Susan Liddy, President of Women in Film and Television Ireland, and Nikki Cole, professional writer, director and producer.
Nikki Cole, an entertainment professional who writes, directs, and produces shows for leading production studios, reflects on her experience attending the Women in Film and Television International Summit (WIFTI) in Helsinki, Finland.
The summit was held in late September for three days and was hosted at Hanasaari-Hanaholmen, a Finnish island known for its seaside and forest views and cultural center. The island is focused on sustainable living, making it a serene, yet eco-conscious getaway for guests.
WIFTI invited hundreds of guests to speak on pressing topics surrounding women and the film industry worldwide. Considering strikes in the United States, and similar conflicts internationally, there were many conversations to be had. The summit organized round tables where attendees could speak with researchers about relevant topics, and share tips on the perspectives from their own countries. Some of the subjects included AI, gender inequality and ageism, how to integrate gender-inclusive language, culture wars,climate change, sustainability, and Bollywood, Nollywood, and Hollywood. Guests were encouraged to suggest their own topics or create ‘no-topic’ tables where general conversations could occur.
Nikki Cole listened to many of these panels and specifically participated in the ageism session. As an entertainment professional who has been creating award-winning films and TV series for quite some time, she recognizes how big of a problem it is. Nikki is a member of several women’s equity groups focused on increasing gender and age diversity within film and television. She mentors for Women In Film and Television Toronto and is a member of multiple guilds and non-profits such as The Director’s Guild of Canada, Alliance of Women Directors, Women In the Director’s Chair, the CMPA, Film Fatales, Greenlight Women, and WIF LA.
Nikki was immensely grateful to attend the WFTI summit as she was the recipient of a travel grant from The Canada Council for the Arts. Recent times have been difficult for her as the industry and its creatives are grappling with strikes and a reduction in available work. Nikki finds the silver lining in these experiences, while she looks forward to the projects she is currently working on being green-lit.
“I’ve been to Helsinki before,” says Nikki Cole, “However, attending the Women in Film and Television International Summit (WIFTI) was a one-of-a-kind experience. I was overjoyed to join the diverse and inclusive atmosphere with many other talented professionals including non-binary participants and male allies. It was especially eye-opening to speak with internationally respected leaders from all over the planet, including representatives from Botswana, Jamaica, Israel, and the Northern Sammi indigenous people. The summit was full of surprises including daily saunas, amazing food, art walks, an opera performance, and an emotional handover from outgoing founder and president Helene Granqvist to incoming president Susan Liddy. I so look forward to furthering and strengthening the relationships I made there.”
In the future, Nikki plans to continue promoting messages of diversity and inclusion while continuing to develop, produce, and direct her own films and series, and collaborating with partners in the film and television industry.