Fish Bowl: Who Gets To Tell the Story? Building Inclusive Talent Pipelines

Across Europe the film and television industry still struggles with the representation of underrepresented communities, both on screen and behind the camera. One reason lies in traditional talent pipelines: access to film schools and industry networks often favors applicants from more privileged backgrounds, making it not only hard to guarantee that a variety of voices get’s heard but also that stories reflect the lived reality and don’t get mired in clichees. Creating talent pipelines and access to decision-makers can become a systemic challenge.

Rather than focusing only on the problem, this session looks at possible solutions. It will spotlight strategies from across Europe that aim to open up access to storytelling and production tools such as initiatives by the Finnish public broadcaster YLE, which engages young creators through platforms like Areena Stories. Other pilot projects from YLE provide young people with equipment, workshops, mentorship and - most importantly – platforms where their work can be presented as an entry into film- and series-making.

Ultimately, the question is not only who gets to tell stories, but how the industry can create more open and sustainable pathways into storytelling. This fishbowl discussion will highlight inspiring examples and invite an open conversation about how the European audiovisual ecosystem can create more diverse and accessible pathways into storytelling—and ensure that stories beyond the mainstream can find their audiences.