Awards. In addition to her work in the film industry, she is a certified systemic coach, supporting individuals, teams, and institutions in developing their roles, and serves as a mentor dedicated to empowering women in leadership.

 Thea Mikkelsen

Thea Mikkelsen

Thea Mikkelsen is an Italian based Danish business psychologist, MSc & MA, who started her own independent consultancy 15 years ago with the aim of working with cultural creative people. Key to her work is to empower both leaders and specialists in the creative industries and help them develop creativity focused professional lives and collaborative cultures as well as establishing inspirational and rewarding personal lives. During the past 20 years she as been researching what aspects of contemporary psychoanalysis and strategic business psychology could be helpful resources for cultural creative people. She has developed coaching processes as well as leadership courses for a wide range of creative fields but most intensely for the architecture and film/tv series industries as well as for law firms, universities and museums. Thea Mikkelsen has written four books on professional creativity, most recently Coaching the Creative Impulse - Psychological Dynamics and Professional Creativity, Routledge 2020. She has taught at the psychology department at the University of Copenhagen for 4 years and the professional Master's program in Organizational Psychology at Roskilde University, Denmark, for another 4 years. She is a member of the board in ISPSO- International Society for the Psychoanalytical Studies of Organisations, where she was director for online knowledge development 2020-23. She resides in the hills of Piemonte in Italy together with her husband and their two daughters.

Valeria Bullo

Valeria Bullo

Valeria Bullo is an experienced Production Wellbeing and Inclusion consultant with a strong passion for behaviour change in the TV and film industry. A people leader with experience working across Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Human Resources, Education, and Mental Health. Valeria has a proven track record of establishing important industry partnerships and supporting talent pipelines particularly focused on creating opportunities for traditionally underrepresented groups. With a 20-year history in a wide range of high-level production experience including physical on-set production and in-house developmental work. Experienced in leading and implementing change with wellbeing and mental health within the industry, she is the creator and founder of the female-led organisation Cinemamas, which supports mothers working across film & TV, Valeria recently has become Chair of the board of Trustees for Reclaim the Frame, an organisation which champion marginalised genders and perspectives in cinema.


Fees & Scholarships

Fees

The regular participation fee is EUR 2,500. Various discounts and scholarships are available. The fee includes all workshops and coaching sessions throughout the programme, all required materials, access to selected EPI online courses, as well as accommodation and catering during the on-site workshop days. Travel costs are not included.

We offer financing consultancy to support participants in enabling their participation. Please contact us for further information. We encourage all applicants to seek financial support with their national and regional funding bodies.


Scholarships & Discounts

We offer a wide range of scholarships, discounts and financing options. Please indicate in the application form if you wish to apply for the above scholarship or discount. For inquiries, please contact us directly.

A limited number of mostly partial scholarships are available for nationals of the following countries, thanks to our Creative Europe - MEDIA funding: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Participants from countries that are not part of European Union's MEDIA initiative may still be eligible for a scholarship depending on their participation in the MEDIA strand. These countries include: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia and Ukraine.

The Erich Pommer Institut encourages cultural and social diversity in their training activities and welcomes everyone to take part in our programmes - regardless of their ethnic and social background, disability, or age. The EPI Scholarship sets out to ensure that our participants come from varied backgrounds and creates opportunities for those from marginalized groups and those who may otherwise not be able to participate.

Thanks to the support of FOCAL, applicants based in Switzerland may apply for a FOCAL scholarship.

Thanks to the support of VAF, applicants based in Flemish-speaking Belgium may apply for a VAF scholarship.

Thanks to our partnerships with EAVE, EWA and WIFTI, their alumni or members may apply for a discount.

We encourage all applicants to seek financial support from their national or regional funding bodies, as they may offer bursaries or grants to cover training and professional development.

For information on potential financial support for participating in MEDIA-funded trainings, please contact the MEDIA Desk in your country or region. Please note that participation costs for MEDIA trainings are eligible expenses under MEDIA Development grants.


Application Process


Requirements

  • Female professionals in mid- to senior-level management positions in the audiovisual industry
  • Companies from across the value chain in the European audiovisual industry (film / TV / games / digital, etc.)
  • At least 3 years experience in the audiovidual industry

Application information to be submitted

Important: Please note that applications cannot be saved during the process or edited after submission in the online form. We therefore recommend preparing all required information in advance. 

  • Personal and contact information
  • Professional information (incl. professional biography, max. 1200 characters ~200 words)
  • Company Information (incl. company profile, max. 1200 characters ~200 words)
  • If applicable, information about the nominated hiring manager in your company
  • Motivation statement (describe why the programme is important for your career, what challenges or opportunities make it relevant, why you should be selected, what your professional goals are for the next five years and how do you expect this programme to help you achieve them, max. 1200 characters ~200 words)
  • Expectations for the business coachings (describe the issues and challenges you would like to discuss with your designated business coach, max. 1200 characters ~200 words)
  • Scholarships and financing (if you would like to apply for a scholarship, please explain why you require it. If you are applying for an EPI scholarship, please indicate whether you have already explored other funding options through your local or national funding bodies,  max. 1200 characters ~200 words)

Evaluation criteria

  • The level of industry experience
  • The motivation and reasons for applying
  • Relevance of the programme to your career development

Selection process

  • Applications will be reviewed by a designated selection committee, which may include programme partners.
  • All applicants will be informed of the status of their application in mid- to late- September 2026.

Hear From Our Alumnae


„Through AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN, I have discovered a supportive network and tried out practical tools for change and conflict management that I can apply directly in my daily work. The programme creates a space where women in the industry can learn from each other and gain valuable insights to drive sustainable change in leadership skills and effectiveness.“

Maya Reichert
Deputy Festival Director
DOK.fest München | Germany
Alumna 2024/2025

„The AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN programme is expertly facilitated to build strong group cohesion, and delivers a powerful peer network. Our cohort quickly felt the trust needed to share stories and goals, discuss challenges and opportunities and find our place in an industry that is ripe for change. As someone with my own business and indie projects, the blend of personal coaching, online learning tools and group sessions gave me precious insights for the next steps in my audiovisual career.“

Anny Tubbs
Documentary Filmmaker & Founder
First Move Productions | Belgium
Alumna 2025/2026 

„The AUDIOVISUAL WOMEN programme was a defining step in my professional growth. It strengthened my leadership and communication skills while offering valuable insights into New Work, entrepreneurship, and change management. The practical tools for negotiation, team leadership, and international collaboration have directly improved my daily work. I especially value the inspiring network of women across the European audiovisual industry and the new perspectives on balance, purpose, and personal development.“

Katre Valgma
Country Manager
ACME Film Estonia | Estonia
Alumna 2024/2025

„Being selected among 15 international female audiovisual leaders was both an honour and a responsibility. The EPI program offered a rare balance of knowledge, practice, and personal reflection. Beyond skills, it created a trust-based network of inspiring women. This experience strengthened my belief that the success of our industry is built on collaboration. And that’s exactly how we will shape the future.“

Polett Dus
Co-owner & Producer
Pi Productions | Hungary
Alumna 2025/26



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Eligibility & Requirements

The programme is created for women in the audiovisual industry at a mid-management level or in a leading position. This requires at least three to five years of experience in the industry which also is strongly advised. It is also necessary to have experience leading a team, even a small one, as the program has a very strong focus on leadership.

Module 5 is created for HR Manager or the person overseeing the hiring process respectively. If you as a participant in the programme are also filling this position or responsibility in your company, then of course you are invited to participate in this module as well. If this is not the case, you can also nominate a person in this role who you know would benefit from it for their respective field or company, even though they are not working in your company.

Audiovisual Women’s target group are female managers working across the value chain in the European audiovisual industry. A few examples are sales managers, producers, commissioning editors, entertainment lawyers, cinema managers, funding executives or festival managers.

Yes, in that case you are eligible. It is important that part of your daily work includes leading teams, but this can be either employed at a company or as a freelancer.


Fees and Scholarships

The fee covers all workshops and business coaching sessions during the entire program, all materials needed during the workshops, access to selected EPI online courses, as well as accommodation, accreditation and catering during the on-site workshops.

Travel costs to the workshops are not included.

No, scholarship applications to these organizations should be submitted through us. You can indicate your preferred scholarship option directly in the application form.

If you have any questions regarding scholarships or require advice on financing options, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Discounts and scholarships are not combinable, but in specific cases applicants may be eligible for a separate travel grant. Please contact us for further information.


Selection 
We are aiming to let you know the selection result within 3-4 weeks after the application deadline. Please note that we are expecting a large number of applications, so it might take a while to properly assess them.


In order to keep the group small but still allow for a diverse group with different nationalities and backgrounds, we are aiming for 15 participants (not including the hiring managers).


Others

No. The module dates shown on our website refer only to the workshop days. Participants are expected to arrive one day before the workshop begins and depart the day after it ends.

Yes, we always provide a certificate for our participants, which they will receive at the end of the programme upon completion of all modules. If you need any additional information to be included on the certificate, please feel free to contact us directly.


FAQs

In order to help guide you through your application, we have collected the most frequently asked questions.


Funders & Partners

Funder

Creative Europe Media

Partners


Focal
VAF
PÖFF
Industry Tallin
eave
EWA
WIFTI

Contact

Any questions? Please contact us!

Gabriela Seidel-Holländer

Gabriela Seidel-Holländer

Projektmanagement 
EPI International

gsh@epi.media
+49 (0) 331 76 99 15 45 

Doris Ho

Doris Ho

Projektkoordination 
EPI International

dh@epi.media
+49 (0) 331 76 99 15 50