Klientu atbalsta centrs:
atbalsts@rigaiff.lv
Klientu atbalsta centrs:
atbalsts@rigaiff.lv
Baltic Women in Film Mentorship (BWiFM) is the first 8-month mentorship program exclusively for women in all areas of film and TV industries in the Baltic states. Through mentorship activities, the BWiFM seeks to increase the exchange of best practice, knowledge, contacts and interest in the Baltic film culture and pay attention to gender equality. The core of the mentorship program is building an effective contact-exchange and matchmaking marketplace where women, working in the Baltic audiovisual industry, would have an opportunity to be mentored by the industry experts.
The BWiFM is organised by Lithuanian Short Film Agency Lithuanian Shorts and Women in Film & Television Lithuania association in partnership with Riga International Film Festival.
Anet Õunpuu is an upcoming film producer with a degree in film production from the Baltic Film and Media School. Since graduating in 2024, she has been working freelance in various production roles, including production coordinator, production manager, and 2nd AD. Alongside her freelance work, Anet is looking for exciting projects to produce and bring to life.
Beate Olekte made her directorial debut in 2020 with the short film The Buzz in the Void, which was screened at several international festivals and received positive attention. Over the past eight years, she has worked across various departments in the film industry, gaining a broad perspective on the craft. Now, she is ready to return to her own creative work and further develop her artistic voice.
Elisabeth Madisson is a young filmmaker based in Tallinn, Estonia. She graduated from the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School in 2024 with a degree in screenwriting. During her studies, she wrote four short films and one feature-length script. She also directed a short documentary and gained on-set experience as a 1st AD, 2nd AD, and later as a production coordinator. Currently, Elisabeth works at Nafta Films as a Film Development Coordinator, where she is involved with a wide range of scripts and projects — supporting each through the development process and helping to ensure they reach production. She is particularly drawn to coming-of-age stories and psychological films that explore the depths of the human soul, and she is developing a feature film adaptation of Sven Mikser’s novel “Vareda”.
Eva Ansule is a Latvian film producer and project manager assistant at the production company Studio Lokomotive. Alongside her professional work, she studies Audiovisual Production at the Latvian Academy of Culture.
In 2025, Eva produced several short film projects, including the animated short “Sajūgs” (Clutch, dir. Daria Vetrova). This experience strengthened her interest in animation production and its creative possibilities, while maintaining her goal to continue working in feature films as well.
In addition to film production, Eva actively engages in film promotion and education. She is one of the organizers and program developers of the outdoor film festival “…glāzi kino, lūdzu!” (…a cup of cinema, please!), which aims to introduce audiences to the short films and animations of emerging Latvian directors created during or shortly after their studies, fostering recognition and dialogue between young filmmakers and viewers.
Eva has also worked in theatre as a producer the performance “Spēļu laukuma traumas” (Playground injuries, dir. Mārcis Broks) and were a producer’s assistant at the Valmiera Summer Theatre Festival for choreographic promenade “Utopian Views” by Stefānija Feldbere. These experiences have reinforced her belief in interdisciplinary collaboration and the interaction between different art forms.
Participation in the Baltic Women in Film Mentorship program offers Eva the opportunity to build connections with colleagues across the Baltic states and gain professional insight into both animation and feature film production, as well as their international distribution.
Hanna-Greth Peetson is a sync agent and music supervisor at Tier Music Publishing, an Estonian company that has established an active network of partners both locally and internationally over the years. Hanna-Greth also serves as the project manager for Music Meets Film, a practical training programme for young film composers that is part of Industry@Tallinn and Baltic Event’s Discovery Campus. This programme takes place alongside Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. In addition to these roles, she manages culture-focused marketing and communication projects at the boutique agency Kultuurikõla and has extensive experience organising events, such as music and film festivals. In 2024, she graduated from the music business programme at the Tallinn School of Music and Ballet.
Ilo Tuule Rajand is a freelance writer and critic exploring the borderlands of film, performance, and music. Her background in semiotics and cultural studies shaped her curiosity about images and symbols, as well as her desire to connect with audiences through both vulnerability and analysis.
Ingrid Margus is an Estonian actress whose career spans acclaimed television and film roles, including her breakout as a fearless detective in The Trap. Trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, she has brought depth and versatility to roles in Madam K and Women’s War. Beyond acting, Ingrid has begun taking her first steps as a producer and writer, expanding her creative voice behind the camera. Her passion for storytelling—whether on screen or on the page—reflects a commitment to exploring complex characters and inspiring narratives.
Karīna Kolendo is a young film industry professional from Latvia. She has received BA in film production at Latvian Academy of Culture and right now working as a production coordinator or assistant for various projects at Trickster Pictures. Karīna has also been a producer to multiple short films, including a documentary short film Through a Child’s Gaze, that recieved the Latvian National Film award as the best documentary short film. She first fell in love with cinema through documentaries and she is still interested in human relationships with themselves or others told through intimate and personal point-of-view.
Nadiia Sazonova is a composer from Ukraine, working with film scoring. Through the Baltic Women in Film Mentorship, she aims to grow as a creator, explore new approaches to music and sound, and collaborate with other professionals.
Meda Diraitė has always been inspired by lifelong learning, which led her to complete a master’s degree in international communications with honors at Vilnius University and to earn a scholarship for a semester at the University of Technology Sydney. Although she was unable to take up the opportunity due to the global pandemic, she discovered a passion for the film industry and shifted her focus to production. Over the past few years, she has worked as a production coordinator, contributing to numerous international commercials, music videos and film projects in Lithuania and abroad. Each experience has not only strengthened her professional skills but also deepened her dedication and enthusiasm for the film industry.
Monika Jagusinskytė is an artist based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Using photography, video and text, the artist captures the human body in everyday life, its constant change in relation to its environment. Her compositions are like phases of weightlessness, blurring the line between reality and dream, beauty and decay. In 2021, she graduated from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) with a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion and Technology. These studies greatly influenced her further work. The fusion of fashion and art is reflected in the artist’s choice of details, materials and textures, with garments and objects creating not only an aesthetic but also a symbolic and historical narrative. Monika’s practice is also shaped by themes of care and domesticity, often drawing on Lithuanian food and folklore as forms of collective memory.
Nadīna Anna Larionova is an emerging film producer based in Riga, Latvia. She graduated in 2025 with a Bachelor’s degree in Audiovisual Arts Production from the Latvian Academy of Culture, completing her studies with the short film I’m Not Crazy. Maybe a Little…, which is currently in post-production. During her studies, Nadīna produced seven short fiction films and two short documentaries, demonstrating a strong commitment to storytelling and hands-on production work. In addition to her academic projects, she gained experience working as an assistant on several feature-length films. She currently works at the film studio Picture House, gaining professional experience in the industry.
Paula Pilkauskaitė is a film sales and marketing professional with experience across international sales & distribution, film markets, and client relations. She has worked with companies such as Cornerstone and MetFilm Studio, where she coordinated both in-person and online participation at major markets including Berlinale, Cannes, and the American Film Market. With a background in digital marketing and a BA in Content, media and film production, Paula is passionate about connecting films with global audiences and developing her expertise in international sales and distribution.
Ugnė Makselytė is a Lithuanian composer, vocalist, and sound artist working in experimental electroacoustic music, vocal improvisation, and soundscape composition. Her practice integrates folk traditions, classical voice, and contemporary electronics, exploring the expressive possibilities of the human voice in dialogue with field recordings and electronic arrangements. In addition to her performances and international collaborations, she also works with audiovisual media, composing music and sound for films and installations, and has presented immersive sound installations in Lithuania and Greece. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in composition at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen.
Victoria Alexandria Brikmann is a Latvian filmmaker, writer, actress, stunt performer, and producer with a background in historical battle reenactment, archaeology, and psychological storytelling. Victoria’s work is rooted in authenticity, blending emotional realism with historical precision. Victoria recently completed a mid-length short film, Wrath, a 10th-century drama grounded in medieval combat realism, period accuracy, and psychological unravelling. Victoria handled everything from directing to fight choreography and costume accuracy, often working with minimal resources. Victoria believes film is a tool to expose deeper truths and challenge comfortable narratives.
Rimantė Daugėlaitė has been the co-founder and managing director of the Lithuanian Short Film Agency, "Lithuanian Shorts," since 2012, and the head of the Vilnius Short Film Festival since 2009. Rimantė has been working in the audiovisual industry for more than ten years, coordinating multiple audiovisual and film promotion projects and producing several Lithuanian short films. R. Daugėlaitė also works as an expert in European and national audiovisual and cultural funds. She is an alumna of "Berlinale Talents," "MAIA Workshops," and "Audiovisual Women Leadership," and is a member of the "EWA Network” and the European Film Academy.
Gabrielė Vaičiūnaitė, once a cultural manager, now pioneers in documentaries
and animation. Beginning with art department in 2007’s Defiance, she’s traversed
various film crafts. Her works include the Emmy-winning Generation War and
children’s short Thump Thump. Her documentary Delta Zoo marked a notable venture into animation and storytelling. Also, Gabrielė the head of WIFT LT (Women in Film & Television Lithuania) with the main goal of helping young talents returning or (re)entering the industry.
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