FRIDAY 22nd September 

No stream

16.00 - 17.30 Hotel Marski, Helsinki  

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 of September

All events at Hanaholmen Cultural Center

All events from the main hall will be streamed

10.00 Opening 

Welcome by Hanaholmen Cultural Center, WIFT Finland and WIFT International

SESSION 1:  WIFTI WORLDWIDE

10.00 Opening

Welcome by Victor Andersson, Hanaholmen Cultural Center 

Minttu Mustakallio WIFT Finland 

Susan Liddy WIFT International, WIFT Ireland

Helene Granqvist WIFT International, WIFT Sweden

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. Moderator: Victoria Thomas, UK

12.45-14.30
ROUND TABLE LUNCH with 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.

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 Laija Utsi

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, Nadean Rawlins, Jamaica, Paula Cosenza, Brazil, Serena Serena, Botswana 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

11.15 change of rooms 

11.40 PARALLEL SESSIONS in break out rooms on: 

(choose your session at the Info on location) 

●  How to run a successful chapter - Katie Bailiff WFTV UK and Kirsten Schaffer WIF LA – and 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 – New Nordic Narratives is a   process to create new sustainable landscapes of storytelling where inclusion, climate awareness and success plays together. – Helene Granqvist and Valerie Richter.

●      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 Gober

●      Global Guilds and Peer Groups – A forum for artists and production professionals to meet and talk about to-them-specific artistic, ethical and skills related issues on-line, systematically and regularly with their peers in small groups.  Risks and possibilities. – Marjaana Mykkänen

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, WIFT Italy, Raija Talvio , WIFT Finland, Norma Jean Straw, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA.

Moderator 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. Moderator Helene Granqvist, WIF Sweden.

14.45 COFFEE

SESSION 7. FACING THE FUTURE

15.15 Next steps for WIFTI  

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. CHANGING OF THE 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 

16.15 MEET THE IRISH

The reception is sponsored by the Embassy of Ireland, Finland. It will be attended by Ambassador Ruth Parkin.

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.