Women working in the audiovisual industries across the Baltic states are invited to apply for the fifth edition of the “Baltic Women in Film Mentorship” programme. This initiative is the only one of its kind in the region, specifically designed to support emerging talent across a range of film and audiovisual industry roles. The programme aims to foster professional growth, enhance competencies, and empower participants to develop new audiovisual projects. Organised by Lithuanian Short Film Agency “Lithuanian Shorts”, the upcoming edition will run from October 2025 to April 2026.
Published: 19.06.2025.
Applications are now open for women under 30 years old, from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, who are looking to deepen their knowledge, enhance their professional development, or explore a career shift within the audiovisual industry. The programme emphasizes cross-border institutional and professional connection and collaboration, aiming to cultivate a dynamic and inclusive network of women filmmakers in the Baltic region. Through mentorship activities and exchange of experiences, the initiative contributes to building a forward-looking community prioritising gender equality. The application deadline is August 10.
Each year, 15 participants are selected and matched with individual mentors — experienced professionals from the Baltic film and audiovisual industries. In addition to mentorship, participants also attend monthly online gatherings with industry guests, take part in seminars focused on leadership, self-promotion, and mental health. Also, mentees participate in main Baltic film industry events during Riga International Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Vilnius Short Film Festival, and Vilnius International Film Festival “Kino Pavasaris”. Additionally, each participant receives a one-year membership of the European Women’s Audiovisual Network (EWA, Belgium).
Over its four previous editions, the programme has fostered a vibrant and supportive community of women from diverse professional backgrounds across the Baltic audiovisual industries. Mentees and mentors formed lasting professional relationships, initiated successful film projects, and contributed meaningfully to the development of a stronger regional network. A notable example from the second edition highlights the collaboration between Estonian mentee Anna-Maria Jams and Lithuanian mentor Dominyka Adomaitytė, both foley artists, whose connection is a perfect example of the programme's cross-border impact.
“I’m happy we were able to openly share not just our success stories but also the challenges we’ve faced in our professional paths. Right now, we’re both looking into the possibility of setting up the first dedicated foley studios in our countries, and we hope to collaborate on larger projects in the future. We even had the idea to visit our foley guru, Heikki Kossi, together in San Francisco,” shares mentor Dominyka Adomaitytė.
The Baltic Women in Film Mentorship programme is organized by “Lithuanian Shorts” in partnership with Women in Film & Television Lithuania, Riga International Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Vilnius Short Film Festival, Vilnius International Film Festival Kino Pavasaris, and European Women’s Audiovisual Network. The programme is supported by the Nordic-Baltic
Mobility Programme for Culture of Nordic Culture Point , the Lithuanian Council of Culture, and the Audiovisual Works Copyright Association AVAKA.
More information, programme guidelines and the application form.
Contact:
Gabrielė Vaičiūnaitė, Programme Coordinator