The second edition of the Her Story, Her Future mentorship programme for women in the film industry, produced by Creatrix Fama and co-funded by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN) in Romania, is nearing its end. The €1,000 prize for the best pitch was awarded to Andra Hera for her project Wild Fruit, and Ioana Bugarin received a special mention for her project Witches. Mirona Radu, the programme’s founder, also a filmmaker and researcher, talked to Cineuropa about their objectives and challenges.

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Cineuropa: What inspired you to start this mentorship programme for women in the film industry?
Mirona Radu: I've been fortunate to work in the film industry for nearly 20 years, both in Romania and abroad. While I've seen progress, gender disparities and a certain disregard for our work still persist. Observing the lack of mutual support among women in the industry, I decided to create a safe space for collaboration and learning. The Her Story, Her Future conference, held three years ago at the Film O'Clock International Film Festival, highlighted the need for such gatherings. This led me to apply for funding from the Administration of the National Cultural Fund and create the mentoring programme with same name.

What do you consider to be the biggest challenges faced by women in the film industry?
While I believe mentorship programmes are essential for the professional development of women in filmmaking, I'm cautious about imposing gender quotas. I think meritocracy and professionalism should always prevail. Forcing equal representation can create more problems than it solves, undermining women's efforts to be recognised for their talent and hard work. Gender quotas, though well-intentioned, can create a negative perception of women in certain positions, suggesting they got there not because of their competence but because of affirmative action policies. This can erode trust in decision-making and create unhealthy competition between women and men.

Another significant challenge is balancing multiple roles. As women, we are directors, producers, but also wives, mothers, daughters – roles that come with societal expectations and responsibilities. This pressure to excel in all areas is something we feel more acutely than men, even though they juggle similar roles. This is a mindset we cultivate from an early age. It's important to question why we impose such high standards on ourselves and why we judge ourselves harshly when it comes to fulfilling these roles.

Lastly, I've observed that many women feel pressured to sacrifice their own sensitivity to conform to the industry's tough standards. But I believe it's precisely this sensitivity that gives us a unique way to connect with the world. I would advise any woman not to neglect these qualities and, more importantly, to offer herself the same compassion and love that she gives to others.

What does a mentorship programme involve?
Mentorship programmes provide women in the industry with a space for reflection and development, facilitating the exchange of experiences and knowledge. Through these programmes, women can find role models, receive constructive feedback, and more easily overcome the specific obstacles they face in their careers.

Her Story, Her Future is more than just a programme – it's a trusting environment where each mentee is paired with a mentor with whom they meet regularly to discuss both the technical aspects of their projects and topics such as emotional management, communication, and teamwork. The programme has a structured format, designed to be intensive, to fill the need for mentorship and facilitate rapid growth. After several months it culminates with a final project pitch. Additionally, we organise group sessions where participants can get to know each other and interact with other mentors. 

What are the most common needs of young female filmmakers that you've observed in the past?
Lack of self-confidence and a lack of confidence in the industry and their future in filmmaking struck me every time I selected participants for the editions. As the feedback so far shows, we have managed to correct this trend a little. I'm referring to both the immediate feedback after the programme, which overwhelms us in a positive way, and the ways in which participants continue to develop their careers beautifully. I am very happy that a large part of the mentees are enjoying participation in festivals with their new films, or are receiving funding and winning competitions, and want to support in turn the Her Story, Her Future women's community that we are forming.

How did the second edition of Her Story, Her Future unfold, and what are your future plans?
The second edition of Her Story, Her Future was a profound learning and collaborative experience for talented Romanian women in the film industry - directors, screenwriters, producers, actresses, editors, and animation artists: Alma Buhagiar, Andra Hera, Bianca Radoslav, Delia Oniga, Ioana Bugarin, Nicoleta Miron, and Suzana Alexa. They benefited from the support and mentorship of internationally renowned professionals who not only provided guidance but also a deep understanding of the industry's challenges: Elena Rubashevska (Ukraine), Eva Demeter (Hungary), Marta Popivoda (Serbia/Germany), Monica Stan (Romania), Monika Husar (Serbia), Olimpia Melinte (Romania), and Zhana Kalinova (Bulgaria/Germany).

Group sessions were moderated by coach-psychologist Cătălina Radu (Romania) and I provided guidance in preparing the final pitch. We were honoured to invite special guests such as Alessandra Pastore (Italy) and Laura Lucia Găvan (Romania). The international pitch jury consisted of Anamaria Antoci (Romania), Anna Kasimati (Greece), and Lidia Damatto (Brazil), who not only evaluated the pitches but also provided written feedback to each participant, a gesture that added significant value to everyone's experience.

For the future, we are also exploring the possibility of developing a mobile application to support the programme's activities and provide a more accessible and consistent framework for mentorship. The positive feedback motivates us not only to continue but also to innovate and bring new perspectives to Her Story, Her Future.