European Industry at EFM Marks Progress, Setbacks in Push for Diversity and Inclusion: ‘This Is a Marathon, Not a Race’

variety.com:

Christopher Vourlias The fight for diversity and inclusion takes center stage at this year’s European Film Market, which will host a day-long event Feb.

20 as part of a concerted, pan-European effort to open more doors in the continent’s screen industries. This year’s Equity and Inclusion Pathways Seminar is the second of three annual events designed to push European stakeholders to make good on public promises to work toward a more diverse and inclusive film and television business.

Themba Bhebhe, head of diversity and inclusion at EFM, said this year’s edition is “both a response and a consolidation of the foundations that were laid out last year,” when the inaugural event provided “a cartography and a snapshot of the needs and demands of marginalized film professionals in Europe.” At the conclusion of last year’s edition — a spirited day of dialogue and debate that brought together more than 100 industry reps from across the continent — attendees passed five resolutions that sought to create better frameworks for Europe’s policymakers and screen industries, centered around creating more equitable and inclusive structures.

One year on, stakeholders are reflecting on both the gains and setbacks in trying to dismantle decades-old structures in Europe that have frequently privileged a select few. “There’s definitely a lot more diversity, but what we’re not seeing more of is inclusion,” says Victoria Thomas, of the Anti-Racism Taskforce for European Film (ARTEF). “A lot of organizations are comfortable with having people that may look different.