Snezana van Houwelingen and Alejandra Mora • Mentor and participant in the EWA mentoring programme

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Snezana van Houwelingen and Alejandra Mora • Mentor and participant in the EWA mentoring programme

– Cineuropa interviews two production companies that participate in the EWA mentoring program, which is designed to offer training and highlight professional women

This article is available in English.

Cineuropa met with the producers Snezana van Hollingen And Alejandra Morarespectively mentor and participant EWA mentoring programDesigned to provide training and visibility for female professionals.

Cineuropa: Could you in short Submit yourdo you see?
Snezana van Hollingen: I am 38 years old, from Serbia. She graduated in the Department of Film Production from the Academy of Arts in Belgrade, and completed EAVE Producers Workshop And Eve + programs. I started my production company, This and that for production, which has produced more than 30 internationally acclaimed fiction films, TV series and documentaries. Our movie the darkness [+lee también:
crítica
entrevista: Dušan Milić
ficha de la película
]
She is the Serbian participant in the 2023 Academy Awards.

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Alejandra Mora: I am a producer in Four films in Valencia, Spain; There, I produce emerging and up-and-coming talent with original and personal perspectives. I have worked in many countries, such as Iran, France, Colombia, Cuba, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates. In 2022 I will be nominated for the Goya Awards in Spain.

What were your expectations Before that Orientation program?
SvH:
First, I was expecting an intern from my area, so I could just introduce her to the procedures and platforms in my network. But getting an intern from Spain gave mentorship a whole new dimension and shifted focus to international co-productions, forcing us to step outside our comfort zones, in order to actively participate in larger international projects.

Morning: I had just participated in a very prestigious laboratory in Spain, the screen, at the Madrid Film School (ECAM). I felt I had to broaden my knowledge of international co-productions, European finance, communication, etc. The collective experience in the lab has created a very positive and enriching peer network. With the EWA program, I wanted to achieve something similar.

Alejandra, in what specific In what ways have you improved your project through the program?
Morning:
It has created a much greater awareness of the importance of creating a quality European network to promote joint production of projects, financing, operations and knowledge sharing. In this sense, Snezana was an amazing gift and a great inspiration for me. I admire her a lot, and she is a great reference. You have always supported me and encouraged me to think big, to be persistent and not to give up. We also worked a lot on financing through European funds and on the entrepreneurial sustainability model.

Snezhana, what is your work methodology?
SvH:
My methodology changed dramatically during the project. First, I would impose my knowledge and experience on Alejandra, until I saw her unique talents and personal style. I realized that my goal was not to clone myself, but to encourage her to bring out the best in her, and to convince her that she could handle larger and more complex international projects. My methodology is also very practical and applied. For example, we are now jointly making a movie!

Do you have the impression that the program can improve the image of women in the audiovisual sector? if it was SouthwestHow do?
SvH:
The strength of EWA’s mentorship program is that it not only focuses on improving the number of women in the AV sector, but mostly on quality. As a productive woman, you have to be as good as your male colleagues to be taken seriously. The EWA Mentorship Program creates a lifelong support network, which will always be there to enhance the insight of its members at key moments in their careers, by providing valuable contacts.

Morning: EWA guidance is a great project, as there are few free programs out there that provide this level of outreach and insight. What is most interesting is the network that we have created among us, and also the network among the filmmakers who are part of the association. There is a lot of potential in the assembly, and this undoubtedly helps in creating references and finding examples that can serve as inspiration. As women, in this case entrepreneurs and producers, we still have many challenges to overcome. This program puts you on the map of European producers to keep track of, helps you chart new paths and puts you on the international stage.

Can you explain, from your point of view, how the interaction with other participants took place and whether this interaction had any positive effects on the project?
SvH:
The group sessions were not only inspiring on a practical level of what and how to do things, but they were also a source of support and reference, allowing for the exchange of experiences with women dealing with the same challenges.

Morning: Our first contact was in Thessaloniki in March. We all met there, both mentors and trainees. We did many activities where we interacted with each other. We also interviewed different mentors to gain more in-depth knowledge about financing and production options in different regions. The trip allowed me to meet Snezhana in person, and we immediately hit it off. Slowly, we tightened our bond through the various sessions we had on a monthly basis. We also benefited from the group tutoring and our visits to different festivals, such as Cannes. The most important thing about the program is the bond that you create with your teacher and the rest of your classmates, thanks to all those months we spend together – and in general, the possibilities that open up for the future. I am convinced that this program will generate great alliances.

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