I am a legal expert in European audiovisual production and gender equality. Since 2023 I have worked as Programme Manager for the Pilot Programme for Series Co-Productions at the Council of Europe. Between 2010 and 2022 I managed cinema co-production projects at the Eurimages Film Fund. For five years (2016-2021) I served as the Executive Director of EWA Network, a non-profit organisation supporting European female professionals in the audiovisual sector. I am a certified coach, and act as an internal coach at the Council of Europe.

Alina Kemper is the Director of European Affairs at the Spitzenorganisation der Filmwirtschaft (SPIO), the umbrella association of the German film industry. Based in Berlin, she is responsible for the association's European policy work and serves as the point of contact for member associations as well as political decision-makers at EU level. She previously served as Head of Policy & Communications at SPIO. Kemper holds a B.A. in Governance and Public Policy (Passau, Miami) and an M.A. in Global Politics (Göttingen, Aarhus), and has gained professional experience working at organizations including the Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion (MIT) and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).

André Schubert is a writer, producer, executive producer, showrunner, director, and segment director who has worked in television and streaming formats since 2007. He is currently the owner, executive producer, and showrunner of 7 vs. Wild, having been involved with the series from Season 3 to the present, initially on YouTube and later on Freevee and Amazon Prime Video. Previously, Schubert was involved in development at Endemol Germany, including the development of Joko & Klaas – Das Duell um die Welt for ProSieben in 2012. His selected television credits include Harald Schmidt Show (ARD, 2007–2010) as a writer; Deutschland sucht den Superstar (RTL, 2016–2018) as a writer responsible for host scripts; heute-show (ZDF, 2013) as a segment director on several episodes; Tamme Hanken – Der Knochenbrecher on Tour (Kabel 1, 2015–2016) as director and executive producer; Leute, Leute! (ZDF, 2012) as writer and segment director; and Weltall.Echse.Mensch (ARD, 2014–2015) as writer and director.

Professor Angela Chan is a creative industries leader, researcher and international keynote speaker on inclusive innovation and the power of storytelling. Her career spans television, creative technology and academia, with a particular focus on who gets to tell stories, whose stories get heard, and how new technologies are changing the way we create and experience them.

Angela spent twenty years in the UK television industry as a documentary director, executive producer and commissioning editor, working across the BBC and Channel 4. She was most recently Head of Creative Diversity at Channel 4, and previously drove the BBC’s strategy for independent production, championing small creative businesses and talent from under-represented backgrounds.

Today, Angela is Professor of Creative Industries at Royal Holloway, University of London, where she leads research on Inclusive Futures at CoSTAR National Lab for Creative Technology. She holds a PhD in inclusive innovation and her current work explores emerging technologies, immersive storytelling and how creative experiences can be designed for neurodivergent and sensory-sensitive audiences. 

Angela is Chair of the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity and has advised organisations including the British Council and NatWest. She speaks internationally about storytelling, creativity and how inclusion can be a catalyst for innovation. 

Anna Ramskogler-Witt is the founder of The Good Media Network and the artistic director of Doxumentale. For nearly two decades, she has been shaping projects at the crossroads of film, human rights, communication, and social impact. Her career includes key roles at Vienna’s Pool Filmverleih, the human rights film festival This Human World, as a PR agent for international film premieres, and at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), before leading the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin from 2019 to 2024. With Doxumentale, Ramskogler-Witt has built a vibrant platform where documentary film, new media, and public discourse converge—international, interdisciplinary, and firmly committed to social engagement.

Before joining Germany’s distribution and production house Beta Film GmbH as International Creative Executive & Content Editor in 2011, Anna Rohde studied dramaturgy, philosophy, and literature at Munich's Theatre Academy and at Ludwig Maximilian University Munich. Before her studies, she worked as assistant director on many national and international TV and feature films. She is a member of Germany’s VeDRA (Verband für Film- und Fernsehdramaturgie e.V.), a jury member of the International Emmy semi-finals, and a mentor of the post-graduate Serial Eyes writing program. As a creative executive, she has worked on many internationally successful shows from the CEE region, most recently on the multi-awarded The Silence (2021–2023) and Golden Boy (2021), Jasmila Žbanić’s Venice-premiered I Know Your Soul (2023), and the Canneseries-awarded Operation Sabre (2024). Two recent series she worked on also received the Prix Europa: the Ukrainian series In Her Car in 2024 and Operation Sabre in 2025.

Anna Winger is the award-winning writer, creator and showrunner behind Transatlantic, Unorthodox and the Deutschland trilogy. She founded her production company in 2016. Studio Airlift’s work has received Emmys, Peabodys and Adolf Grimme prizes. British-American and raised by anthropologists in Kenya, Massachusetts and Mexico, Winger studied at Columbia University before building a multi-media career. Her essays have appeared in the New York Times Magazine and the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Her radio series, Berlin Stories, aired on NPR Worldwide. She is also the author of the novel, This Must Be the Place. While Berlin has long been the source of great inspiration, Winger is currently working on new series set in Paris, in London, and in the Uckermark.

Anouk Vergé-Dépré, 34, made Swiss sports history alongside Joana Mäder, winning the first Olympic medal for a Swiss women’s beach volleyball team by bringing home bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021. The pair also won the European Championship title in 2020. Alongside her beach volleyball career, Anouk, whose roots lie in Guadeloupe and the Bernese Oberland, completed her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science and Media Research, with a minor in Business Administration. For the past two seasons, she has been playing alongside her younger sister Zoé – going from rivals on the court to teammates with their sights set on the 2028 Olympic Games.

Beliban zu Stolberg, born in 1993, studied screenwriting at the dffb. She then worked as a freelance writer for streaming services as well as public broadcasters. She served as head writer for one season of Blutige Anfänger (ZDF) and wrote numerous episodes for the series. In 2023, she was one of six participants in the Netflix Incubator, a talent development program. That same year, she published her debut novel, Zweistromland, with Kanon Verlag; the book received widespread attention and was longlisted for the German Business Literature Prize.

From 2024 to 2026, she was the founder and director of the “Screenwriting” bachelor’s program at the Catalyst Institute. She has been working for Red Pony since 2026 as Strategy & Content Lead. Beliban zu Stolberg usually works at the intersection of pop culture and new narratives.

Bianca Gavin is the Head of Production, Scripted at VICE Studios, at the production helm for their HETV and feature slate including Gangs of London, Atomic and Bad Apples. With more than 25 years experience in Film and TV production, before joining VICE she held Production Executive roles at Amazon Studios and Sky, covering such projects as The Power and Britannia. She is the Chair of Production Guild UK. Passionate about equality and breaking down entry barriers, Bianca produced the Open Source directory to help provide a central resource for inclusive recruitment and positive working culture in scripted production.

Britta was born in Münsterland, Germany, and studied International Business and Intercultural Communications in Dortmund, Paris and Québéc City.
Since May 2025, she is Managing Director and Executive Producer at German production company Odeon Fiction – a LEONINE Company, a company she has joined in 2014 as Head of International Co-Productions and Executive Producer.
Previously, she was Vice-President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions at Global Screen/Telepool, Acquisitions Manager at ZDF Studios and held positions at – amongst others - Majestic Film and PriceWaterhouse Coopers’ Film Finance Department.
Her latest TV productions include THE SEED (ARD and NRK), 37 SECONDS (ARD), BLACK ISLAND (Netflix), SPY CITY (ZDF and Miramax) and DEADWIND (YLE and Netflix).

Filmography (English)

2023 ‘The Seed’ – Thriller Series for NRK and ARD / 6x45, Writers: Christian Jeltsch and Axel Hellstenius, Director: Alexander Dierbach, Cast: Heino Ferch, Ingrid Bolso-Berdal, Friederike Becht, Rainer Bock, Jonathan Berlin. Awarded with 2 Nymphs (Best Creation and Audience Award) at Monte Carlo Television Festival
2022 „Django” – (Co-Producer) - Western/Drama--Series for SKY Atlantic and Canal +, Co-Production with Cattleya and Atlantique, Creators: Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli, Directors: Francesca Comencini a.o., Cast: Matthias Schoenaerts, Lisa Vicari, Noomi Rapace, Nicholas Pinnock
2022 „37 Seconds” – Drama-Series for ARD/Degeto, 6x45, Writers: Julia Penner und David Sandreuter, Director: Bettina Oberli, Cast: Jens Albinus, Emily Cox, Paula Kober, Marie-Lou Sellem
2021 „Black Island“ – Film / Thriller for Netflix, 104 min, Writer and Director: Miguel Alexandre, Cast: Alice Dwyer, Philip Froissant, Mercedes Müller, Hans Zischler
2020 „Spy City“ – Spy-Thriller Series for ZDF, Magenta TV and Miramax, 6x45min, Script: William Boyd, Director: Miguel Alexandre, Cast: Dominic Cooper, Leonie Benesch, Johanna Wokalek
2017-2021 „Deadwind“ – Finnish-German Crime-Noir Series for YLE and Netflix in Co-Production

Over the past 25 years, Christian Beetz has produced numerous documentaries and series for cinema, streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and HBO Max as well as German and international public broadcasters. His track record includes an Academy Award nomination (Open Heart 2013), International Emmy® Award nominations (Wagnerwahn 2014, The Cleaners 2018), a Special Jury Award at Sundance Film Festival (The Land of the Enlightened 2016) and premieres at Sundance (The Cleaners 2018, Gaza 2019, Eternal You 2024) and Canneseries (4-part docuseries Juan Carlos – Downfall of the King 2023 for Sky/NBCU) as well as the German TV Award (4-part docuseries German Cocaine Cowboy 2025 for Amazon Prime). In 2026, the series CLANGOLD will premiere as the first German HBO Max Docu Original. Christian Beetz is a writer and the CEO of beetz brothers film production, which is a LEONINE Studios company and part of the Mediawan Group.

David Semler is a Czech director and screenwriter based in Prague. Before graduating from the
Department of Screenwriting and Dramaturgy at FAMU, he studied English and American Studies
and Czech Language and Literature at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University.
His short film Must Be Painful (2020), which he wrote and directed, won the ARTE Award for
Best Student Short Film, was nominated for the Magnesia Award for Best Student Film at the Czech
Lion Awards, and was screened at more than twenty international film festivals.
David Semler has twice been recognized by the Czech Film Foundation’s screenwriting
competition: for his feature screenplay The Disobedient Kids in 2022 and for Ice Horses, co-written
with Dodo Gombár, in 2024. In 2022, his feature film project in development You Can Tell Us was
selected for the inaugural Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Talents Creative Pool.
He also co-wrote the comedy audio series The Pigeon House (2023) and wrote and directed the
five-part audio series Portrait of Daniela Kolářová (2025). His six-part coming-of-age miniseries
Filter (2026), written and directed for Czech Television, had its world premiere at Karlovy Vary
International Film Festival.

Dennis Ohm is a cultural anthropologist working on art, media, and cultural memory, with a particular focus on marginalized communities' relationships to cultural institutions. He recently completed his PhD at McGill University and has researched and taught in New York, Berlin, and Montréal.

Dr. Frank Castenholz has been Head of the Economic Film Funding Division at the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) since December 2023. He is responsible for Germany’s federal economic film funding programmes, the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) and the German Motion Picture Fund (GMPF), as well as the proposed investment obligation for media service providers and European and international film industry affairs.

After studying law in Würzburg and Hamburg, he worked as an adviser on legal, media and cultural policy issues in Bremen, Berlin and Brussels. He joined the BKM in 2011 and has since held various positions focusing on the cultural and economic aspects of film policy.

Elena is a creator and writer of the coming-of-age genre series Pauline, which premiered on Disney Plus Germany. Her next series "The City of Blood" is currently in post-production by Amusement Park for Disney Plus Germany. Elena is a graduate of Serial Eyes programme. In addition to writing and creative producing, Elena is also a script consultant and has completed the Midpoint Institute Script Consulting Training scheme.

Fleur Winters is an award-winning Producer and founder of production company Big Blue, based in Amsterdam. Her credits include the Golden Calf winning limited series THE CRASH (Studiocanal), international comedy THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT, Emmy-nominated HEIRS OF THE NIGHT, Rose d’Or winner DOME 16 and the limited series DON’T FALL DANCE!. She is the creator/showrunner of the first Dutch romantic period drama GRAND HOTEL BY THE SEA (ZDF Studios), set for release end of 2026.

Frank Seyberth has worked in various roles at ZDF since 2001. Beginning as a commissioning editor for features, Frank later led a development team focused on digital content.

Since 2019, Frank has been responsible for all international co-productions across the ZDF family of channels, programming slots, and platforms. Together with the editorial team, Frank oversees a slate of around 100 projects spanning a broad range of genres and formats for diverse audiences.

This work includes managing strategic partnerships and collaborations such as the European Alliance, New8 and the BBC–ZDF scripted partnership.

Henrik Wittmann runs LEONINE C_, a unit founded in July 2026 that brings together the LEONINE Group’s entertainment expertise in creator entertainment and branded entertainment. Prior to that, he served as Head of Digital at i&u Studios until July 2026; the studio’s digital team formed the foundation for LEONINE C_. Wittmann has produced more than 30 formats, channels, and events, including LOVE HUNTER, SPLASH HOUSE, BREAKING LAB, YOUTOPIA, MADE IN GERMANY AWARDS, HOUSE OF POWER, MOTOR GAMES by PAPAPLATTE, MACH MAL MIT OBI, GALLERIPKY, and SCIENCE FOR FUTURE.

Hugo Rosák is Head of the Industry Programs at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), where he leads KVIFF Promises, a platform dedicated to showcasing film projects from Central and Eastern Europe in development or production. Each year, over 40 curated projects are introduced to international industry professionals. He is also the co-founder of KVIFF Talents, a talent accelerator supporting emerging filmmakers from the region. Beyond the festival, Hugo collaborates with several European development initiatives. He works with the Midpoint Institute’s Feature Launch, consults for the First Cut Lab editing program, and has worked as an expert for the European Commission. He is also Head of Development at Stairway Films, a Prague-based production company, and a member of the European Film Academy. Originally trained in international relations, innovation design and intercultural management, Hugo now channels his energy into championing ambitious, auteur- driven cinema.

Irina Ignatiew-Lemke is a media executive and creative producer with over 25 years of experience in the international film and television industry. She is the founder of Boxworks Media, a boutique company focused on developing and producing smart, commercial scripted content for global audiences—true to its editorial mission of delivering popcorn with relevance.
Through Boxworks, Irina works across international co-productions, content strategy, and creative consulting. The company is also home to her podcast Unwritten+, which explores how creative careers unfold across cultures and borders, as well as Pitchcraft, a coaching format helping storytellers and executives sharpen how they shape and present ideas. She contributes a regular column on the German media market for C21Media and teaches International Co-Productions at film schools and workshops.
Before launching Boxworks, Irina held senior leadership roles at companies including All3Media Fiction and Red Arrow International, and has worked for and with brands such as Lionsgate, Magenta TV, Discovery Communications Germany, and the Montreux Jazz Festival. She is based in Munich and works internationally.

Jan Schipmann is a political journalist and head of the politics desk at the Berlin-based production company Hyperbole, for which he has developed numerous successful political formats. Among other things, he founded, headed, and hosted the political format DIE DA OBEN! for ARD/ZDF. In his podcast BENGALOS IM BUNDESTAG, its predecessor format ABSOLUTE MEHRHEIT, and the election-coverage format KREUZVERHÖR, he has regularly conducted interviews with leading politicians (including Friedrich Merz, Olaf Scholz, Robert Habeck, and Annalena Baerbock). For ZDFheute, he conceived and hosted the fact-checking format "Backgroundcheck." Jan Schipmann lives in Berlin.

Jennifer Dacqué holds a diploma in Journalism, English and American Studies from TU Dortmund and completed vocational training as a certified advertising management assistant (Werbekauffrau IHK). She started her career with a journalistic traineeship (Volontariat) at WDR, working as a trained journalist and editor, before moving into the content creator business, where she has spent the past 12 years. She built deep expertise on the platform side, spending five years at YouTube multi-channel networks Endemol Beyond and Studio71, five years in DACH Partnerships at Twitch, and one year in the same role at TikTok. In these roles, she also worked closely with numerous content IP holders from traditional media (TV and radio) advising them on optimizing their content for social media platforms. For nearly two years now, she has served as COO of Waffel Media, the production company behind creator "Sturmwaffel." Throughout her career, Jennifer has specialized in strategic collaboration with content creators and the diversification of content across social media platforms.

As EVP, Television Distribution for global film and television studio FIFTH SEASON, Jennifer Ebell oversees strategy, operations, and partnerships across a premium portfolio spanning scripted and unscripted content for the studio’s International Television Distribution division.
Since joining FIFTH SEASON in 2020, Ebell has played a pivotal role in licensing across the studio’s produced titles including His & Hers, Tokyo Vice, Nine Perfect Strangers and Chief of War, as well as investment and licensing of third-party titles such as Killing Eve, The Night Manager, Normal People and The Morning Show. Ebell’s strategic curation drives FIFTH SEASON’s distribution slate, which has recently added major upcoming titles such as Honey, Legacy of Spies, Treasure Island and Hercule. Under Ebell’s leadership, FIFTH SEASON’s distribution operation delivers a best-in-class, boutique approach for producers and buyers worldwide, while also shaping the market with innovative deal- making and a truly global footprint – with over 60 executives based across London, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Stockholm, and Toronto.
Prior to joining FIFTH SEASON, Jennifer was SVP of EMEA sales at ITV Studios Global Entertainment where she spearheaded titles including World on Fire,  Signora Volpe and Blackwater, as well as the roll out of franchises such as I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Hell’s Kitchen and Come Dine with Me.  Ebell began her career at Comcast’s E! Entertainment Television in Los Angeles.

Jens Lapidus (b. 1974) is one of Sweden’s premier authors, who with his fast-paced and thrilling novels bring attention to the dark underworld of Stockholm. Tagged “a Swedish James Ellroy” by critics, Lapidus’ works draw on his 15 years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer representing some of Sweden’s most notorious criminals, something which has given him a unique insight and knowledge paired perfectly with a gritty and true-to-reality prose that leaps from the page. He is the creator of the immensely popular Stockholm Noir and Top Dog series, alongside three stand-alones. Lapidus’ debut, Easy Money (Stockholm Noir #1), became one of Sweden’s most talked about novels of the 21st century, and has together with its sequels been adapted into both films and an incredibly successful TV series on Netflix.

Jens Lapidus is also part of a children’s-book duo together with Hedda Lapidus, where they create thrilling literature for young readers.

Jesse is the International TV Co-Editor at Deadline, overseeing breaking news and features coverage out of Europe and Asia. He joined the site in 2022 from UK TV trade Broadcast, where he was Insight Editor, overseeing features and long-form reporting, for four years. A veteran entertainment industry journalist, he has also worked at Television Business International, where he was Editor, and at C21Media. He has moderated panels around the world and appears on radio and podcasts talking about the TV business. Jesse is based in London.

Jevgeni Supin is an Estonian producer and founder of Zolba Productions. Active in the audiovisual industry since 1998, he has produced a wide range of television, film and scripted content, with a particular focus on premium drama series and international co-productions.
In recent years, Jevgeni has become one of the most internationally active television producers in the Baltic region, developing and producing projects with partners across Europe. His credits include the historical crime drama Von Fock, the first Estonian drama series to receive support from both Creative Europe MEDIA and Eurimages, and My Dear Mother, selected for Berlinale Series Market Selects. Together, Von Fock and My Dear Mother received nine nominations at the latest Estonian Film and Television Awards (EFTA).
His previous productions include Who Shot Otto Müller?, the first Viaplay Original series commissioned in the Baltics, and 12 Summers Ago, adapted from the Finnish-British series Man in Room 301.
Alongside his production work, Jevgeni Supin served as curator of TV Beats Forum during its first five years, helping build and establish this new industry section and co-financing market within the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

Johannes Kagerer, M.A. LL.M. is head of politics and sections of the German Producers Alliance. In his role he is responsible for political communication and the coordination of the animation, documentary, cinema, television and entertainment divisions. He is the editor of the edition Peter Lilienthal Archiv 1 and author of the documentary Eine Sprache für Freunde – Leben und Werk von Peter Lilienthal (A Language for Friends – The Life and Work of Peter Lilienthal). The edition was awarded the 2020 Willy Haas Prize as the most significant publication on German film heritage.

From launching the first YouTube channel for a German private broadcaster to founding Germany’s most successful YouTube premium marketing network, Johannes Schmidbauer has been shaping the digital media landscape for over two decades. Starting in 2013 Johannes played a key role at Studio71, where he was responsible for the early success of ProSiebenSat.1 TV content on YouTube, launched DAZN’s YouTube channels and led all creator teams. Since 2022, he has been heading Home of Talents – a premium media advertising network whose portfolio includes some of Germany’s best-known and most popular content creators, such as Rezo, Julia Beautx, Paluten, 7 vs. Wild, and many more. His message to brand partners and agencies is clear: “Premium creator content is the new prime time!”

Kai Fischer is Head of Constantin Creators, where he develops audience-first entertainment models at the intersection of creators, platforms, and brands.

For more than 15 years, he has worked across media, technology, and commerce, building new content-driven businesses for companies including ProSiebenSat.1, Bertelsmann, and Constantin. Today, his work focuses on how creator-led IP, direct audience relationships, and platform-native distribution are transforming the economics of entertainment.

He believes the future belongs to media companies that think less like broadcasters and more like ecosystems.

Kaisa El Ramly is a Finnish-Egyptian writer-director currently based in Helsinki, Finland. Her professional background is in both acting (BA, Prague Theatre Academy, DAMU) and directing for the theatre before broadening her horizons into film as well, and doing her MA studies at the Department of Film (ELO Helsinki) at Aalto University. After her graduation in 2016, Kaisa won the Nordisk Film & TV Fond Talent prize for her debut feature film Getaways & Dreams, which premiered in 2023. She has also directed Critical Point, a series for the Finnish National Broadcaster YLE in 2024, and written and directed radio plays and short films. Her latest work as a director was in the City Theatre of Most, Czech Republic in April, 2026, and as a writer, she is working on two feature film scripts and developing an idea for a TV series.

Kateryna Vyshnevska is a UK-based independent producer and international consultant, originally from Ukraine, with a passion for co-productions. She is the recipient of the first Honorary TV Beats Producer Award at TV Beats Forum, the drama series strand of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event (Tallinn, Estonia), spotlighting a prominent and inspiring figure from the region of the Nordics, Baltics and CEE, who has made a significant impact in the field of TV drama production.
Kateryna most recently served as the Head of Development and Co-productions and a Producer at Ukraine’s largest studio FILM.UA Group and was responsible for the company's strategic direction and development slate. She executive produced scripted and non-scripted content across all genres (TV series, feature film, factual) and oversaw international development and co-production partnerships.

Kateryna’s recent credits include MOLOCH, a political thriller, Czech Republic - Slovakia - Ukraine co-production and Canal+ original in CZ; THOSE WHO STAYED, an anthology series, co-developed with Red Arrow Studios and co-produced with NRK (Norway), SVT (Sweden) and YLE (Finland), that went on to air in over 30 countries; factual series CITIZENS AT WAR (Australia – UK – Ukraine co-pro for ZDF channel in Germany); factual feature film MEETING ZELENSKYY, directed by Liev Schreiber and André Singer and distributed by Boatrocker; KOZA NOSTRA feature film (Ukraine-Italy co-pro for RAI Cinema) and HIDE AND SEEK (the break-out Ukrainian TV series selected by MIPTV Drama Buyers’ Summit, Serie Series, MIA, Black Nights FF, Göteborg FF, etc.).
Kateryna is a regular speaker at all major film and television events. She sits on the Advisory Board of TV Drama Vision at Gothenburg Film Festival, served on MIA Rome Drama Selection Committee, was a series mentor for European Women's Audiovisual Network’s EWA x Netflix Series Accelerator, a co-production tutor for MIDPOINT Cold Open and was a juror for Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize 2024, Rockie Awards, International Emmys and more.

Katrin studied German literature and French Language at the University of Hamburg. First working as a freelancer and Video-Journalist in Hamburg, she entered into film production in 1996. Starting her career as a screenwriter she worked from 2001 to 2009 as a Script Reader and Dramaturge for the fiction department of RTL Television in Cologne. Since 2010 Katrin is working as a freelance dramaturge, script consultant and teacher for serial storytelling. She teached at ifs filmschool (Cologne), masterschool drehbuch (Berlin), HFF Konrad Wolf (Munic), midpoint (Prague) and Filmschool Lodz (Poland). In 2021 she published DER GERMAN ROOM together with her Co-Writer Timo Gößler – about the US Writers’ Room System in German Serial Development. Since 2022 she is Head of Studies of Serial Eyes at dffb in Berlin and focused on creative growth of European TV writing as a teacher, speaker and Writers´ Room-Coach.

Kim Zimmermann is a screenwriter based in Berlin. She is a graduate of the Serial Eyes program and of Filmuniversität Babelsberg. She has written several „Tatort“-movies for German TV and was a writer on shows like Unfamiliar (Netflix), City of Blood (Disney+), Das Signal (Netflix), ZERV (ARD), amongst others.

Co-owner of Sagafilm Iceland and Managing Partner at Sagafilm Nordic in Stockholm. With over 30 films, shorts and scripted series on his list of credits in the past 20 years, Kjartan is one of the Nordics most prolific producers. Recent projects include VAKA an Amazon Prime Original, Operation Napoleon, Stella Blómkvist 12x45min a Viaplay Original Series, Sisterhood 6x45min, Thin Ice 8x45min, The Minister 8x45min, Cold Courage 8x45min and CASE 9x45min a Netflix Original Series.

Marina Klauser was born in Switzerland. She later moved to Germany to study directing at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne. Afterwards, she returned to Switzerland and completed an additional master's degree in screenwriting at the Zurich University of the Arts. Today, she works across film, television, and advertising. From 2022 to 2026, she directed the four-part true-crime series "Der Engelmacher" in coproduction with SRG and 3Sat Schweiz — a documentary investigation into a secluded faith community in the Emmental region and the dramatic events that unfolded there in the 1970s. Between 2020 and 2022, she served as head writer of the writers' room for the dramedy series "How to Be Sad – The Right Way.“ Her work also includes several internationally acclaimed short films that have screened at major festivals, including Locarno, Camerimage, Karlovy Vary, Oberhausen, Rhode Island, and Short Shorts Tokyo. Klauser is a genre-crosser by nature: she moves fluidly between humor and gravity, the bizarre and the deeply human — exploring dark subjects with the same curiosity and precision she brings to character-driven comedy and visually ambitious worlds.

Laura Caciauna is a Junior Talent & Development Creative at LEONINE C_ and received the German Entertainment Award in 2026 in the “Best Talent Editorial” category. She studied journalism at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and has been with Leonine / i&u Studios since July 2024, initially as a working student on the social media team for “Klein gegen Groß,” and in her current position since January 2025. She engages in regular creative collaboration with numerous creators and their management teams and has contributed to the development and production of shows such as "Love Hunter", "Splash House", "MACH MAL" with OBI, the "Cologne Climate Festival", and "YouTopia".

Laura Mae Harding is a Commissioning Editor and Deputy Head of International Co-Productions at ZDF. Since joining the German public broadcaster in 2017, her work has included fostering strategic broadcaster partnerships such as the European Alliance, a collaboration between France TV, Rai, and ZDF, focused the development of European high-end drama series. She oversees a diverse slate of international co-productions, including feature films, TV movies, and drama series for ZDF, ZDFneo, and ZDF's streaming plattform.

Lucas Oranmian is a Bahian actor and screenwriter, born to a mother from Pará and a father from Minas Gerais, and graduated from ECA-USP. In AYÔ, he not only wrote the series but also plays the title character, bringing to the screen his own experiences and concerns as a Black artist searching for roles and stories that escape stereotypes. He recently wrapped filming for the feature films Continente, directed by Tomás Osten, and O Pai da Rainha de Angola, directed by Rodrigo França, currently in post-production. He played Isaque in 7 Prisoners (Netflix), which premiered at the Venice Film Fest

Filmography (English)

Continente — actor
O Pai da Rainha de Angola — actor
7 Prisoners — played Isaque
Estamos Tentando — actor
Grande Sertão — actor
O Silêncio das Ostras — actor
O Diabo na Rua no Meio do Redemunho — actor
AYÔ — creator, screenwriter, and lead actor

Producer of AGITPROP, Bulgaria. Her high-end author-driven films have been selected and awarded at Cannes, Berlin, IDFA, Toronto, Sundance, Tribeca, Pusan and many others, and broadcast all over the world. Among her films are: Touch Me Not (Golden Bear Winner, Berlinale), The Mosquito Problem and other stories (Cannes), Omellette (Sundance), The Boy Who Was a King (Toronto), Dad Made Dirty Movies (sold to more than 30 territories). Producer of successful factual TV series for National Geographic and HBO. Producer of Father’s Day high-end drama series for Bulgarian National Television, named Best Drama Series 2019. Co-producer of the first official drama series co-production in South Eastern Europe, Operation Sabre, CanneSeries official selection, Best Interpretation Award; Serial Killer winner 2024. David di Donatello Best Producer Nomination 2025 (for The Great Ambition). Producer of the upcoming drama triller series Girl from Tallinn (with ETV, NOVA, Go3, CE Media, BNFC) to be out in the end of 2026.
Jury member at numerous prestigious film festivals, including International Emmy® Awards, IDFA, Warsaw IFF. Lecturer at a number of international filmmakers workshops. Director of Sofia DocuMental International Film Festival. Mentor at European Women's Audiovisual (EWA) Network and EAVE programs. Commissioner at the Re-Act Co development and The Malik Bendjelloul Memorial Foundation’s Fund. Member of the European Producer’s Club.

A graduate of ESSEC, Matthieu Thollin began his career in New York in the international division of The History Channel (A&E Television Networks), where he coordinated the channel’s rollout across six countries. Upon returning to France, he joined the M6 Group as Deputy Head of Production, where he notably managed the group’s programme investment negotiations.
In 2014, he joined EuropaCorp Television as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing production operations, commercial negotiations, and relations with the American audiovisual production subsidiary (the Taken series for NBC).
In 2018, following the creation of Storia Television, he joined the Mediawan Group and, in 2020, was appointed Managing Director in charge of Operations at Mediawan France Scripted, whose companies produce HPI, Tom & Lola, Anthracite, La Décision, Je Sais Pas, and Hot Ones.

If you’ve met Mattie Do, she’s shown you photos of her dogs. And if you’ve seen any of her movies, then you’ve seen her dogs act in them. Over the years, Mattie’s dogs have starred in a few good ghost stories that have screened at Venice’s Giornate degli Autori, Fantastic Fest, Sitges, Toronto, Tokyo, Busan, and garnered recognition as Laos’ first submission to the 90th Academy Awards. Mattie’s dog currently live in Vientiane where she's helping her develop the country’s fledgling film industry. Mattie also has cats, but the little beasts refuse to take direction.

Former travel-guide, copywriter and lawyer, I started my career in television as an editor of tv-movies and series. The turn in life happened in 1994, when I developed together with the Australian
writer Wayne Doyle the first italian soap (‘Un posto al sole’), which started in october
1996 and is still on air. I worked 12 years as co-headwriter and producer and in the meanwhile I dealt with a prime-time cop-series (‘La squadra’) that lasted 8 seasons (221 episodes of 100’ each), another soap (‘Cuori rubati’) and a couple of tv-movies. In 2008 I became headwriter of the soap ‘Agrodolce’.Soon after Rai offered me an employment as an executive in the fiction department.
In this position I deal with the editorial and productive process of various projects (tv-
movies, mini-series, long running series), keeping a strong focus on the narrative Development. The most recent series I’ve worked on are ‘La porta rossa’ (‘The red door’), a paranormal thriller in which the protagonist has to find out who killed him, ‘Di padre in figlia’ (‘From father to daughter’), an intense family saga that takes place in Italy and Brazil, the second season of ‘Non uccidere’ (‘Close murders’), the first Italian ‘Nordic-noir’ and ‘Il cacciatore’ (‘The hunter’), that won the price for the best actor at the recent Canneseries. Now I’m in charge of international coproductions and in this position I worked on the series ‘The name of the rose’ as on ‘Survivors’, a series that is co-developed by Zdf and FranceTv and more recently 'The sea beyond', RaiPlay's biggest success ever with almost 200 mil views. I’m also in charge for RaiFiction's master class for writers who want to work on returning series.

Milad Mesof is a Berlin-based Generative AI Artist working across
film, series, and commercial production. He began his career in 2011
in Berlin, contributing to visual effects and animation pipelines
across international productions, including feature films such as
Cloud Atlas and Beauty and the Beast, as well as numerous German
productions, commercials, and immersive projects.

Since 2022, Milad has focused intensively on generative AI, working at
the intersection of traditional VFX and emerging AI systems. He
contributed to large-scale series production for Amazon, including
House of David, where generative AI was integrated into the visual
pipeline. At The Difference Machine, he works on AI-driven visual
development, animation workflows, and production support for studios
and agencies integrating generative AI into their pipelines.

After completing her MA in Communication Studies, Politics and Literature at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, she worked in marketing at an agency for several years. From 2012 to 2014, she completed a Master’s degree in Film Production at the Hamburg Media School. She began her career as a producer at Polyphon Film- und Fernsehgesellschaft (including ‘Familie Dr. Kleist’ (ARD/Das Erste) and ‘Tempel’ (ZDFneo)). After a year as a freelance editor at NDR and two years as a producer at ndF: neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft (‘Der Ranger – Paradies Heimat’), she worked from 2019 to 2022 for the Studio Hamburg Production Group – Letterbox Filmproduktion and Nordfilm – as a producer (‘Das weiße Schweigen’ (RTL+/Vox), ‘Lehrer kann jeder!’ (ZDF)) and as a producer (‘Schule am Meer’ (ARD/Das Erste)).
Since then, she has been working as a freelance producer and writer. From 2025 to 2026, she also worked as a producer at DCM. Since 2025, she has been Head of Study of the ‘Winterclass Serial Writing and Producing’ at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF and the Erich Pommer Institut.
In 2022, she was awarded the DAfFNE for her work on “Das weiße Schweigen” in the category “Editing, Producing, Dramaturgy”. The film was also nominated for the German Television Award and the Bernd Burgemeister Television Award at the Munich Film Festival (Best Television Film).

Paolo Ciccarelli is a creative and strategic consultant who works with production and distribution companies, global studios, and international institutions. His expertise focuses on scouting, evaluating, and developing scripted content, as well as advising creative talent.
He began his career in 2009 and, after spending several years in London, joined MIA | International Audiovisual Market in 2017 as a consultant for the newly formed TV (Drama) division. In 2023 He was then appointed Head of Drama at MIA, and he now oversees the whole editorial and strategic line of MIA on global drama industry. From 2022 to 2024, Paolo has been serving as a consultant to the development department of the American studio Paramount in Italy, analyzing and evaluating scripted projects for original productions. He also serves as a selection committee member and mentor for various international training institutions developing scripted Contents and Talents.

Patrick is the Executive Producer behind Emmy-winning, Bafta nominated ’Heartstopper’ for Netflix, starring Kit Connor and Joe Locke, which ran for 3 seasons and culminated in a feature-length finale in 2026. Patrick develops bold, fiercely modern series with a strong appeal to young adults and beyond. Working for over 11 years at See-Saw Films, Patrick oversaw an in-house label there called fanboy. In 2026 he joined A24 UK with a focus on high-end returning television. Other credits include ‘Sweetpea’ for Sky Atlantic/Starz, which is due to air its second season in November 2026, starring Ella Purnell, and ‘The Essex Serpent’ for Apple TV+, starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston. Prior to that Patrick developed a wide range of television drama including ‘The North Water’ for BBC Two and ‘Slow Horses’ for Apple TV+.

Since January 2026, Peter Hoffmann now serves as Head of YouTube Social Sales at Google, overseeing partnerships between companies, agencies, and YouTube Creators in the DACH region. He started at Google in 2013, spending many years leading relationships with some of the largest agency groups. With over 25 years of experience in the German agency and media landscape, his career includes positions at Axel Springer, OMD, Carat, and Publicis. From 2023 to 2025, he was also a member of the main Effie Awards jury.

Rahul is a Principal Analyst at the research company Ampere Analysis. He leads Ampere’s AVoD content tracking product and works within the Analytics team to evaluate trends, popularity, and distribution in the global Video on Demand market. Rahul’s research covers a diverse range of areas, such as the content and expansion strategies of VoD platforms, approaches to content releasing and timing, the value of IP ownership, and distribution window patterns across the theatrical, broadcast TV and OTT spaces.

A former Emergency Room doctor turned multi award-winning writer, Samuel is the Head Writer and Co-Creator of the landmark television series, KRANK BERLIN (BERLIN ER) for AppleTV+ and ZdFneo. He is a Co-Founder of groundbreaking new company, BRAINS NARRATIVE STUDIO, and is deeply passionate about exploring the future of storytelling and building new ways to meaningfully engage with audiences. He is a recipient of the Grimme Preis 2026.

Silke Bacher, agent and founder of the Berlin-based Homebase Künstleragentur, began her professional career as a film producer. Among other projects, she produced the feature film Wholetrain, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a 4K remastered version and is once again touring internationally.

For the past 14 years, Silke Bacher has represented directors and writers and supported them throughout their careers. She has built long-standing creative partnerships with talents such as Nora Fingscheidt, Katie Eyssen, Martin Behnke, Burhan Qurbani and many others, often working with them from the very beginning of their careers.

Silke Bacher sees Homebase Künstleragentur as a carefully curated boutique agency focused on close exchange and personal relationships with each individual artist. Starting with just a handful of talents, the agency has grown over the years and now includes two additional agents representing artists in screenwriting, directing and cinematography.

Since 2021, Silke Bacher has also been involved with changemakers.film, an initiative advocating for green shooting practices and social justice within the film industry.

The producer and format developer has more than two decades of experience in the development and production of scripted and unscripted formats. After working for companies including ProSieben, Odeon Entertainment and filmpool Entertainment, she returned to Constantin Entertainment in 2024.

Her current focus is on the development and production of vertical drama formats as well as new forms of storytelling at the intersection of traditional television, streaming and mobile entertainment.

Sophie Passmann, 1994 geboren, ist Autorin, Satirikerin und Moderatorin. Ihr Buch »Alte weiße Männer« stand wochenlang auf der SPIEGEL-Bestsellerliste, »Komplett Gänsehaut« und »Pick me Girls« stiegen sofort auf Platz 1 ein. Das Theaterstück zu »Pick Me Girls« von und mit Sophie Passmann wird seit mehr als einem Jahr am Berliner Ensemble aufgeführt – jede Aufführung ist in kurzer Zeit ausverkauft. Ihr Solo-Podcast »Der Sophie Passmann Podcast« ist ein riesiger Erfolg und erreicht seit März 2025 wöchentlich eine große und treue Hörer:innenschaft über Streamingplattformen und YouTube.

Sophya Kallista Frohberg is a Berlin-based producer, programmer, and lecturer of Haitian descent. She studied publishing and journalism at Freie Universität Berlin and theatre, film and media studies at the University of Vienna.
She began her career in festival programming and coordination, including at the Berlinale and the Queer Minorities Film Festival Vienna, before moving into production. At Studio Zentral, she served as Development Producer for Angemessen Angry (Supermad) which received both the Grimme Prize and the Televisionale Award.
Today, Sophya is part of the team at Letterbox Filmproduktion in Hamburg, developing film and television projects with a focus on intersectional storytelling. Alongside her production work, she works as a freelance sensitivity reader and serves on the board of the Black Filmmakers Association Germany.

Tereza has extensive experience in the field of television development and production. Before her engagement at Czech Television, she worked as a producer and a Head of Development and Production at HBO Europe from 2010 to 2022.
At Czech Television, she is responsible for the selection and development of new drama content. In her role, she is also responsible for international coproductions.
Tereza plays a key role in shaping the content strategy of Czech Television, and her work has a significant impact on the quality and diversity of television production.

Since 2022, Thomas Gammeltoft has been heading the EU supported pilot initiative, European Writers Club/EWC, which he initiated and built together with industry executives from 12 European countries. He comes from a background in executive producing feature films, tv series and documentaries within various company setups, amongst these Fine & Mellow A/S, which he founded with Nordisk Fillm Distribution in 2002. He has gained more than 30 wins internationally and in Denmark for his various works including the box office hits Shake It All About, Stealing Rembrandt and Terribly Happy (Danish Oscar contender 2011). In 2013, he was appointed to build and manage Copenhagen Film Fund, the first capital fund in Denmark in which he funded titles like The Danish Girl, The House that Jack Built and The Bridge. Thomas Gammeltoft has strong expertise in alliance and network building, strategic public-private partnerships and creative leadership with a strong interest in safeguarding the European democratic values.

Tobi de Graaff is responsible for Sky Studios’ scripted and non-scripted partnerships, including co-productions and pre-sales for Sky Originals, as well as managing the relationship with NBCUniversal Global Distribution for tape sales. He works closely with editorial and commissioning teams across the UK and Italy and leads the scripted and non-scripted teams within Partnerships.

de Graaff joined Sky Studios from Beiboot Representation, the development, packaging and financing firm he founded in 2020. Prior to launching Beiboot, de Graaff joined BBC Studios as EVP of Western Europe, where he led TV distribution, production and channels. Later becoming Director of Commissioning and Co-Production, with a focus on collaborating with producers to determine funding strategies and execute global sales plans for key titles.

Tobias Schiwek is the CEO in charge of We Are Era’s international operations. Following the merger and acquisition of over six leading companies and a Europe-wide rebranding, he has transformed We Are Era into Europe’s largest community economy company. Under his leadership, the VideoDays Festival was revived and is now regarded as the largest community economy event in the DACH region. Today, the company employs 400 staff across eight locations in Europe. As the shortest route to any community, We Are Era brings together reach, talent, data and content under one roof. We Are Era helps brands, platforms, NGOs and broadcasters achieve cultural relevance across communities and subcultures, spanning markets and platforms. Previously, Schiwek was Chief Digital Officer at UFA and Managing Director of the digital studio UFA X, which is now part of We Are Era. Before joining Germany’s best-known production company, UFA, the digital strategist founded various start-ups in the media industry and advised established sectors on digital transformation (the publishing industry, telecommunications and insurance). In addition, he has been active as a business angel and mentor for various international start-ups. As a university lecturer, he regularly speaks on the topics of entrepreneurship and digital transformation. Schiwek studied political science and business administration in Mannheim and Milan.

Ulla Heikkilä is a Helsinki-based screenwriter and director working across film and television. She has directed three TV series, most recently the short-form comedy Atlantis Pasila (YLE, 2026), which had its international premiere at Series Mania. Her television directing credits also include the drama Are We Still Us (Eroja ja sovintoja, Elisa Viihde, 2023) and the second season of the coming-of-age series Alpha (Luuserit, YLE, 2022). Heikkilä has worked as a staff writer and script consultant on a number of television series. She has also written and directed two feature films, Eden (2020) and Summer Is Crazy (2025), as well as several short films screened at international film festivals. Her work often explores family relations and group dynamics. She is drawn to rites of passage, parties and festivities as moments that bring people together.

Wero Rodowicz is a Polish-French, Zurich-based director, series creator and creative producer working internationally across film and television. She is the creator and director of the Sky Original Beach Sisters and was Creative Producer of The Zweiflers, winner of Best Series at Canneseries and Prix Europa. Previously, she worked in the creative development team of a leading global streaming platform. Her current slate includes the series Who’s Burning Now? with UFA Fiction, a documentary feature with Annie Leibovitz about her time and work in India, series with FEF Studios in India, and her feature The Institute, developed under the mentorship of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino in Patagonia.
A graduate of ZHdK Film Directing MA and UdK Berlin MA ( Communication in Social and Economical Context ), Rodowicz is also the founder of Let’s Plant Stories, an international storytelling platform and community.

Yolanda Rother (she/her) is co-founder of The Impact Company. She moderates and speaks on topics related to digital society, politics and open government, diversity and sustainability. The Berlin native is a graduate (Master of Public Policy) of the Hertie School and has lived in Brazil, France and the United States.