Promoting an equal and diverse society is central to the Council of Europe’s mission: safeguarding human rights, upholding democracy and preserving the rule of law.

In line with these values, Eurimages has addressed gender equality in the film industry since 2012, adopting three Gender Equality Strategies: 2016-2017, 2018-2020 and 2021-2023 (prolonged for the year 2024) to promote the role of women on and off screen.

A first strategy for diversity and inclusion in the European film industry covering the period 2022-2024 , was adopted by the Eurimages Board of Management on 1 July 2022, further reinforcing the Fund’s commitment to promote a wider spectrum of film professionals and projects.

Building on this commitment, at its meeting in Lucerne (Switzerland) on 6 December 2024, the Board of Management of Eurimages adopted its first integrated strategy for gender equality, diversity and inclusion (2025-2027).

This unified strategy reaffirms Eurimages’ dedication to a fostering an inclusive, representative, and equitable film landscape where both the film sector and the works on offer reflect society as a whole. 

The Eurimages Board of Management has set up a Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, made up of representatives from several Eurimages member States.

The Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Working Group (formerly the Gender Equality Working Group) is responsible for the implementation of Eurimages’ GEDI strategy and advises the Board of Management on priorities and good practice.

The Working Group is composed of representatives from several member States of the Fund that meet three times a year. The Chair and Vice‑Chair are drawn from the member state representatives.

If you are interested in following the Working Groups activities, subscribe to the Eurimages’ Newsletter on Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here. The newsletter is published from 2025 on, once or twice per year.

 

Policy in Action: Advancing Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 

 

 Expanded Support for Female Directors

Since January 2022, Eurimages has increased the maximum share of co production support for fiction and animation projects directed or co directed by women from 17% to 25% of the total production cost as is the case for all documentary projects. The maximum amount per project remains capped at €500,000. 

In addition, the Fund encourages experts evaluating the projects to take into account the gender of the director in their final recommendation of the projects for co-production support

 

  Aiming for 50/50

A key objective of the Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy is to achieve equal distribution of co-production funding between female and male directors. Since adopting its 50/50 gender parity goal in 2018, the Fund has made substantial progress toward more balanced support.

As the current GEDI Strategy highlights, Eurimages, as a top financier with a strong focus on promoting gender equality, is especially well-positioned to make a meaningful impact. You can view below the latest figures on gender parity:

Share of supported projects by gender of director (2012-2025)


 

 Voluntary Reporting on Diversity and Inclusion

Since 2024, applicants to the Fund’s co-production support scheme are encouraged to include information on diversity and inclusion in their application, on a voluntary basis and if appropriate. Producers may choose to describe in their producer’s note the working process and the commitment of the team towards diversity and inclusion in all possible areas of impact of the project.
 

 Strategic objectives

The Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group (GEDIWG), made up of representatives from several Eurimages member States, leads the strategy to reduce inequalities in the film industry by promoting women’s roles on and off screen and advancing diversity and inclusion.

To achieve this goal, Eurimages has committed itself to targeted initiatives, drawing on the following operational goals:

  1. Contribute to increasing the presence of women in the industry by:
  1. attracting more female-driven projects;
  2. showcasing their achievements.
  1. Promote diversity and inclusion in the industry by showcasing more inclusive film projects.
  2. Continue raising awareness of various types of inequality across the film industry, with a focus on gender and minority representation. Efforts should address both on-screen and off-screen inclusion, equitable access to resources, and fair peer recognition.
  3. Continue to increase the visibility of the best-practice work and measures carried out by national and international bodies and by Eurimages to promote diversity, inclusion and audience accessibility.
  4. Carry out, where possible, and promote data monitoring, if available, gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and foster the systematic sharing of findings.
  5. Sponsor and offer patronage to initiatives promoting gender equality, diversity and inclusion and support research on these subjects.
  6. Mainstream gender, diversity and inclusion across the Fund and across decision-making.