PROGRAM OUTLINE
FRIDAY 22nd September
no stream
16.00 – 17.30 Hotel Marski
Finnish Film Affair Closing Cocktails
for WIFTI Helsinki Summit guests by registration
17.45-18.45 Hanaholmen, meeting room Blixtlås
General Assembly for WIFTI members
19.00-21.00 Hanaholmen, restaurant
Informal Welcome Dinner
SATURDAY 23rd September
All events at Hanaholmen Cultural Center. All events from the mainhall will be live-streamed.
10.00 Opening
Welcome by Hanaholmen Cultural Center, WIFT Finland and WIFT International
SESSION 1: WIFTI WORLDWIDE
10.05 Who is who: Members’ presentation round conducted by Helene Granqvist
11.00 Gender Equality Catch-up
Professor Lisa French (Australia)
Dr Eva Flicker (Austria)
Dr Susan Liddy (Ireland)
Dr Greta Gober (Poland
Dr Tarja Savolainen (Finland)
Moderated by Dr Susan Liddy
SESSION 2: MAKING A DIFFERENCE
12.00 We Are The Change
How has the emergence of women and underrepresented minorities changed the media, the industry and art forms, and what does it mean? With director Katja Gauriloff, Skolt Sámi, Finland; director Fawzia Mirza, US/Canada, and editor Theo Lindberg, Sweden
12.45-14.30 ROUND TABLE LUNCH with topics!
online: click the headline for the topics
SESSION 3: THE FUTURE IS HERE
14.30 Planning Crucial Tracks when the Train is Running Fast
For years scientists tried to deepen the discussion about the impact of AI on our societies. Physicists urged philosophers to analyse the ethics and power structures of the upcoming paradigm shift. Then a chatbot demo went viral in late 2022, and in 2023 the discussion exploded. Today we are offered multiple horror scenarios side by side with creative and scientific new possibilities and our audio-visual industry is rightfully debating biased AI, rights issues, and artistic principles.
With Liselott Forsman, Nordic Film & TV Fond. 10+10
14.50 The Bigger Picture by WIFT Denmark
The campaign A Bigger Picture/Et Større Billede aims to improve the representation of minoritized people in Danish film and TV.
With Laura Allen Muller, WIFT Denmark
15.05 Reframe initiative by WIF LA and Sundance
ReFrame designs and leads systemic change programs in Hollywood in partnership with key industry leaders and companies. ReFrame ReSource is an online hub of culture change tools and best practices created in collaboration with 50+ diversity advocacy organizations, on topics ranging from equity in development, to production, hiring, and audience development.
With Andria Wilson Mirza
15.25 The Equality Tool for AV-industry by WIFT Finland
The digital tool helps those working in the industry to take concrete actions to improve equality and to comply with the legislation and/or do a production specific equality plan. The tool is to facilitate the planning of TV and film content, employment relations and workplace safety from an equality perspective.
With Eeva-Sofia Anttonen
15.40 Comments 5’:
Brigitte Monneau, Canada, on Woman as a specialist-tool and the Parity radar (on-line, on screen)
Domizia De Rosa, Italy, on Rules for Ethical Behavior in the Audiovisual Field Sector
Alejandra FC Zarazua, Sweden, on WIFT Tech
Session moderator and closing comments: Debra Zimmerman, Women Make Movies, NY / USA
16.15 COFFEE
SESSION 4: MAKING HISTORY
16.45 WIF Los Angeles@50
WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer will share stories of how this community was built, what change looks like now and what’s next for WIF and the movement.
17.15 – 19.30 Group meetings, sauna, naps
19.30 WIF LA @50 – CELEBRATION DINNER
Speeches and dance! Hosted by WIF LA
THE WIFTI PEACE PRIZE presented by Helene Granqvist
DJ Bätmän!
SUNDAY 24th September
SESSION 5: WOMEN IN CHARGE
Good morning with Voices from the Indigenous North
10.00 Planetal crisis recalibrating telling– how to relearn to communicate with the land – with Pauliina Feodoroff
10.10 Borderless Futures– with Anne-Lajla Utsi, Managing Director of the International Sámi Film Institute
10.20 People, Places and Power
A discussion on leadership and economic equity in the European media and entertainment context.
With filmmaker Victoria Thomas, UK, and producer Grace Maharaj, WIFT Sweden
10.40 WIFTI: In search of inclusivity – Spotlight on age.
Dr Deborah Jermyn – UK
Dr Susan Liddy – Ireland
Professor Bernadette Luciano – Italy/New Zealand
Moderator: Dr Susan Liddy
10.15 Change of Rooms
11.40 PARALLEL SESSIONS in break out rooms on:
● How to run a successful chapter – WIF LA and WFTV UK – how to support smaller chapters (guidelines, advice, shoulders)
● Gender inclusive language and chapter names – how are chapters changing their names and or descriptions of their work to be more inclusive of underrepresented genders including non-binary and transgender members? – Andria Wilson Mirza
● Benchmarking programs: mentoring, upskilling, advocacy – TBC
● Sustainability – Helene Granqvist
● Experiences on Ageism and How to overcome it – TBC
● The Imperative and the Impossibility of Managing Diversity: Lessons from an international research project on Managing Newsroom Diversity for advancing social inclusion in the media. – Greta Gabor
● Global Guilds and Peer Groups – what would they be good for? – Marjaana Mykkänen
Choose your session at the Info on location.
12.30 – 13.30 LUNCH – continuing topics of the morning
SESSION 6: THE GOOD FIGHT
13.30 Culture Wars
Right-wing governments around the world are using culture (including film, TV and media) as a means to move forward repressive agendas. As filmmakers and storytellers how do we work together to put an end to the policies and practices that are reversing decades of work toward equality?
With Domizia De Rosa, Italy, Elina Knihtilä, Finland, Norma Jean Straw, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundatin, USA, Kirsten Schaffer, WIF LA
14.15 Bollywood, Nollywood, Hollywood
The three largest film and television producing regions in the world together generate over $644.2 billion dollars and capture 5.6 billion viewers. How well are each of these industries serving women and underrepresented genders? What best practices can each region share with each other and the international community?
With Guneet Monga Kapoor, India, Fawzia Mirza, US/Canada, Victoria Thomas, UK
14.45 COFFEE
SESSION 7: FACING THE FUTURE
15.15 NEXT STEPS for WIFTI
Professional global guilds and peer groups initiative
How to extend the global network of chapters to sub-networks for members without straining chapters – a proposition on constructing easy platforms to discuss professional matters in a systematic way.
With Marjaana Mykkänen, WIFT Finland
INITIATIVES AND CONCLUSIONS FROM PARALLEL SESSIONS BREAKOUT ROOMS
SESSION 8: CHANGE OF GUARDS
15.30 Helene Granqvist from Sweden ends her 5-year term with honors as Dr Susan Liddy from Ireland steps in with a warm welcome.
Helene Granqvist with Valeria Richter: Farewell speech
Dr Susan Liddy: Inauguration speech
16.00 Meet The Irish
The reception is sponsored by the Embassy of Ireland, Finland. It will be attended by Ambassador Ruth Parkin.
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WIFTI organizes the event in cooperation and by the invitation of WIFT Finland and WIFT Sweden with WIFT Finland in charge of the event production. The WIFTI Helsinki Summit 2023 is supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the Finnish Film Foundation, Hanaholmen Cultural Center, the West Finland Film Commission, City of Espoo, Turku Business Region, Helsinki City, and by Audiovisual Producers of Finland, Business Finland and Aurora Studios.
Curated by Marjaana Mykkänen, in collaboration with Helene Granqvist, Susan Liddy and Kirsten Schaffer, and in co-operation with the WIFTI Knowledge, Advocacy and Activism Committee.
Produced by Marjaana Mykkänen, in collaboration with Tiinaliisa Granholm of Hanaholmen and Jutta Ahtola of WIFT Finland. Heidi Kokki, stage management, Erik Roos, sound, lights, and presentations, Fredrik Lundin, live stream and clips.
Communications and Publicity: Regina Mosch, Veera Lamminpää, Serena Serena Mmifinyana and Milli Mokkila, Social media: Päivi Kettunen, Grace Maharaj, Nina Maskulin and Johanna Wartio. Minttu Mustakallio, general hosting.
Other volunteers: Jenni Laine, reception; Satu Mikkelinen, transport; Riikka Korhonen, main stage and auditorium; Johanna Wartio, management. With Tamara Aalto, Alicia Corpas; Katariina Kap, Anne Karttunen, Tomi Rantanen, Noora Ranne, Sattva-Hanna Toiviainen.
