Jan 14, 2026 | News, Event
With just weeks to go until the 2026 WIFTI Summit, we’re delighted to announce another round of speakers joining our growing international lineup.
As we continue counting down to the 2026 WIFTI Summit, we’re excited to share another round of speakers joining our expanding international programme.
Taking place 4–7 February 2026 in Adare, Co. Limerick, the Summit will bring together women working across film, television and the wider screen industries for several days of meaningful exchange, collaboration and connection.
Following our previous announcements, we are delighted to now welcome four further speakers whose work spans storytelling, leadership, production, policy and creative innovation. Their perspectives add further depth and global insight to what is shaping up to be a truly dynamic Summit programme.
The full Summit programme will be announced very soon.
🎟 Secure your ticket today!
Scroll below to discover our newly announced speakers:
Domizia De Rosa
Founding member & President of Women in Film, Television & Media Italy; Vice President, WIFT International
Domizia De Rosa is a founding member and President of Women in Film, Television & Media Italy and Vice President of WIFT International. She teaches as an adjunct professor at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) in Milan and at NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (New Academy of Fine Arts) in Rome. Previously she held several roles including Executive Director, Television at Warner Bros. Entertainment Italia, a company she joined in 1995. Her research interests are: gender media studies, visual cultures and production studies.
Kelly Luegenbiehl
Co-Founder, Shorties Studios (Ex Netflix, Disney, NBCU)
Kelly Luegenbiehl is a trailblazing media leader who has had a defining impact on the global entertainment industry. At Netflix, as Vice President of Franchise and Spectacle Series, she was the guiding force behind the global phenomenon The Witcher, propelling it into one of the top 10 most-watched shows globally. As Vice President of International Originals and Vice President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Netflix, she spearheaded the company’s groundbreaking push into international markets and local-language originals, a strategic initiative that revolutionized the way content was created and consumed globally. Under her leadership, viewership of non-English programming on Netflix surged by 50% in the U.S. alone between 2017 and 2021. Kelly was responsible for hit series including “The Witcher”, “DARK” (Germany), “Lupin” (France), “Suburra” (Italy), “Kingdom” (South Korea), “Sacred Games” (India), “The Rain” (Denmark), “The Protector” (Turkey), “Baby’ (Italy), “Cable Girls” (Spain), “Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father” (UK), “Ingobernable” (Mexico), “3%” (Brazil), “Elite” (Spain), “The English Game” (UK), “Casa de las Flores” (Mexico), “Unorthodox” (Germany), and “Sintonia” (Brazil). Her keen eye for quality storytelling and ability to tap into diverse cultural perspectives have been instrumental in Netflix’s success in captivating audiences across the globe. Previously at ABC, she developed acclaimed shows like “The Goldbergs”, “The Middle” and “Fresh Off the Boat”, earning recognition on prestigious industry lists. At Bravo, Luegenbiehl won an Emmy award for her work on “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List”. A leader in elevating voices from around the world, Kelly has been honored by Variety’s International Women’s Impact Report, AFI, and received an International Emmy nomination. Her innate ability to discover talent, lead teams with a strategic vision, commitment to authentic storytelling, and deep global relationships have cemented her as an influential force transforming the content landscape today.
Kissy Dugan
Writer & Producer, WIFTI Executive Board Member
Kissy Dugan is an American/Irish writer/producer based in Rome, Italy. Recent writing credits include: Twisted (animated feature currently in production with Mediawan France) and the Italian black comedy I Cassamortari (Amazon Studios Italy). Producing credits include the UK/ Italian feature The Habit of Beauty (Rome Film Festival) and doc features Botero (Palm Springs International Film Festival, Barcelona Doc Fest) and I Want My MTV for A&E Network. Kissy worked as both a classically trained actor and stand-up comic across the US (Caroline’s on Broadway, Gotham, Stand Up NY, The Improv, The Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store) and Europe. She has worked in casting (20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures) and has produced short films, live stage shows, industrial films and commercials. Kissy also provides concierge production services for foreign productions in Italy. She is a founding member of Women in Film, TV and Media Italia and a current board member of Women in Film International.
Michelle Martin
VFX Executive Producer
Michelle Martin is a senior VFX executive with extensive experience building trusted creative partnerships with studios, producers, and show teams to deliver premium episodic and feature content. Currently working in partnership with Elephant Goldfish, she has held senior leadership roles at Pixomondo, Milk VFX and Framestore. Her credits include The Crown, The Witcher, The Boys, and Doctor Who. Michelle is recognised for her ability to balance creative ambition with commercial and scheduling realities, guiding productions through an increasingly complex and innovative VFX landscape while delivering sustainable, high-quality outcomes for clients and facilities alike.
Revisit our previously announced lineup further down the page to see the breadth of voices already confirmed.
Teresa Mc Grane
Chief Operating Officer, Wild Atlantic Pictures
In 2023, Teresa took up a new post with Wild Atlantic Pictures in Dublin, as Chief Operating Officer.
Previously she was Deputy CEO of Screen Ireland for over 2 decades. Screen Ireland is Irelands
Screen agency fostering Irish artistic vision and Ireland’s diverse creative and production talent,
growing audiences, and attracting filmmakers and investment into the country.
During the time she spent at Screen Ireland she was across the commercial and financial aspects
of projects that the Board invested in, to the marketing and promotion of Irish films and the
Irish film sector, domestically and internationally. She was also across the Boards strategy with
regard to the development of the industry and the development of skills to increase the creative
and business capacity of the sector.
She represented the Screen sector at a European level being Irelands representative on EFAD
(European Film Agency Directors) and was recently a member of the European OMC working
group on European co-production.
Prior to Screen Ireland, she was an independent producer and also a production accountant on
many large-scale feature films that shot in Ireland. She also worked for many years in the UK
television sector ad production accountant.
She is a qualified Certified Accountant and has a Masters in Business Administration from Dublin
City University.
Dearbhla Walsh
EMMY, BAFTA and IFTA award-winning director
Dearbhla Walsh is a renowned, international director whose work has been recognised with multiple awards wins and nominations including EMMY, BAFTA and IFTA awards. Dearbhla’s newest show is MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES for Apple TV/ A24, starring Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman.
Dearbhla was lead director and EP for both series of the BAD SISTERS. She has directed multiple episodes of FARGO, and the award-winning Washington DC episode of THE HANDMAID’S TALE. Dearbhla’s work has also ranged from LITTLE DORRIT (winning her a Best Director Emmy) to Roald Dahl’s ESIO TROT with Dame Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman, TALES FROM THE LOOP, and SHAMELESS.
Eranka Weerasuriya
Head of Virtual Production at Studio Ulster Ltd
Eranka Weerasuriya is the Head of Virtual Production at Studio Ulster Ltd, a £72 million next-generation virtual production studio and creative technology firm based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. With more than two decades of experience spanning Virtual Production, Visual Effects, Animation, and Live Action, Eranka has an unwavering passion and commitment to advancing immersive storytelling and driving technological innovation. She has been integral in delivering high-profile film, television, commercial, and branded entertainment projects for international clients.
Most recently, Eranka served as Head of Production (VP) at Eyeline Studios, Powered by Netflix, where she managed over 65 virtual production shoots and led cross-functional teams comprising up to 150 members worldwide. Previously, she held key roles at Industrial Light & Magic in both London and Singapore, where she contributed to the strategic bidding, planning and execution of VFX productions and effectively managed client relationships on major projects.
WIFTI SUMMIT 2026 SPEAKERS
Anna Serner
Former CEO, Swedish Film Institute and 50/50 by 2020 Champion
Anna is a lawyer but has spent her professional life as a CEO at three major organisations; The Swedish Advertising Association (Komm), The Swedish Media Publishing Association (TU) and The Swedish Film Institute (SFI) where she was CEO 2011-2021.
In all her positions Anna has worked with equality and inclusion in order to make sure the highest possible quality and freedom of expressions.
During her period at Komm she published a book ”A Man Called Rolf, And Other Stories”, written by female copy writers. It was a book about being a copy writer in the advertising world. The book led to a leadership educations for women in creative works, an education that she offered in the film world (called ”Moviement”) at SFI, as a strategy to get more women behind the camera in big budget films. ”Moviement” was a part of the action plan to reach equity behind the camera, a strategy that became ”50/50by2020 which was released by SFI in Cannes 2016. That inspired the big festival movement for equality with the same name.
Anna is now starting an organisation called ”The Swedish Center for Investigative Journalism” to support a diversity of investigative reports to ensure an open democratic society.
Dame Heather Rabbatts
Chair, Time’s Up UK
Dame Heather Rabbatts’ career spans law, government, media and sport. She is currently Chair of Saatchi PLC, Associated British Foods PLC (where she is also Senior Independent Director) and Soho Theatre and until recently was MD of film & TV production company Cove Pictures where she produced The Drifters and The Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu. In 2018, Heather became Chair of TIME’S UP UK and in 2019 joined TIME’S UP global board. Born out of the revelations of #MeToo, TIME’S UP advocates to end sexual harassment, change representation and pay parity to achieve long-term cultural change. She was previously Chair of CIISA, the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, currently in development. Heather began her career as a lawyer, then a government advisor and was the youngest CEO of a Local Authority. She was the first woman and person of colour on the board of the English FA in 150 years, served on the boards of the BBC, Bank of England, the Foreign Office and the Royal Opera House and commissioned award-winning content as a senior executive at Channel 4 Television.
Debbie Ging
Professor, Digital Media and Gender, DCU & Director, DCU Institute for Research on Genders and Sexualities
Debbie Ging is Professor of Digital Media and Gender in the School of Communications at Dublin City University and Director of the DCU Institute for Research on Genders and Sexualities. She teaches and researches on gender, sexuality and digital media, with a focus on digital hate, online anti-feminist men’s rights politics, the incel subculture and radicalisation of boys and men into male supremacist ideologies. Debbie’s research also addresses youth experiences of gender-based and sexual abuse online and educational interventions to tackle these issues.
Guneet Monga Kapoor
Academy Award-Winning Producer CEO, Sikyha Entertainment
Guneet Monga Kapoor is an acclaimed Indian film producer, a two-time Academy Award winner, and the first to bring home an Academy Award for an Indian production with The Elephant Whisperers (2023). She also served as Executive Producer for the 2019 Oscar-winning documentary short Period. End of Sentence. A BAFTA nominee, Guneet is among the first Indian producers invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Guneet is the founder of Sikhya Entertainment, a Mumbai-based production house. She has produced close to 40 feature films, including ground-breaking cinema such as Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), The Lunchbox (2013), Monsoon Shootout (2013), and Masaan (2015) all of which received critical acclaim at prestigious international festivals such as Cannes, TIFF, and Sundance.
Guneet is a recipient of the prestigious French Honour “Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”. In 2019, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded her the prestigious Sloan Science and Film grant. Guneet is passionate about issues of representation and diversity in the film industry and discovering, amplifying & distributing the work of Indian women filmmakers across the globe.
Her recent projects include groundbreaking actioner – KILL, which earned a spot among IMDb India’s top 10 films of 2024 and achieved mainstream international distribution in a first of it’s kind deal with International Studio Lionsgate. Other successes include the sci-fi thriller web series Gyaarah Gyaarah (ranked No. 4 by IMDb India), Gutar Gu on Amazon MX Player, a first-of-its-kind Netflix documentary film on globally celebrated Hip Hop Artist – Yo Yo Honey Singh, and the 2025 Oscar-shortlisted live-action short film Anuja.
Iris Zappe-Heller
Deputy Director, Austrian Film Institute
Iris Zappe-Heller joined the Austrian Film Institute in 1993.
She took over the Austrian representation at the Board of Eurimages from 1997 to 2021.
In 2011 she became deputy to the Director of the Film Institute.
In 2013 she installed the department for Gender*Diversity*Inclusion within the Film Institute, taking a package of measures as Gender Incentive, Gender Budgeting, Gender Reports, ProPro, Script competition… In this function she represents Austria in Eurimages’ Gender Equality Working Group that she has chaired from 2016 to 2021. She joined the EFAD’s Gender Inclusion Working Group in 2018, where she took over the chair in 2021. In 2015 she has been the Austrian expert of the Sarajevo Conference Declaration and therefore actively involved in the drawing up of the European Council’s Recommendation on Gender Equality. Since 2024 she is member of the board of European Women’s Audiovisiual network, EWA.
In 2023 she was appointed Deputy Director of the Film Institute and is member of the board of Filmarchiv Austria since.
Liselott Forsman
CEO, Nordisk Film & TV Fond
Liselott Forsman is the CEO of Nordisk Film & TV Fond since 2019. As Yle’s International Drama Executive and EBU’s Head of Fiction Group, her focus was on international collaboration and media strategies. When Head of Fiction at Swedish Yle, she commissioned and co-produced feature films, drama series and content for young audiences. Her MA combines film, drama, and media studies. Liselott has been a speaker at forums on five continents, lectured at European master educations, produced drama and documentaries, and written for TV, radio and stage. She co-founded and headed the international event Helsinki Script.
Get your ticket today and we’ll see you in Limerick!
Jan 9, 2026 | News, Event
With just weeks to go until the 2026 WIFTI Summit, we’re delighted to announce another round of speakers joining our growing international lineup.
Taking place from 4–7 February 2026 in Adare, Co. Limerick, the Summit will bring together women working across film, television and the wider screen industries for several days of conversation, collaboration and connection.
Following our first speaker announcement last month, we’re excited to now welcome additional voices shaping the future of screen, storytelling and creative leadership, including Teresa Mc Grane, Dearbhla Walsh and Eranka Weerasuriya.
More speakers and the full Summit programme will be released very soon!
🎟 Secure your ticket today!
Scroll below to discover our newly announced speakers, with further announcements coming in the weeks ahead:
Teresa Mc Grane
Chief Operating Officer, Wild Atlantic Pictures
In 2023, Teresa took up a new post with Wild Atlantic Pictures in Dublin, as Chief Operating Officer.
Previously she was Deputy CEO of Screen Ireland for over 2 decades. Screen Ireland is Irelands
Screen agency fostering Irish artistic vision and Ireland’s diverse creative and production talent,
growing audiences, and attracting filmmakers and investment into the country.
During the time she spent at Screen Ireland she was across the commercial and financial aspects
of projects that the Board invested in, to the marketing and promotion of Irish films and the
Irish film sector, domestically and internationally. She was also across the Boards strategy with
regard to the development of the industry and the development of skills to increase the creative
and business capacity of the sector.
She represented the Screen sector at a European level being Irelands representative on EFAD
(European Film Agency Directors) and was recently a member of the European OMC working
group on European co-production.
Prior to Screen Ireland, she was an independent producer and also a production accountant on
many large-scale feature films that shot in Ireland. She also worked for many years in the UK
television sector ad production accountant.
She is a qualified Certified Accountant and has a Masters in Business Administration from Dublin
City University.
Dearbhla Walsh
EMMY, BAFTA and IFTA award-winning director
Dearbhla Walsh is a renowned, international director whose work has been recognised with multiple awards wins and nominations including EMMY, BAFTA and IFTA awards. Dearbhla’s newest show is MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES for Apple TV/ A24, starring Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman.
Dearbhla was lead director and EP for both series of the BAD SISTERS. She has directed multiple episodes of FARGO, and the award-winning Washington DC episode of THE HANDMAID’S TALE. Dearbhla’s work has also ranged from LITTLE DORRIT (winning her a Best Director Emmy) to Roald Dahl’s ESIO TROT with Dame Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman, TALES FROM THE LOOP, and SHAMELESS.
Eranka Weerasuriya
Head of Virtual Production at Studio Ulster Ltd
Eranka Weerasuriya is the Head of Virtual Production at Studio Ulster Ltd, a £72 million next-generation virtual production studio and creative technology firm based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. With more than two decades of experience spanning Virtual Production, Visual Effects, Animation, and Live Action, Eranka has an unwavering passion and commitment to advancing immersive storytelling and driving technological innovation. She has been integral in delivering high-profile film, television, commercial, and branded entertainment projects for international clients.
Most recently, Eranka served as Head of Production (VP) at Eyeline Studios, Powered by Netflix, where she managed over 65 virtual production shoots and led cross-functional teams comprising up to 150 members worldwide. Previously, she held key roles at Industrial Light & Magic in both London and Singapore, where she contributed to the strategic bidding, planning and execution of VFX productions and effectively managed client relationships on major projects.
These speakers join an already inspiring group of practitioners, leaders and changemakers from across Ireland and around the world.
Have a glimpse below at the previously announced speakers:
WIFTI SUMMIT 2026 SPEAKERS
Anna Serner
Former CEO, Swedish Film Institute and 50/50 by 2020 Champion
Anna is a lawyer but has spent her professional life as a CEO at three major organisations; The Swedish Advertising Association (Komm), The Swedish Media Publishing Association (TU) and The Swedish Film Institute (SFI) where she was CEO 2011-2021.
In all her positions Anna has worked with equality and inclusion in order to make sure the highest possible quality and freedom of expressions.
During her period at Komm she published a book ”A Man Called Rolf, And Other Stories”, written by female copy writers. It was a book about being a copy writer in the advertising world. The book led to a leadership educations for women in creative works, an education that she offered in the film world (called ”Moviement”) at SFI, as a strategy to get more women behind the camera in big budget films. ”Moviement” was a part of the action plan to reach equity behind the camera, a strategy that became ”50/50by2020 which was released by SFI in Cannes 2016. That inspired the big festival movement for equality with the same name.
Anna is now starting an organisation called ”The Swedish Center for Investigative Journalism” to support a diversity of investigative reports to ensure an open democratic society.
Dame Heather Rabbatts
Chair, Time’s Up UK
Dame Heather Rabbatts’ career spans law, government, media and sport. She is currently Chair of Saatchi PLC, Associated British Foods PLC (where she is also Senior Independent Director) and Soho Theatre and until recently was MD of film & TV production company Cove Pictures where she produced The Drifters and The Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu. In 2018, Heather became Chair of TIME’S UP UK and in 2019 joined TIME’S UP global board. Born out of the revelations of #MeToo, TIME’S UP advocates to end sexual harassment, change representation and pay parity to achieve long-term cultural change. She was previously Chair of CIISA, the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, currently in development. Heather began her career as a lawyer, then a government advisor and was the youngest CEO of a Local Authority. She was the first woman and person of colour on the board of the English FA in 150 years, served on the boards of the BBC, Bank of England, the Foreign Office and the Royal Opera House and commissioned award-winning content as a senior executive at Channel 4 Television.
Debbie Ging
Professor, Digital Media and Gender, DCU & Director, DCU Institute for Research on Genders and Sexualities
Debbie Ging is Professor of Digital Media and Gender in the School of Communications at Dublin City University and Director of the DCU Institute for Research on Genders and Sexualities. She teaches and researches on gender, sexuality and digital media, with a focus on digital hate, online anti-feminist men’s rights politics, the incel subculture and radicalisation of boys and men into male supremacist ideologies. Debbie’s research also addresses youth experiences of gender-based and sexual abuse online and educational interventions to tackle these issues.
Guneet Monga Kapoor
Academy Award-Winning Producer CEO, Sikyha Entertainment
Guneet Monga Kapoor is an acclaimed Indian film producer, a two-time Academy Award winner, and the first to bring home an Academy Award for an Indian production with The Elephant Whisperers (2023). She also served as Executive Producer for the 2019 Oscar-winning documentary short Period. End of Sentence. A BAFTA nominee, Guneet is among the first Indian producers invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Guneet is the founder of Sikhya Entertainment, a Mumbai-based production house. She has produced close to 40 feature films, including ground-breaking cinema such as Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), The Lunchbox (2013), Monsoon Shootout (2013), and Masaan (2015) all of which received critical acclaim at prestigious international festivals such as Cannes, TIFF, and Sundance.
Guneet is a recipient of the prestigious French Honour “Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”. In 2019, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded her the prestigious Sloan Science and Film grant. Guneet is passionate about issues of representation and diversity in the film industry and discovering, amplifying & distributing the work of Indian women filmmakers across the globe.
Her recent projects include groundbreaking actioner – KILL, which earned a spot among IMDb India’s top 10 films of 2024 and achieved mainstream international distribution in a first of it’s kind deal with International Studio Lionsgate. Other successes include the sci-fi thriller web series Gyaarah Gyaarah (ranked No. 4 by IMDb India), Gutar Gu on Amazon MX Player, a first-of-its-kind Netflix documentary film on globally celebrated Hip Hop Artist – Yo Yo Honey Singh, and the 2025 Oscar-shortlisted live-action short film Anuja.
Iris Zappe-Heller
Deputy Director, Austrian Film Institute
Iris Zappe-Heller joined the Austrian Film Institute in 1993.
She took over the Austrian representation at the Board of Eurimages from 1997 to 2021.
In 2011 she became deputy to the Director of the Film Institute.
In 2013 she installed the department for Gender*Diversity*Inclusion within the Film Institute, taking a package of measures as Gender Incentive, Gender Budgeting, Gender Reports, ProPro, Script competition… In this function she represents Austria in Eurimages’ Gender Equality Working Group that she has chaired from 2016 to 2021. She joined the EFAD’s Gender Inclusion Working Group in 2018, where she took over the chair in 2021. In 2015 she has been the Austrian expert of the Sarajevo Conference Declaration and therefore actively involved in the drawing up of the European Council’s Recommendation on Gender Equality. Since 2024 she is member of the board of European Women’s Audiovisiual network, EWA.
In 2023 she was appointed Deputy Director of the Film Institute and is member of the board of Filmarchiv Austria since.
Liselott Forsman
CEO, Nordisk Film & TV Fond
Liselott Forsman is the CEO of Nordisk Film & TV Fond since 2019. As Yle’s International Drama Executive and EBU’s Head of Fiction Group, her focus was on international collaboration and media strategies. When Head of Fiction at Swedish Yle, she commissioned and co-produced feature films, drama series and content for young audiences. Her MA combines film, drama, and media studies. Liselott has been a speaker at forums on five continents, lectured at European master educations, produced drama and documentaries, and written for TV, radio and stage. She co-founded and headed the international event Helsinki Script.
Get your ticket today and we’ll see you in Limerick!
Dec 15, 2025 | News, Event
The countdown begins!
WIFTI and WFT Ireland are thrilled to announce that General Admission tickets are now on sale for the 2026 WIFTI Summit, taking place in the stunning surroundings of Adare, Co. Limerick, from 4–7 February 2026.
🎟 Secure your ticket today!
Join a global community of creatives coming together from Australia, Jamaica, Africa, the United States, Canada, and beyond for a few unforgettable days of inspiration, collaboration, and connection.
Furthermore, we are thrilled to reveal the first speakers in our extraordinary lineup — bold, visionary voices shaping the future of screen, storytelling, and creative leadership. This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to share more.
✨ Scroll below to discover just a few of the incredible speakers joining us — with many more to be announced.
WIFTI SUMMIT 2026 SPEAKERS
Anna Serner
Former CEO, Swedish Film Institute and 50/50 by 2020 Champion
Anna is a lawyer but has spent her professional life as a CEO at three major organisations; The Swedish Advertising Association (Komm), The Swedish Media Publishing Association (TU) and The Swedish Film Institute (SFI) where she was CEO 2011-2021.
In all her positions Anna has worked with equality and inclusion in order to make sure the highest possible quality and freedom of expressions.
During her period at Komm she published a book ”A Man Called Rolf, And Other Stories”, written by female copy writers. It was a book about being a copy writer in the advertising world. The book led to a leadership educations for women in creative works, an education that she offered in the film world (called ”Moviement”) at SFI, as a strategy to get more women behind the camera in big budget films. ”Moviement” was a part of the action plan to reach equity behind the camera, a strategy that became ”50/50by2020 which was released by SFI in Cannes 2016. That inspired the big festival movement for equality with the same name.
Anna is now starting an organisation called ”The Swedish Center for Investigative Journalism” to support a diversity of investigative reports to ensure an open democratic society.
Dame Heather Rabbatts
Chair, Time’s Up UK
Dame Heather Rabbatts’ career spans law, government, media and sport. She is currently Chair of Saatchi PLC, Associated British Foods PLC (where she is also Senior Independent Director) and Soho Theatre and until recently was MD of film & TV production company Cove Pictures where she produced The Drifters and The Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu. In 2018, Heather became Chair of TIME’S UP UK and in 2019 joined TIME’S UP global board. Born out of the revelations of #MeToo, TIME’S UP advocates to end sexual harassment, change representation and pay parity to achieve long-term cultural change. She was previously Chair of CIISA, the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, currently in development. Heather began her career as a lawyer, then a government advisor and was the youngest CEO of a Local Authority. She was the first woman and person of colour on the board of the English FA in 150 years, served on the boards of the BBC, Bank of England, the Foreign Office and the Royal Opera House and commissioned award-winning content as a senior executive at Channel 4 Television.
Debbie Ging
Professor, Digital Media and Gender, DCU & Director, DCU Institute for Research on Genders and Sexualities
Debbie Ging is Professor of Digital Media and Gender in the School of Communications at Dublin City University and Director of the DCU Institute for Research on Genders and Sexualities. She teaches and researches on gender, sexuality and digital media, with a focus on digital hate, online anti-feminist men’s rights politics, the incel subculture and radicalisation of boys and men into male supremacist ideologies. Debbie’s research also addresses youth experiences of gender-based and sexual abuse online and educational interventions to tackle these issues.
Guneet Monga Kapoor
Academy Award-Winning Producer CEO, Sikyha Entertainment
Guneet Monga Kapoor is an acclaimed Indian film producer, a two-time Academy Award winner, and the first to bring home an Academy Award for an Indian production with The Elephant Whisperers (2023). She also served as Executive Producer for the 2019 Oscar-winning documentary short Period. End of Sentence. A BAFTA nominee, Guneet is among the first Indian producers invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Guneet is the founder of Sikhya Entertainment, a Mumbai-based production house. She has produced close to 40 feature films, including ground-breaking cinema such as Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), The Lunchbox (2013), Monsoon Shootout (2013), and Masaan (2015) all of which received critical acclaim at prestigious international festivals such as Cannes, TIFF, and Sundance.
Guneet is a recipient of the prestigious French Honour “Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”. In 2019, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded her the prestigious Sloan Science and Film grant. Guneet is passionate about issues of representation and diversity in the film industry and discovering, amplifying & distributing the work of Indian women filmmakers across the globe.
Her recent projects include groundbreaking actioner – KILL, which earned a spot among IMDb India’s top 10 films of 2024 and achieved mainstream international distribution in a first of it’s kind deal with International Studio Lionsgate. Other successes include the sci-fi thriller web series Gyaarah Gyaarah (ranked No. 4 by IMDb India), Gutar Gu on Amazon MX Player, a first-of-its-kind Netflix documentary film on globally celebrated Hip Hop Artist – Yo Yo Honey Singh, and the 2025 Oscar-shortlisted live-action short film Anuja.
Iris Zappe-Heller
Deputy Director, Austrian Film Institute
Iris Zappe-Heller joined the Austrian Film Institute in 1993.
She took over the Austrian representation at the Board of Eurimages from 1997 to 2021.
In 2011 she became deputy to the Director of the Film Institute.
In 2013 she installed the department for Gender*Diversity*Inclusion within the Film Institute, taking a package of measures as Gender Incentive, Gender Budgeting, Gender Reports, ProPro, Script competition… In this function she represents Austria in Eurimages’ Gender Equality Working Group that she has chaired from 2016 to 2021. She joined the EFAD’s Gender Inclusion Working Group in 2018, where she took over the chair in 2021. In 2015 she has been the Austrian expert of the Sarajevo Conference Declaration and therefore actively involved in the drawing up of the European Council’s Recommendation on Gender Equality. Since 2024 she is member of the board of European Women’s Audiovisiual network, EWA.
In 2023 she was appointed Deputy Director of the Film Institute and is member of the board of Filmarchiv Austria since.
Liselott Forsman
CEO, Nordisk Film & TV Fond
Liselott Forsman is the CEO of Nordisk Film & TV Fond since 2019. As Yle’s International Drama Executive and EBU’s Head of Fiction Group, her focus was on international collaboration and media strategies. When Head of Fiction at Swedish Yle, she commissioned and co-produced feature films, drama series and content for young audiences. Her MA combines film, drama, and media studies. Liselott has been a speaker at forums on five continents, lectured at European master educations, produced drama and documentaries, and written for TV, radio and stage. She co-founded and headed the international event Helsinki Script.
Get your ticket today and we’ll see you in Limerick!
Dec 5, 2025 | News, Event
WIFTI (Women in Film and Television International) is excited to announce the upcoming Global Lens online event in partnership with WIFT Australia and WIFT Victoria: Storytelling at the Edge of the World. Australia’s screen industry has become a model for gender equity, First Nations leadership, accessible filmmaking and strong public-policy frameworks. With Screen Australia’s 2025 Gender Matters KPI Update demonstrating parity or above in several key categories, this Global Lens session, moderated by WIFT Australia Chair Leanne Tonkes, offers an opportunity to highlight what Australia is doing effectively and what global peers can replicate.
This panel looks to explore:
- Key findings from the new Gender Matters report
- First Nations-led creative practice
- Inclusion frameworks that genuinely shift workplaces
- Industry-wide collaboration between agencies, creators, and community organisations
- Practical steps international chapters can implement immediately
This is an opportunity for WIFTI members to hear directly from some of Australia’s leading changemakers.
Date: Thursday 18 December 2025 / Friday 19 December 2025
📍Online: SIGN UP HERE
Time Zones:
- Australia: 8:00 AM AEDT, Friday 19 December 2025
- Los Angeles: 1:00 PM PST, Thursday 18 December 2025
- New York: 4:00 PM EST, Thursday 18 December 2025
- London: 9:00 PM GMT, Thursday 18 December 2025
Moderator: Leanne Tonkes – Chair, WIFT Australia
Leanne Tonkes is a veteran Australian producer across a varied slate in film, television and digital and long-running CEO of Sense & Centsability. Her productions include Stan’s first original film project, The Second, feature film My Mistress and series This Is Desmondo Ray! Tonkes is currently producing West Australian production, Prawn Curry Christmas, under the 2025 West Coast Visions initiative and Written in the Stars, directed by Fawzia Mirza.
Based in Victoria, Leanne envisions a bold new chapter for WIFT, one driven by deep industry collaboration, national influence, and international strategic alliances that elevate the visibility, agency, and creative leadership of Australian women in screen.
Featured Panelists:
Dianna La Grassa – COO and Head of Screen Bus Stop Films
Dianna is an award winning producer having created over 45 short films and moving into longer form content. She is a proud woman of the disability community and comes from a CALD background and is also an immigrant to Australia. A NIDA trained actress and an MBA graduate she combines her passion for the arts and business to create inclusively made films advocating for authentic representation on both sides of the camera. Dianna is on the Board of WIFT Australia and is a disability advocate promoting and elevating the voices of our community.
Rosie Lourde – Producer, Writer, Actor
Rosie Lourde is an award-winning multi-faceted filmmaker with a passion for advocacy. Amongst many projects, Rosie is an EP on sport docu-series YOUNG BLOODS (TikTok), comedies WHITE FEVER (ABC/Stan), and feature SWEET MILK LAKE. She directed romcom ROMANCE ON THE MENU (Netflix) and DEADHOUSE DARK – DASHCAM (Shudder), and produced STARTING FROM NOW (YouTube) which now has over 250 million views online. As an actor Rosie features in TOTAL CONTROL (ABC), ONE NIGHT (Paramount+/Netflix), and HOUSE OF GODS (ABC). Rosie was a member and the Chair of Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Taskforce (2020-25), and was previously an Investment Manager of Screen Australia’s Online Production fund.
Sarah Price – Co-Founder, Damulgurra Stories
Sarah is a multi award winning Casting director, marketing director and experienced production professional with over 20 years experience. Sarah co-founded the Northern Territory’s only dedicated casting business, Castaway NT 7 years ago and is also an emerging NT based producer. Sarah holds graduate degrees in business and Marketing, including a Master Screen Business, AFTRs( 2022) . The sole accredited and dedicated casting director ( Casting Guild of Australia member) in the Northern Territory, Sarah has grown the business from an interesting side hustle to a thriving and in demand business. Castaway NT has developed a database of NT talent from The Red Centre to the Top End and everywhere in between and has worked on everything from major film and TV productions to short films as well as collaborated with some of the most respected producers and casting directors in the industry, building a reputation for finding the unfindable talent . In 2025 Sarah was named by Inside Film magazine a “Rising Talent”, in the Casting Director category.
Sarah is also co – founder of Damulgurra Stories along with Larrakia filmmaker Cian Mccue – a new business launched in May 2025, that sets a new screen industry standard by providing resources, protocols and training focused on cultural integrity , collaboration and empowerment.
Grainne Brunsdon – COO / Screen Australia
As Chief Operating Officer at Screen Australia Grainne leads on Content and Operations – investment and initiatives across Australian screen content, including film, television, direct to audience, documentary and games; industry development and international programs. Grainne is a strategic leader with more than 25 years’ experience working in the creative industries, including as Head of Screen NSW, and leadership positions in international cultural relations with the British Council, and arts organisations in Sydney. As Head of Screen NSW, Grainne oversaw the state’s investment in the local screen sector, including industry development and international production incentives, and was the representative for global film cities for the UNESCO Cities Of Culture Network.
Nov 26, 2025 | News, Event
The annual event organized by WIFTMI – Women in Film, Television & Media Italy, returns in support of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Where: ROME, November 29, 2025 | Palazzo Merulana
LET’S CHANGE THE SCRIPT!
The audiovisual industry for a culture free from gender-based violence
Third Edition | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Launched in 2023, this day of in-depth discussion aims to overturn the normalization of gender-based violence in media narratives and change the script on screen and in real life.
The key words for 2025 are awareness, responsibility, action, alliances, sharing.
The 2025 focus of LET’S CHANGE THE SCRIPT! is on the role of the audiovisual sector in preventing gender-based violence through emotional, romantic, and sexual education, in a national context marked by ongoing femicides and resistance to relationship education in schools.
The event is free to attend with prior reservation at the following link, while seats last. https://www.eventbrite.it/o/women-in-film-television-and-media-italia-74469290403
Discover the program here: https://wiftmitalia.it/cambiamo-copione-lindustria-audiovisiva-per-una-cultura-libera-dalla-violenza-di-genere/
We look forward to seeing you!
#Let’sChangeTheScript2025
Sep 19, 2025 | News, Event
Women in Film and Television Jamaica (WIFTJA) is proud to present its upcoming Industry Symposium: The Art and Business of Screenwriting Across Genres, a one-day event designed to empower writers and creatives across the Caribbean.
Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Venue: Department of Literatures in English, UWI Mona
This dynamic programme will feature:
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Keynote Address by acclaimed filmmaker Tanya Hamilton (Director, HBO’s Get Millie Black)
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Masterclasses:
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From Script to Screen: The Business Behind the Vision with Sarudzayi Marufu (Founder & Executive Producer, EURAS Films)
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Writing for Young Audiences with Kenia Mattis (CEO, ListenMi Caribbean Ltd.)
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Panel Discussion: After Ideation – Establishing a Writer’s Practice and Presence
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Screenwriting Accelerator Program spotlight, including a live pitch session
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Networking opportunities with industry peers and professionals
This symposium is all about building skills, sharing knowledge, and amplifying Caribbean voices on the global stage.
Supported by UNESCO’s Creative Caribbean and Participation Program, CARICOM, ACP-EU Culture, and The University of the West Indies, Mona.
For more details, visit: www.wiftja.org
