At Rome’s MIA Market (6-10 October), the panel “Beyond 27%: Shaping European Drama” turned the spotlight on the persistent gender imbalance within the European drama industry. Despite gradual progress, the numbers remain stark: women make up just 27% of the sector’s workforce, according to a recent study published by the European Audiovisual Observatory.

The session, held on 8 October and moderated by Carlo Dusi, founder and managing director of Turning Point Pictures, gathered six prominent executives: Caroline Hollick (former head of Drama at Channel 4, UK), Laura Abril (EVP Scripted and Global Business Development, Buendía Estudios, Spain), Claudia Bluemhuber (CEO and partner, Silver Reel, Switzerland), Jasmin Maeda (SVP International Fiction Co-production and Acquisition, ZDF, Germany) and Chiara Cardoso (managing director, BlackBox Multimedia, UK).

Opening the discussion, MIA’s Paolo Ciccarelli explained that the session was prompted by the “frightening” 27% figure. “Instead of hosting a complaining session, we brought together some of the very best of that 27% to share their stories,” he said.

Abril reflected on the structural differences in how men and women progress in the industry. “Women tend to advance through experience, rather than potential, while for men, it often works the other way around,” she noted. This pattern, she argued, needs to change. Recalling a women-only leadership course she once took, she pointed out the contrast with male colleagues, who had access to general leadership programmes. “That already speaks for itself,” she added.

Abril said there are still too few female role models in leadership positions to serve as references. “We tend to think we need the most experience to progress, ruling ourselves out for certain positions,” she continued.

Bluemhuber offered a personal anecdote from earlier in her career: “Someone once said to me, ‘She’s not just attractive, but very clever,’ and they thought it was a compliment.” At that time, she recalled, “only men were present at certain levels of the company”. For Bluemhuber, real power lies in team-building: “You’re never going to get there on your own – one of the greatest superpowers is building an inclusive team, ensuring people can grow. I still work with partners whom I mentored 20 years ago.”

Maeda explained how the German broadcaster turned data into action. “If you really want to change something in an organisation, you need to take measures; it doesn’t happen by itself,” she said. She revealed that ZDF began analysing its gender ratios in 2017 and discovered that only 18% of directors in primetime slots were women. Technical positions were even more poorly represented. “We launched a female directors’ programme to support emerging talent and help them build a network,” she explained. Participants start by directing 45-minute early-evening episodes before moving to 90-minute primetime dramas. “It’s good for them – and good for us, too. It helps us connect with great talent.”

Cardoso addressed the subconscious resistance that still shapes hiring practices. “We need to make it clear that hiring a woman isn’t taking a risk,” she said. “It’s about choosing the best talent.”

“If you cut out 73% of that pool, you’re reducing your chances of success,” remarked Hollick. During her tenure, Channel 4 regularly audited representation across its productions. “Every time we looked at the numbers, we were shocked,” she admitted. “If you’re not aware of the gaps, you can’t work on them.” She warned against complacency in the UK, where the visibility of prominent women can obscure the underlying imbalance: “We think we’re more advanced than we actually are.”

Dusi observed that team-based roles appear to show faster progress towards parity than individual creative positions. Maeda agreed, linking the issue to societal norms: “Business mirrors society. In collaborative structures like broadcasters, there’s more social support – for example, when you have children. But risk-taking still plays a role, and women are often brought up to be more cautious.”

Bluemhuber recalled producing one of the first female-led action films for Paramount. “When we looked at potential directors, the studio presented us with a list – two pages, all men,” she said. “The consensus was that women couldn’t direct. We can’t take progress for granted; things can easily go backwards.”

Reflecting on recent policy changes in the USA, Hollick voiced concern about the potential ripple effects in Europe. “Hopefully, the UK and Europe won’t follow that path,” she said. “As the industry shrinks – with less US money and fewer opportunities – some older commissioners are returning to what they know. That’s not good for creativity. We must keep pushing for the stories we believe in.”

For Bluemhuber, progress also depends on inspiring the next generation. She mentioned mentoring a young woman who later went on to study cinematography in Munich. “It’s about showing them they can do this,” she said. Abril offered a telling anecdote: “Once, I had to enter maternity leave and gave my job to a man – he left after a year, for family reasons.”

Hollick reflected on biases in recruitment. “We interviewed four directors for a show. Our favourite was a woman – not the most confident person. A man came in as if the job was already his, full of confidence, and got it. The experience wasn’t great,” she recalled, suggesting that confidence shouldn’t outweigh competence.

Asked what is still holding the industry back, Abril pointed to a broader cultural issue: “Our sector mirrors a conservative society. The fact that some people are now proudly removing diversity policies says a lot.”

Hollick called for broader training initiatives beyond writing and directing. “There are so many roles that remain overlooked. We need to open those doors, too.”

As the panel drew to a close, Dusi asked what advice could be given to men who believe in gender balance. “Speak out,” said Abril. “And listen,” added Cardoso. Maeda’s response prompted laughter and applause: “Don’t interrupt women – studies show it happens all the time, even in academia.”

Hollick concluded on a hopeful note: “The best workers are often mothers – women who’ve been through maternity leave know how to get things done.”