PROPRO- Producers‘ Programme for Women
ProPro- Producers‘ Programme for Women is an initiative of the Austrian Film Institute to empower women film-producers. The most recent edition of ProPro took place in June 2019 and hosted an international group of 19 women-producers from 9 countries for a workshop-week of project-development, carreer- and company- consulting, leadership-skills training, and networking, mentored by international industry experts.
Panel-talks and lectures are open to all interested film-professionals to enhance networking opportunities and to allow more industry protagonists to benefit. ProPro sessions deal with various aspects of production, promote new ways of collaborating and strategies on how to enter markets and reach audiences. They provide new know-how, create insights and spark discussions.
Since 2015, every second year ProPro is being hosted by the Austrian Film Institute inviting mentors like film financing expert Linda Beath (IT/CA), producers Bettina Brokemper (DE), Gabriela Bacher (US), Ankica Juric-Tilic (HR), Paula Vaccaro (UK/IT), Lise Lense-Møller (DK), Valerie Fischer (CH), Ewa Puszczyńska (PL), Bongiwe Selane (ZA), script editors Kate Leys (UK), Géraldine Bajard (FR), and many more. These mentors are hand-picked for the individual needs of the respective participants and their projects.
Find an extensive list of all experts here.
Today ProPro counts more than 40 alumnae from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia, South-Tyrol, Switzerland.
With support of several European institutions and film industry, the programme facilitates them to capture and take part of significant share of the market. They are encouraged to think big in their career planning and strategies for success.
Quotes from ProPro 2019 participants and experts
„The programme was so well organised and very useful for both the participants and mentors. I found it to be a really inspiring group of people that I might not otherwise have met. It was such a warm atmosphere, highly professional but also friendly and supportive and everyone felt comfortable to share so much helpful personal experience and lessons learned. „
Wendy Mitchell (ProPro Expert2019, Film Journalist, Moderator, Festival Consultant/Screen International and ScreenDaily)
„It is highly inspirational and I have so much energy now to work on strategies and projects.“
(Lixi Frank, participant 2019)
„I had high expectations, but it really exceeded them.“
(Cassandra Han, participant 2019)
„This is one of the most important workshops that I attended in my career, until now (…)very important for every producer who is just about or just have opened company.“
(Aleksandra Lazarovski, participant 2019)
„I still marvel at the mix of experts and participants, and the support from and for all (…) I’ve never before experienced such a harmonious and supportive women only group/workshop. I learnt and grew a lot this past week.“
(Michelle Klösch, participant 2019)
ProPro – The Producers‘ Programme for Women
is an initiative of the Austrian Film Institute to Empower Women Film Producers.
ProPro was designed by Ursula Wolschlager (Witcraft Filmproduktion, FC Gloria, Diverse Stories) and Esther Krausz MA (Austrian Film Institute Creative Europe Desk – MEDIA, former EAVE workshop manager) with the support of FC Gloria Women’s Film Network (Mag.a Wilbirg Brainin-Donnenberg) and Austrian Film Institute, Gender Issues (Mag.a Iris Zappe- Heller). ProPro is supported by the Vienna Economic Chamber – the professional representative association for the film and music industry (chairman Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu and Mag. Martin Kofler).
ProPro2019 is proud to be the first gender-initiative to receive the Eurimages Patronage.