ProPro: The Producers Programme for Women
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ProPro is a comprehensive programme tailored to support and advance women in the producer or other leadership role within the European film industry. A week-long, immersive workshop in Vienna is followed by individual mentorship sessions. The programme is tailor-made to the concrete needs of specific participants, who gain practical skills in leadership and team management, define their unique selling points for their projects as well as companies, master negotiation, and enhance presentation skills. Participants choose a focus on project-development or company strategy.

Producers who apply to the program with a specific film- or tv- project, will be able to work on its further development, led by mentorship of international established women producers, and concrete examples and case studies. All participants will explore strategic business models, financing, and marketing approaches, positioning themselves effectively in the evolving film production landscape, through hands-on sessions. 

 

A key focus is on industry insight, including a deep dive into system analysis, networking, and learning from the careers of successful women producers. Participants receive personalised mentorship from top international women producers and experts through group sessions, one-on-one meetings, and two follow-up sessions. Public events, panels, and lectures open parts of the program to a wider industry audience, sharing valuable expertise, sparking dialogue, and building connections.



Venue Location:

WKW Haus der Wiener Wirtschaft
Straße der Wiener Wirtschaft 1

Vienna

Application Deadline:

24 February 2025

Course Outline

Tailor-made to the individual priorities of the selected group, the ProPro portfolio of topics includes:

  • Leadership & Company Management: Develop essential skills in team management, strategic planning, and effective decision-making for sustainable growth.
  • Positioning & Marketing: Define your unique selling points, refine your marketing approach, and strengthen communication strategies.
  • Presentation & Negotiation Skills: Master techniques for impactful personal and project presentations, as well as negotiation.
  • Business Models & Financing: Explore innovative business models, financing strategies, and collaboration structures.

Networking & Industry Insight: Build connections with key industry players and gain insider knowledge on the European film landscape.

Take-Aways

Encouragement to think big!

  • Career development and Leadership skills: personal mission statement, effective strategies for decision-making and negotiation techniques, sustainable growth goal setting, resilience to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship and leadership, female-specific social pressures and issues tackling.

Get inspired to innovate and explore!

  •   Company Management and Business Skills: strategic planning tools, financial management, innovations such as new financing opportunities, alternative business models, smart collaboration structures.

Invaluable industry insights!

  •   Industry professionalism: industry trends & challenges, inspiring case studies, navigating & shaping the European production landscape, various aspects of production (script-development, packaging and pitching, co-production, distribution, …)

Create meaningful connections!

  •   Networking Opportunities: Meet outstanding women personalities of the industry, foster a supportive community of like-minded professionals, meet international mentors, experienced experts, useful institutional contacts. Explore potential collaboration opportunities.

Fee Info

Early Bird Rate:

Regular Course Fee:

*For more information regarding fees please visit: Pro Pro Participation

**Through collaborations with our partner-institutions, the participation-fee is waived.

Who is it for?

Applications are open to women producers with a minimum experience of 5 years in the field for participation with a project (feature-length fiction, documentary or series). Or, if company owners/CEOs, they can choose to work on their business.

Also open to women entrepreneurs from other areas who work closely with producers, like distribution, sales, PR, studios, …
Applicants should be ready for or already engaged in international collaborations. 

ProPro Alumnae can reapply if their professional situation has significantly changed since they participated.

Applications are welcome from individuals of all nationalities

Course Directors

Esther Krausz

Esther Krausz

Course Director - Pro Pro | 2025 Managing Director of the International Screen Institute | International Screen Institute

Esther has been working in the European film industry in the fields of funding, training, professional development and networking. Before joining the International Screen Institute in February 2024, she was head of the Creative Europe-MEDIA Desk in the Austrian Film Institute. Esther has developed and managed ProPro – The Producers Programme for Women – An initiative of the Austrian Film Institute to Empower Women Film Producers, together with Ursula Wolschlager. She has been a guest lecturer on the European film industry at the film-, tv,- and media-production colleges Krems, St. Pölten and Vienna, and a jury-member at various film-festivals throughout Europe. Committed to the professionalisation of the film industry and the facilitation of networking and collaboration opportunities, Esther took part in numerous workshops, congresses and labs on topics such as screenwriting and project development, financing, pitching, production, co-production, film sales and marketing.

Tereza Šimíková

Tereza Šimíková

Course Director - Pro Pro | 2025 Filmmaker and Producer

Tereza is a filmmaker, producer and consultant with a documentary directing degree from FAMU, a former Head of Industry at CPH:DOX, East Doc Platform, and Program Manager of dok.incubator. Alongside her other employments, Tereza has been serving as the International Program Consultant of Chicken and Egg Pictures since 2016, and as a mentor and program advisor of various trainings, funds, and festivals, such as EAVE, Documentary Campus, Doc Society, IDFA, Ex Oriente, Doc Lab Poland, Doc Lab TLV.

Klara Pollak

Klara Pollak

Course Director - Pro Pro | 2025 Producer | Freibeuterfilm

Klara Pollak is a producer working at Vienna-based Freibeuterfilm, on the debut features WHO IS AFRAID OF GOD? (dir. Rosa Friedrich), developed at Torino Script Lab; ADVENT (dir. Lorenz Tröbinger) and SOLDIER (dir. Vivian Bausch), selected for Talent LAB 2024.

As an independent producer, she has successfully collaborated with filmmaker Antoinette Zwirchmayr on several avant-garde films, including IN THE SHADOW OF UTOPIA, which premiered at Berlinale 2018; DEAR DARKNESS, which had its world premiere at CPH 2022 in Copenhagen; and LAND WITHOUT WORDS invited to FID Marseille 2024.

She is a graduate of the MAIA Workshop Program and a EAVE Marketing Alumni.

Alongside her career in production, she is part of the management team of ProPro Producers Programme for Women, a training workshop and initiative by the Austrian Film Institute for female film producers.

Speakers

The mentors, as well as many experts, are hand-picked for the individual needs of the respective participants and their projects. Our previous editions featured Linda Beath (Canada/Italy), producer Bettina Brokemper (Germany), Gabriela Bacher (USA, Germany), script editor Kate Leys (UK), strategist Colleen Keegan (USA), journalist, film festival consultant Wendy Mitchell (UK), producer Paula Vaccaro (UK, Italy), psychologist Katherine Dennis Gonzalez, and many more. 

The list of 2025 experts and mentors coming soon!



Katherine Dennis Gonzalez

Katherine Dennis Gonzalez

Speaker - Sustainability Management | 2024 Psychotherapist / Social Sustainability Consultant | Expanding Circles

Katherine Dennis Gonzalez is a psychotherapist, social sustainability, and mental health consultant specialising in leadership development. With a background in clinical psychology, neurodevelopment, and philosophy, she focuses on liberatory psychology through an intersectional, politically informed, and ecologically mindful lens. Based in Berlin, Katherine works with international artists, writers, and leaders, offering expertise in leadership consulting and management strategies that foster mental well-being and social sustainability.

Katharine Leys

Katharine Leys

Speaker - ProPro | 2025 Script & Story Editor

KATE LEYS is a script and story editor. She has worked on feature films and TV series all over the world. She has also worked on documentaries, animation, short films, audio and occasionally theatre. Recent films include TORNADO (in post); DREAMERS (in post); WORKMATES (in post); MR K (Toronto 2024); SKY PEALS (Venice 2023); THE UNBORN BIRO (Sundance 2023); JE’VIDA (Tribeca 2023); FADIA’S TREE (London 22); HARKA (Cannes 22); MILLIE LIES LOW (Berlin and SXSW 2022); DO NOT HESITATE (Tribeca 2021); DREAM HORSE (Sundance 2020). She speaks at film organisations, film schools and festivals all over the world.

Bettina Brokemper

Bettina Brokemper

Speaker - ProPro | 2025 Producer / Managing Director | Heimatfilm GmbH + CO KG

Bettina Brokemper, owner of Cologne-based Heimatfilm, has (co-)produced over 50 films, incl. von Trier’s DOGVILLE and ANTICHRIST, Eran Riklis’ THE SYRIAN BRIDE, Berlinale winner BAL, Margarethe von Trotta’s HANNAH ARENDT and recently LA MORT VIENDRA by Christoph Hochhäusler. Her films premiered at major festivals worldwide and received over 100 awards. Brokemper is a member of the European Film Academy, former Berlinale jury member, and lecturer. Honored with Prix Eurimages, she was named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s 40 most powerful women in international film in 2023 and 2024.

Partners

The Austrian Film Institute

Vienna Economic Chamber – The professional representative association for the film and music industry.

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