IndustryMentoring scheme

The UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership programme is a 12-month cross-sector, pan-European mentoring scheme for women in cinema exhibition. The programme is rooted in the belief that gender-balanced leadership in cinema exhibition is imperative for business success, better governance and more equity in the industry.

Our key long-term objective is to broaden and deepen the talent pool for leadership in our sector and promote a culture of change within the industry that values growth and equal opportunities.

The initial pilot was launched at CineEurope 2017 to provide ‘up and coming’ female cinema professionals with the unique opportunity to receive one-to-one career advice and guidance from a female senior industry executive recognised for her leadership and business success across the wider cinema landscape. The pilot was warmly welcomed by the industry and is now successfully rolling. Additional information on the programme is available here.

The UNIC Women´s Cinema Leadership Programme was awarded the FECE 2023 Award in the category of SPECIAL MENTION TO INITIATIVE.

As joint sponsorship partners, Vista Group and IMAX Corporation are supporting UNIC’s mission to achieve a more diverse and inclusive cinema industry.

Please find below the full list of mentors and mentees that have taken part in the scheme.
 

Champions of the UNIC Women's Cinema Leadership Programme

 

 

Edna Epelbaum

CEO of Cinevital, Cinepel, Cinemont, Quinnie; President of the Swiss Cinema Operators' Association; Vice-President of UNIC

Montse Gil

Vice-President General Manager of Paramount Pictures, Spain

Veronica Lindholm

Managing Director of Finnkino

Corinne Thibaut

International Director, Cinema & Leisure at Coca-Cola

Dee Vassili

Executive Director, Group HR at Vue International

Sarah Lewthwaite

Managing Director, Senior Vice President EMEA Region at Movio

Edna Epelbaum

CEO of Cinevital, Cinepel, Cinemont, Quinnie; President of the Swiss Cinema Operators' Association; Vice-President of UNIC

Susanna Hermida Barbato

Executive Board Member at NOS Audiovisuais

Elisabeth Halvorsen

Chief Executive Officer of Bergen Kino

Clare Binns

Joint Managing Director at Picturehouse Cinemas & Picturehouse Entertainment

Mariam El Bacha

Chief Executive Officer of Cinepax Cinemas

Sarah Lewthwaite

Managing Director, Senior Vice President EMEA Region at Movio

Daniella Koot

Director Theatre Programming at Pathé Netherlands

Sofie Braet

COO of Cinionic

Nathalie Cieutat

Director of Programming at Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont

Helena Eklund

CMO, Marketing at Filmstaden

Cathy Huis in 't veld-Esser

CTO/Co-Owner of Gofilex

Petra Rockenfeller

Manager at Lichtburg Filmpalast

Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen

Chief Executive Officer of Novo Cinemas

Olga Zinyakova

President, KARO Cinema Chain

Eva Maria Valles Novel

HR Director, Spain & Portugal at Cinesa

Nathalie Cieutat

Director of Programming, Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont

Anne Fitzgerald

Chief Legal Officer and EVP, Real Estate, Cineplex

Norma Garcia-Muro

Head of Industry and Cinema Marketing at THX

Kate Gerova 

Marketing & Brand Director, Curzon

Jadranka Islamovic

CEO and Member of the Board, Blitz-CineStar

Grainne Peat

Managing Director, Event Cinema Association

Kaisa Rakemaa

Head of Sales, B2B at Finnkino

Géke Roelink

Managing Director of Filmhuis Den Haag

Bettina Schmidt

COO, KITAG CINEMAS

Greta Bisetto-Donelan

Global Director of Content Distribution, GENERATION MEDIA

Nuria Bronfman

Executive Director, Movie Theatre Association of Canada

Seneit Debese

Founder & CEO, Greta & Starks

Kassandra Dommisse-Reebergen

Country Manager Operations, Kinepolis The Netherlands

Daniela Elstner

Executive Director, UniFrance Film International

Yit-Ching Lee

Vice President EMEA, Paramount Pictures

Hannele Marjavaara

Cinema Manager, Kino Tapiola, Espoo, Finland

Norma Garcia-Muro

VP, Marketing, Kaleidescape

Zvjezdana Pavić

Director of Finance and Accounting, Blitz-CineStar

Bettina Schmidt

Head of Operations Cinema, blue Entertainment, Switzerland

Inés Trementino

Operations Director, Cinépolis Argentina

Claire Beswick

Founder & Director, Living Room Cinema, UK

Yuki Fonteyne

Sales Manager Benelux & Nordics, Cinionic, Belgium

Lucy Jones

Executive Director, Comscore Movies, UK

Jannicke Haugen

CEO, Nordisk Film Kino, Norway

Suzanna Holmqvist

CMO, Svenska Bio, Sweden

Magdalena Lewicka

Management Board Member/Finance Director, Multikino, Poland

Maddy Probst

Managing Producer, Watershed, UK

Eva Rekettyei

Programming Director, Yelmo Cines, Spain

Mette Schram

CEO, Empire Bio,Manager, Reprise Teatret
CEO and Owner, Reel Pictures, Denmark

Donna Tsvetkova

SVP of Commercial and Ecommerce, Cineworld Group, UK

Kezia Williams

Managing Director, eOne Film, UK

Tanya Easterman

Founder, Daiku, UK

Patricia Edeline

Chief Operating Officer & Booking Manager, Sociedad Cinematográfica de Centros Comerciales, Spain

Christine Eloy

Managing Director, Europa Distribution, Belgium

Elisabetta Hoch

Regional Operations Manager, UCI Cinemas (Odeon Cinemas Group), Italy

Marilyn Iacovissi

Operational & Commercial Director, The Boxoffice Company, France

Marta Kowalska

Studio and Integrated Marketing, Director Spain and Portugal, The Walt Disney Studios, Spain

Helen Moss

SVP International Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, USA

Renate Scheliga

General Manager, Maccs & Numero, Vista Group, Germany & Austria

Jenny Sidorova

Head of Marketing, DX, Norway

Alina Sigaro

VP EMEA Distribution, Universal Pictures International, UK

Delfine Van Boxlaer

Director of Talent and People, Cinionic, Belgium

Kristina Warner

VP Global Content Acquisition, D-BOX Technologies, Canada

Georgina Broadhurst

Head of Corporate Sales & Advertising at Vue International

Maria Galvez

Head of HR at Yelmo Cines

Magdalena Lewicka

Finance and Reporting Director at Multikino S.A.  

Sandrine Liscia

Manager of theaters in Neuchâtel, Cinepel

Lucie Morvan

Assistant to the CEO at Yorck-Kino

Gráinne Peat

Policy Executive at UK Cinema Association

Lucia Anglade

Regional Cinema Operations Director at Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé

Marieke Jonker

Head of Content at Vue Netherlands 

Delia Kyburz

Head of Marketing and Events at Youcinema

Anna Malaret

Real Estate Director, Southern Europe at Cinesa 

Sharon Reid

Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Cinema First Limited

Valerie Thoen

International Human Capital Director at Kinepolis

Laura Weber

Chief Executive Officer at Cinecitta Multiplexkino

Angeliki Angelidou

Cinema Manager at Cineplexx Multiplexx Thessaloniki

Sévrine Breil

Regional Director at Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont

Susanne Fläxl

Managing Director at Cineplex Neufahrn

Anna Grunert

Market analyst at Helios

Louise McKenzie

UK Operations Director at Webedia Movies Pro

Alessandra Pavan Bernacchi

Senior Manager, Theatre Development, UK and Africa at IMAX

Rochelle Shanthakumar

CRM Campaign Manager at ODEON Cinemas Group

Hanna Szczepkowska

Management Assistant at Arsenal Cinema Tübingen

Clarissa Bergh

Cinema Director, Lillehammer Cinema

Rachel Bland

Screen Content Manager, VUE Entertainment

Monika Giełżecka

IT & Cinema Technology Manager, Multikino Group

Johanna Herfter

Manager Statistics and Research, Rentrak Germany/Comscore Inc.

Valeria Kurohtina

Group Programme Manager, CINAMON

Madelene Lorentzsson

Film Booker, Svenska Bio

Laura Mancilla

Brand Manager EMEA, Searchlight Pictures / Disney

Anna Paprocka

Group Content Manager, ODEON Cinemas Group

Olivia Taylor

Senior Marketing Manager, EMEA, IMAX

Nevena Brašanac

Booking & Exhibition Manager, CINEPLEXX INTERNATIONAL, Serbia

Nisha Denton

Head of Screen Content, CinemaxX, Germany

Patricia Edeline F. Antunes

COO and Booking Manager, Sociedad Cinematográfica de Centros Comerciales, SA, Spain

Elisabetta Hoch

General Manager, UCI Cinemas Bicocca Milan, Italy 

Natalia Mackiewicz

Cinema Programmer, Kinokawiarnia Stacja Falenica, Poland

Chloe Monteiro

Account Manager, EMEA, Movio

Boglárka Nagy

General Delegate, International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas (CICAE)

Charlotte F. Neumann

Senior Film Booking Manager, ODEON Kino Norway

Ogbonna Nkemakolam Chizoma

Business & Operations Manager, Filmhouse Cinema, Nigeria

Julia Vinokurova

Operations Management Consultant EMEAR, RealD 

Becky Tobin

Regional Manager, Curzon, UK

Viviane Bonga Segnou

Digital Operations Manager, The Boxoffice Company, France

Gemma Deane

Group Head of HR, Vue International, UK

Linn Fingalsson

Associate Manager, EMEA Marketing, IMAX, UK

Christina Flourentzou

Operations Manager, Curzon, UK

Gvantsa Garmelia

Marketing Director, Cavea, Georgia

Sarah Hofmann

Development & Real Estate Manager, UCI Multiplex, Germany

Blerina Pashollari

Cinema Manager & Digital Marketing Manager, Mastercine, Italy

Katharina Phebey

Head of Marketing & Content/ Member of the Management Board, Kinopolis, Germany

Mirona Radu

Film Programmer & Coordinator, Peasant Museum Cinema, Romania
Festival Director & Founder, Film O'Clock International Festival, Romania

Michelle Stevens

Commercial Director, Powster, UK

Imke van Schaaijk

PR & Communication Manager, Pathé NL, Netherlands

Pia Ardovino

Media & Partnership Manager, The Space Cinema (Vue International), Italy

Sandra Bakula

International Marketing Manager, Cineplexx, Austria

Charline Baudry-Biancarelli

VP Global Marketing and Partnerships Strategy ICE Theaters, France

Melissa Delft

Senior Manager Business Intelligence, Cinionic, Belgium

Isabel García

Commercial Director, ACEC Cines, Spain

Lauren Greene

Business Development Director, EMEA, Movio, UK

Elena Martinez Peláez

Senior Film Booker, Odeon Cinemas Group, UK

María Moro

Legal Head, Cine Yelmo, Spain

Hana Peoples

Film Industry Researcher, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany

Pilar Sierra Artieda

General Secretary, Gremi de Cinemes de Catalunya, Spain

Maria Sweeney

Group Chief Communications Officer, Showtime Group Solutions, Ireland

Zsófia Varga

Film Programmer, Everyman Group, UK