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FERA at the 75th Berlinale: Tackling key issues for European Filmmakers, from gender equality to authors’ rights and AI

The FERA Board took part in the 75th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival, engaging in various discussions on key issues facing the audiovisual sector, including gender parity and AI’s impact on creators.
The mission began on 13 February with a joint meeting between FERA, FSE, and SAA, to discuss key priorities for the year ahead.
On 14 February, FERA held a conference “Breaking the 26% Glass Ceiling: Advancing Gender Parity for Women Filmmakers in Europe” in partnership with EFAD. Guest speakers included Manuel Fioroni (European Audiovisual Observatory), Katleen Goosens (European Women’s Audiovisual (EWA) Network), Kjersti Mo (Norwegian Film Institute/EFAD), Emma Rafowicz (Member of the European Parliament – S&D, France), Daphné Tepper (EURO-MEI), Enrico Vannucci (Eurimages), Iris Zappe-Heller (Austrian Film Institute/EFAD) and Else Kveinen (Royal Norwegian Embassy in Berlin), as well as Members of the European Parliament Diana Riba i Giner (Greens, Spain) and Marcos Ros Sempere (S&D, Spain).
Chair of FERA board Bill Anderson and CEO Pauline Durand-Vialle then met with a the European Parliament delegation to discuss the state of European film, and the importance of artistic freedom, authors’ rights and the cultural dimension of the audiovisual sector in relation to current EU affairs.
The FERA Board also attended a panel discussion “AI in the Audiovisual Sector: Innovation, Ethics, Democratic Values”, organised the European Parliament and European Film Academy where Pauline Durand-Vialle highlighted AI’s unique impact on authors’ rights, working conditions and artistic freedom, raising significant ethical, legal and economic concerns as the technology deploys in the audiovisual industry.
The Berlinale was also about connecting with our community. On 15 February, FERA’s Board gathered for a meeting kindly hosted by German member BVR, followed by an exchange with representatives from our German member organizations, BVR and AG DOK.
On 18 February, FERA member BVR celebrated its 50th anniversary with an event gathering filmmakers, industry professionals, and policymakers to discuss key challenges in the audiovisual sector. CEO gave a keynote speech during the “Gen AI – What’s coming & when will the payment come?” session, and FERA representatives participated in the networking session closing the event, bringing together national and European stakeholders.
FERA is delighted to have organised its own conference and to have participated in so many events. We are looking forward to next year!
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