The International Union of Cinemas today launched the sixth edition of its Women’s Cinema Leadership Program, a 12-month mentoring scheme for women in cinema exhibition. Eleven talented female cinema professionals will get an exclusive opportunity to learn, enjoy networking opportunities and receive career advice from one of an outstanding group of women executives from across the cinema landscape, each recognized for their leadership and business success.
The program remains UNIC’s flagship initiative to help address the current gender imbalance at senior levels of the industry and works to encourage and empower female professionals in order for the industry to realize its full potential.
"Since the program was launched in 2017, more than 100 mentors and mentees have been part of our journey. We are delighted to witness their career evolution and how previous mentees became mentors along the way. We are grateful to each and every one of them for their trust, support, enthusiasm and vision. They are the real ambassadors of the program,” said UNIC CEO Laura Houlgatte. “We are still on a road to encourage more diversity and inclusion in senior management roles in the industry and are delighted to see that similar initiatives have been launched recently. Change can only happen if we all do our part. I would also like to thank Imax and Vista Group, the champions of the UNIC Women's Cinema Leadership Program, for supporting our mission.”
Houlgatte concluded, “It's exciting to see our community growing year by year and we are are thrilled to welcome our new mentors and mentees. What a fantastic group of women leaders ready to learn, empower and inspire Huge thanks to the graduating mentors and mentees for their dedication, ambition, and hard work during the past year. You did it! And to the new cohort: I wish you a very empowering journey."
Its 2022/23 edition welcomes the following key female leaders and rising female professionals from the cinema exhibition landscape, representing 13 countries and 22 companies:
Mentors
Claire Beswick, Founder & Director, Living Room Cinema, UK
Yuki Fontayne, Sales Manager Benelux & Nordics, Cinionic
Lucy Jones, Executive Director, Comscore Movies
Jannicke Haugen, CEO, Nordisk Film Kino AS, Norway
Suzanna Helmqvist, CMO, Svenska Bio, Sweden
Magdalena Lewicka, Management Board Member, Finance Director, Multikino, Poland
Maddy Probst, Managing Producer, Watershed, UK
Eva Rekettyei, Programming Director, Cine Yelmo, Spain
Mette Schram, CEO, Empire Bio, Denmark
Donna Tsvetkova, SVP of Commercial and Ecommerce, Cineworld Group
Kezia Williams, Managing Director, eOne Film, UK
Mentees
Viviane Bonga Segnou, Digital Operations Manager, The Boxoffice Company
Gemma Deane, Group Head of HR, Vue International
Linn Fingalsson, Associate Manager, EMEA Marketing, IMAX
Christina Flourentzou, Regional Manager, Curzon, UK
Gvantsa Garmelia, Marketing Director, Cavea, Georgia
Sarah Hofmann, Development & Real Estate Manager, UCI Multiplex, Germany
Blerina Pashollari, Cinema Manager & Digital Marketing Manager, Mastercine, Italy
Katharina Phebey, Head of Marketing & Content/ Member of the Management Board, Kinopolis, Germany
Mirona Radu, Film Programmer & Coordinator, Peasant Museum Cinema, Romania & Festival Director, Film O'Clock International Festival
Michelle Stevens, Commercial Director, Powster
Imke van Schaaijk, PR & Communication Manager, Pathé NL
The Union Internationale des Cinémas/International Union of Cinemas www.unic-cinemas.org