Women in Film and TV (UK) (WFTV) is stepping up its efforts to empower women in the screen industries with the launch of its 2025 Four Nations Mentoring Scheme. Seven spaces on the scheme have been supported through the Screen Alliance North Partnership (SAN) to strengthen Northern screen industry talent.
Designed for mid-career women working in film, television, and creative media, the scheme offers unparalleled opportunities to accelerate careers in an industry where women remain underrepresented in leadership roles.
The scheme brings together over 50 mentees from across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, chosen from hundreds of applicants. Over a six-month program, mentees will benefit from one-to-one mentoring with senior industry professionals, alongside peer-to-peer training and tailored career and personal development workshops.
This year’s mentors feature an impressive roster of industry leaders, including Cecile Frot-Coutaz from Sky, writer and actor Charlie Covell, location manager Emma Pill, Bad Wolf’s Jane Tranter, Quay Street Productions’ Nicola Shindler, Merman’s Rebecca Parkinson, Film Producer Soleta Rogan, Cinematographer Sophie Darlington, Suanne Rochester from Wild Child Animation, Hello-Halo’s Wendy Rattray and Netflix’s Senior Manager for Production Training and Industry Engagement EMEA, Alison Small and Content Creative, Jon Mountague among others.
Netflix continues its valuable support for the Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales schemes through its Fund for Creative Equity, a program dedicated to creating opportunities for underrepresented communities in entertainment. The England scheme is supported by the BBC, Channel 4, EON Productions, Panalux and Panavision, Pinewood, Sara Putt Associates, the Women’s Network at NBC Universal and UKTV; while SAN supports the North of England scheme.
Leading the scheme is WFTV’s Director of Mentoring Sarah Wright, former Group Director of Acquisitions and Sky Cinema, UK & ROI, with Mentoring Producers Hannah Corneck in Wales, Hazel Marshall in Scotland, Helen Bullough in the North of England, and Sarah McCaffrey in Northern Ireland heading up their respective nations.
Sarah Wright said, “I can’t wait to launch WFTV’s 2025 Four Nations Mentoring Scheme. This year we have an incredible line-up of mentors who will inspire and guide our talented cohort of mentees, helping them take their next big career steps in the industry.”
Katie Bailiff, CEO of WFTV, added, “Our Four Nations Mentoring Scheme is a cornerstone of WFTV’s mission to champion and support women in the screen industries. The breadth of experience and expertise among this year’s mentors is truly inspiring, and I’m thrilled to see 51 talented women from across the UK embark on this transformative journey. Mentorship has the power to unlock opportunities and drive meaningful change, and we’re proud to continue fostering growth and representation in the creative sector.”
The Screen Alliance North board, Caroline Cooper Charles, Rob Page, Alison Gwynn and Lynn Saunders commented, “We are thrilled that such a diverse group of talented women from across the North, representing a wide range of skills and professions, have been selected for this initiative. Through Screen Alliance North’s BFI funding and our partners, we have supported seven places as part of our commitment to empowering women in the screen industry. This mentoring scheme will undoubtedly contribute to enriching and strengthening the Northern workforce in the screen sector.”
Anna Mallett, VP Production EMEA, Netflix said, “We are delighted to support Women in Film & TV’s mentoring schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for a third consecutive year. The UK is a creative powerhouse and Netflix is deeply committed to ensuring the UK’s film and TV industry continues to thrive by nurturing the careers of some incredibly talented women right across the country. We are excited to help drive greater representation in the UK creative sector, as we welcome a new cohort of brilliant mentees looking to take the next step of their careers.”
