The International Screen Institute provides high-quality training programmes for European and international film, TV and media professionals which are delivered by renowned industry experts who share their real-world expertise and insights.

ProPro – The Producer’s Programme for Women is a comprehensive programme tailored to support and advance women in the producer or other leadership role within the European film industry. A week-long, immersive workshop in Vienna is followed by individual mentorship sessions. The programme is tailor-made to the concrete needs of specific participants, who gain practical skills in leadership and team management, define their unique selling points for their projects as well as companies, master negotiation, and enhance presentation skills. Participants choose a focus on project development or company strategy. All participants will explore strategic business models, financing, and marketing approaches, positioning themselves effectively in the evolving film production landscape, through hands-on sessions.

The Business & Legal Affairs programme offers practical insight into the legal, financial and commercial frameworks that shape film and television production. It is built around five intensive in-person days in Vienna, featuring lectures, workshops, case studies and networking opportunities, followed by individual mentoring and two online modules that extend and reinforce the learning experience. Covering the full lifecycle of a screen project, the programme addresses core topics such as rights acquisition, contract negotiation, financing models and international coproduction frameworks. It also introduces the growing influence of digital technologies, including the legal dimensions of AI-generated content, contract automation and emerging tools shaping rights management and legal workflows.

ProPro and the Business & Legal Affairs programme will take place again in Vienna in 2027. You can sign up on the Screen Institute’s website (https://www.screeninstitute.eu/) to be reminded as soon as applications open.

Julia Mitterlehner is an Austrian producer and took part in ProPro 2025 and in the Business & Legal Affairs programme in 2026. Starting her career in social work, she stepped into the world of cinema, because she’s always been passionate about telling stories. This passion combines wonderfully with her social streak and that is exactly what she wants to achieve as a producer. Julia is co-founder and partner of DimDim Film OG Vienna and DimDim Productions Madrid. 2023 she founded the Austrian distribution company DimDim Film Verleih with Günter Schwaiger.

FNE: What are you currently working on and how has your company, DimDim Film OG, developed since your participation in ProPro, where it was your focal point during the programme?

Julia Mitterlehner: When I participated in ProPro, my main goals were to strengthen both Dim Dim Film’s position and my own standing as a producer within the Austrian film industry. At the same time, I wanted to bring my first feature film as a producer to life and get several new film projects off the ground.

Not everything has progressed as quickly as I had hoped. Financing our feature film remains a challenge, although we have come a long way, but we hope to start shooting in the summer of 2027. Other projects I had planned at the time have been rejected several times and, for now, have been put on hold.

What continues to concern me in the daily struggle to secure financing are the structural barriers faced by female producers in Austria. I do feel that progress has been made in recent years when it comes to supporting women on the creative side of filmmaking. However, for women trying to establish themselves as producers and develop their own projects, entering the industry remains extremely difficult. I have also observed male producers with no previous experience working at other production companies receiving production funding with their very first application, while I have been fighting to secure financing for a range of projects for six years now.

These differences raise fundamental questions for me about equal opportunities and, ultimately, who is trusted in our industry when money is involved. At the same time, many positive things have happened since ProPro. Our visibility and positioning have improved significantly. I am now much better connected within the Austrian and international film industry, I am invited to festivals, serve on festival juries, and had the opportunity to pitch a project at CPH:DOX. Unfortunately, that project was also rejected for funding, despite having received previous support and having strong female coproduction partners on board.

What makes me particularly happy, however, is that we are now receiving some really exciting project enquiries. I believe this also has a lot to do with our values and the way we approach our work. Since ProPro, I have made a conscious effort to communicate these values more clearly and make them more visible to the outside world.

Another particularly positive development is our film distribution arm, which continues to grow and has become an increasingly important part of our company. We now work with a well-established team, and together we are deeply committed to helping films we believe in, and genuinely identify with, find their audiences and gain visibility in cinemas. Our distribution catalogue now also includes international films.

Looking back on the time since ProPro, perhaps not everything has gone the way I originally planned. But both the company and I are now more clearly positioned, more visible, and better connected. At the same time, I have become even more aware that personal and professional development alone is not enough when structural barriers remain in place. Both are part of this journey for me: pride in what we have built and the determination to keep fighting for fair opportunities.

FNE: Looking back, how have ProPro and the Business & Legal Affairs programme influenced the way you approach your work today? Is there anything you do or think about differently as a result of your participation?

Julia Mitterlehner: Both programmes have strengthened my confidence in my role as a producer and entrepreneur in different ways. ProPro gave me the opportunity to step back from the intensity of everyday work and reflect on some fundamental questions: Where does my company stand? Where do I want to take it? And how can I stay true to my values in such a challenging industry? This process helped me further refine our company strategy and gain new perspectives.

Business & Legal Affairs broadened my horizons, particularly when it comes to the business and legal aspects of filmmaking. Even though I haven’t had the opportunity to put everything into practice yet, I know where to find the knowledge and resources I need when dealing with complex contractual matters. Both programmes have given me valuable insights, strengthened my confidence, and helped me feel more secure when facing challenging decisions as an independent producer and distributor.

FNE: Is there something from the Business & Legal Affairs programme that has particularly stayed with you: an idea, a conversation, a piece of advice or perhaps a specific session? How has it influenced your work since then?

Julia Mitterlehner: One topic that has particularly stayed with me is the exploitation of film rights. In my dual role as a producer and distributor, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the different rights involved, how they can be exploited, and the long-term opportunities and obligations that come with them.

What I found particularly interesting was how interconnected these different aspects are, and how individual contractual decisions can affect a film’s future distribution and exploitation.The programme broadened my perspective on these complexities and reinforced the importance of paying close attention during contract negotiations, keeping both the interests related to a film’s exploitation and the long-term interests of our company in mind.

What I find especially valuable is knowing that I can draw on this knowledge in all my future projects.

FNE: Having taken part in both ProPro – The Producer’s Programme for Women and the Business & Legal Affairs programme, what did you enjoy most about the experience? What role did the group and the connections with other participants play for you?

Julia Mitterlehner: What I appreciated most about both programmes was the open exchange with colleagues from different countries and professional backgrounds. In an industry that is often highly competitive, having the opportunity to share experiences and challenges with others is incredibly valuable.

My time at ProPro was particularly intense and meaningful. As a group of female producers, we developed an exceptional sense of closeness, solidarity and mutual support. We are still in touch and regularly meet again at international film festivals. These reunions are always a real joy and show just how lasting and meaningful these connections can be.

The exchange during Business & Legal Affairs was a little less intense, but I also made some valuable connections there. For me, these personal relationships are among the most rewarding aspects of both programmes. 

FNE: What makes programmes like these particularly valuable when you’re a few years into your career and looking to take the next step? What would you say to someone who is considering applying to ProPro or the Business & Legal Affairs programme?

Julia Mitterlehner: I believe programmes like these are particularly valuable when you have already spent a few years working in the industry. You bring your own experience, understand the challenges of everyday professional life, and are able to reflect on and question what you learn from a different perspective. At the same time, it is incredibly enriching to step outside your usual working environment for a while, discover new perspectives, and exchange ideas with fellow professionals.

I think it is important to stay curious, to keep questioning yourself, and to remain open to different approaches.These programmes offer exactly that opportunity, and exchanging ideas with people who face similar challenges but see them from very different perspectives can be truly inspiring.

I would encourage anyone considering applying to make the time for it. Not necessarily because you will do everything differently afterwards, but because you return with a broader perspective, new connections, and often a greater sense of confidence in your own path.