Panel discussion
Female perspective on film industry. Breaking “Celluloid Ceiling”
august 27 / 15:40 – 16:40
Eisenstein Hall
Cinema arguably reflects modern realities and social changes. As one of the key factors in the formation of personality and socio-cultural norms, cinema becomes a crucial tool in changing the fate of women and revealing their potential in various spheres of life.
The established images of women in cinema have mostly been created by men, as men were the originators of the film industry. Yet even in 2022, only 24% of the directors, screenwriters, producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the 250 highest-grossing films in the world were women, and only half of the 1,200 most popular films passed the Bechdel test. Increasing the presence of women in the industry will allow us to rethink the image and place of women in both cinema and real life.
Women directors and producers from India, South Korea, Russia, and the Middle East will discuss the intricacies of creating complex female characters, the challenges along their career paths in the film industry, and what can still be changed by women and for women.
The established images of women in cinema have mostly been created by men, as men were the originators of the film industry. Yet even in 2022, only 24% of the directors, screenwriters, producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the 250 highest-grossing films in the world were women, and only half of the 1,200 most popular films passed the Bechdel test. Increasing the presence of women in the industry will allow us to rethink the image and place of women in both cinema and real life.
Women directors and producers from India, South Korea, Russia, and the Middle East will discuss the intricacies of creating complex female characters, the challenges along their career paths in the film industry, and what can still be changed by women and for women.
Moderator:
- Ms Sofya MitrofanovaCEO, MTS MediaSofya Mitrofanova has been working in the media industry for over 15 years.
From 2021 to 2023, she was the CEO of the online cinema Premier. From 2020 to 2021, she was the Director of the Communications Directorate at Gazprom-Media Holding. From 2018 to 2020, she served as the Chief Producer of the online cinema Okko. From 2016 to 2018, she was the Content Director at the video service Ivi. From 2012 to 2016, she was the Sales Director at The Walt Disney CIS (responsible for VOD deals in Russia and former CIS countries).
From 2006 to 2011, she headed the Russian office of the Polish media company ITI Group, where under her leadership, the first and only channel dedicated to Soviet and Russian cinema, Woina i Pokoj, was launched on Polish television. This channel received the prestigious Hot Bird Award for Best Movie Channel.
Speakers:
- Ms Lee EugeneProducer, Zip Cinema (South Korea)Lee Eugene started her film career at b.o.m film productions, producing The Uninvited (2003), Untold Scandal (2003), and A Bittersweet Life (2005), all of which achieved critical and box office success both at home and abroad. She founded ZIP CINEMA in 2005 and successfully launched its first film, Voice of a Murderer, which garnered 3.25 million ticket admissions. Lee produced Happiness (2007), which officially premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, Haunters (2010), which was officially invited to 19 international film festivals across Europe and the United States, and All About My Wife (2012), which reached 4.6 million box office admissions.
The horror action thriller #ALIVE (2020) was the first-ever Korean film to reach the top spot on the "Movies on Netflix in the World" chart, and Broker was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Actor Award. Lee Eugene's next title, The Priest 2: Dark Nuns, is currently in post-production. - Ms Fatma Abu AssiIndependent producer, visionary leader in media and content development in MENA (Saudi Arabia)With over two decades in the media industry, Fatma Abu Assi has made significant strides in the MENA region. Her roles at MBC/SMP and Viacom have showcased her strategic planning, business development, and content creation skills. Notably, Fatma holds the distinction of being the first to introduce the soap opera genre to the Arabic region, producing an impressive 400 hours of content that topped the charts for three consecutive years and generated substantial profits for the platform. Her visionary leadership continues to shape the industry.
- Ms Lamia ChraïbiProducer, founder of La Prod, Moon & Deal Films, and Foundation Tamayouz Cinema (Morocco)Lamia Chraïbi is a Moroccan producer and the founder of Moon & Deal Films and La Prod. She is committed to diverse storytelling through international co-productions, fostering creativity without compromise. Lamia has worked with directors like Hicham Lasri, Narjiss Nejjar, and Ismael Ferroukhi, pushing narrative boundaries. Her international co-productions include Oliver Laxe's "Las Mimosas" (Grand Prize at Cannes Critics' Week 2016) and Balint Kenyeres's "Tegnap" (Locarno Film Festival). She also led projects like Talal Selhami's "Achoura," the first Moroccan fantasy film, and Ismael Ferroukhi's "Mica." Lamia’s work extends to documentaries such as Simone Bitton's "Ziyara" and Mohamed El Aboudi's "School of Hope." She is a member of Film Independent's Global Media Makers, EAVE, and The ACE Producer Network. Lamia also founded Fondation Tamayouz, empowering women in Moroccan cinema through workshops, scholarships, and mentoring.
- Ms Marijke deSouzaProducer, Dharma Productions (India)
- Ms Galina StrizhevskayaProducer (Russia)She has been working in the film industry since 2007. Her filmography includes more than 40 projects, including "Yolki," "Hardcore" (with global distribution), "Nastya, Get It Together!", one of the instalments of the "Silver Spoon" series franchise, "Fartsa," "Nina," and "The Word of a Man. Blood on the Asphalt."
The project "The Word of a Man. Blood on the Asphalt," where Galina served as producer, won several awards for Best Series: the APKiT 2024 award, the "New Season" festival statuette, the "Big Digit" award, and the "Nika" award. - Ms Katerina MikhaylovaFounder, Vega Film, co-founder of Women Russian Association of Producers (Russia)Katerina Mikhaylova is the founder of the film production company Vega Film, based in Moscow. She graduated from MGIMO (Russia) and the Bodo Graduate School of Business (Norway).
Significant films include "Nearest and Dearest" (Tallinn 2018), "In Deep Sleep" (Berlinale 2020), "Conference" (Venice 2020), "Land of Sasha" (Berlinale 2022), and "Liar" (MIFF 2024).
Vega Film collaborates with international agencies and funding organizations. It entered the VOD market in 2021 with "Instalife," followed by "Onlife." Upcoming films include "Page 35" and "Field of Dreams," set for production with the VOD platform START in 2024.