Elise Jalladeau has been appointed executive director of Eurimages, the Council of Europe’s cultural fund supporting independent film co-production. She will take up her new position on 1 October 2026, succeeding Susan Newman Baudais, who is retiring after serving as the fund’s executive director since 2022.

Jalladeau joins Eurimages from the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, where she has served as general director since 2016. In this role, she has overseen the organisation’s two major annual festivals – the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – as well as their associated industry activities, four year-round cinemas and the Thessaloniki Film Museum, including its educational programmes.

Her professional background also includes extensive experience as a producer and trainer, with a particular focus on international co-production. She began her producing career in the 1990s, working with filmmakers including Rodrigo Moreno, Ildikó Enyedi, Jia Zhangke, Darezhan Omirbaev, Jérôme Bonnell, Petr Václav and Martin Rejtman. She subsequently created and led the Produire au Sud workshop and headed EAVE’s Ties That Bind programme from 2010-2016.

In her first statement following the appointment, Jalladeau said: “It is an honour and a privilege for me to join Eurimages, a unique institution that has championed the values of the Council of Europe for almost 40 years. Co-production is a funding and circulation tool, but also a precious lever for co-operation: today, Eurimages brings together 40 member states that, united around these values, help shape the future of moving images and foster an independent audiovisual ecosystem based on sustainability, diversity and creativity.”

Roberto Cicutto, president of Eurimages, welcomed the appointment, noting: “Together with the board of Eurimages, I look forward to welcoming our new executive director and working with her as she takes up her responsibilities. Piloting effective delivery of the fund’s financial support, fostering effective governance and ensuring smooth co-operation across all areas of the fund’s activities will be central to the role.”

Established in 1988, Eurimages currently brings together 40 member states and supports international film co-production alongside initiatives in areas including exhibition, film marketing, audience development and the promotion of co-production. The fund has supported more than 2,600 international co-productions since its creation.

Jalladeau will succeed Susan Newman Baudais, who became executive director in March 2022 after having worked at Eurimages since 2012. Newman Baudais initially joined the fund as a project manager, before becoming head of its co-production support programme in 2020 and subsequently taking over its executive leadership.

The appointment comes as Eurimages continues to operate through a network of 40 member states, with its secretariat based in Strasbourg responsible for administering the fund, preparing the meetings of its governing bodies and implementing their decisions, while maintaining contacts with film-industry professionals and following up on supported projects.