Women Filmmakers’ Forum

With an innovative proposal, which includes new dynamics and more spaces for the specialists’ discussion, the Encuentro de Mujeres Cineastas (‘Meeting of Women Film Directors’) aims to generate a supportive, intergenerational and multidisciplinary environment for professionals in the industry to share their experiences and collectively build new perspectives on challenges, achievements and opportunities while promoting diversity, inclusion and gender equality. A space for diagnosis and for proposals that seeks to amplify women’s voices and aspires to influence the discussion agendas and guidelines that frame the sector. To this end, Seminci’s proposal consists in creating a forum for a robust cooperation with other fundamental institutions of Spanish cinema. For this first edition, we have invited CIMA (Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media Creators), ECAM Industria and RTVE to develop the event’s contents. In its new format, this space is open to all interested in attending a full day event consisting of two round tables moderated by the journalist Begoña Donat, and a series of presentations on case studies.

The topic for this year’s programme revolves around the question ‘What happens when they take the floor? The transformative power of women in film, both creatively and organisationally’. The Technical Roundtable in this edition organised by Seminci together with ECAM Industria, is titled ‘The future of independent production: challenges for the replacement’ and feature the participation of Marisa Fernández Armenteros (Buenapinta Media), María Luisa Gutiérrez (Bowfinger Internacional Pictures), Sara de la Fuente (Mammut Films) and Silvia Fuentes (Sétima). The panel is proposing an intergenerational dialogue in order to map and contrast visions and experiences on the situation of independent production in Spain, with a special focus on the future and the transformation generated by women producers. Are there real opportunities to dedicate oneself to film production for a new generation of independent female producers or is there a glass ceiling? How can we protect the value and contribution of theindependent producer?
And also: what are the threats and challenges that endanger the survival of this figure? These are some of the topics fordiscussion and analysis.

On the other hand, the Creative Roundtable, co-organised with CIMA, focus on the question ‘New perspectives on consent and sexual violence in fiction and documentary. Creative processes and representation: What changes when it is women who tell the story?’. The discussion will engage the participation of prominent filmmakers such as Iciar Bollain (‘I am Nevenka’), Almudena Carracedo (‘You Are Not Alone’), Tábata Cerezo (actress, one of the first certified intimacy coordinators in Spain and co-founder of Intimact) and María Herrera (‘A Midsummer Night’s Tale’).
Finally, the Toolbox section will review case studies that focus on or generate recognition for women in the film industry.