Public lecture, "How Sweden is Working for Gender Equality in Film Production," Swedish Film Institute CEO Anna SernerApril 18, 2016 at 7–9 p.m.

Sweden is known for its policies promoting gender equality, and the country has consistently ranked near the top of the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index. Women's access to the labor market, family-friendly policies, and a near-equal ratio of elected female and male leaders in Parliament have largely accounted for the favorable rankings. In addition, in May 2015, Swedish Film Institute CEO Anna Serner announced at the Cannes International Film Festival that SFI's pathbreaking initiatives to achieve gender parity among films receiving SFI funding"which constitute the vast majority of Swedish films"had succeeded in less than three years' time. In 2011, the year Serner took the helm, only 26 percent of all state film funding went to female filmmakers; by 2014, half of all funded films were directed by women, 55 percent were scripted by women, and 65 percent were produced by women. Furthermore, these women-directed films are achieving great success at international film festivals and in award competitions. In this lecture, free and open to the public, Anna Serner shares how Swedish accomplished this--and why Sweden's example points the way for other film markets, as well.