Meet the Experts 2025
Join IFFR Pro’s team of veteran industry insiders for a new daily programme aimed at giving emerging film professionals practical insights and vital targeted knowledge. Places are highly limited – subscribe in advance to secure your spot.
All the sessions take place in the Pro Hub, 4th floor, ‘de Doelen’. Accessible for badge-holders. If you haven’t already booked in advance, you are still welcome to attend the session.

The sessions cover a range of topics, including how to successfully network during a festival, marketing, publicity and festival strategies for independent films, producing for streamers and networking, script writing, different models of productions, and the marketing and distribution of smaller independent films. They will be in-depth conversations with a moderator or hosted by the expert themselves.
Meet the Expert: Mastering the Art of Festival Networking with Bonnie Williams
Friday 31 January – 16.00
Networking at international festivals can be challenging for even the most talented and experienced professionals. This interactive session will explore the interpersonal dynamics during various encounters. You’ll gain helpful tips and tools to present yourself comfortably and start building connections right here at IFFR.
Meet the Expert: Marketing, Publicity, and Strategies for Independent Films with Kathleen McInnis
Saturday 1 February – 14.30
Learn how to translate your artistic language into top-tier marketing language that merges creativity with business development. Veteran marketing strategist Kathleen McInnis will explain the importance of planning your festival strategy early and what you’ll need to achieve your goals.
Meet the Expert: Opening Your Film Right – Why the First Twenty Minutes of Your Screenplay Matter with Claire Dobbin
Sunday 2 February – 17.00
Renowned script editor Claire Dobbin will use examples from several films to illustrate how filmmakers can make impactful decisions when opening their films.
Claire Dobbin will be available for a limited number of in-depth script consultancy meetings with filmmakers on 1 February and 2 February . To request a meeting with Claire, please contact us at promentors@IFFR.com.
Meet the Expert: Streamers – Broadening Your Scope with Wendy Bernfeld
Monday 3 February – 15.00
Wendy Bernfeld, Managing Director of Right Stuff BV, will provide a comprehensive overview of the online/OTT distribution ecosystem. She will introduce various competitors and thematic ‘’niche’’ sites in the international digital sector that buy and sometimes fund films, beyond the well-known big streamers. Her talk will include rare insights from years of experience.
Meet the Expert: Producing for Streamers with Alex Boden
Monday 3 February – 17:00
This session will offer in-depth insights and equip participants with practical knowledge on producing for streamers. The session, hosted by an expert, will include discussions with Patrick Frater. Topics will range from networking during festivals, marketing, and festival strategies to scriptwriting, production models, and the marketing and distribution of smaller independent films.
Alex, an award-winning UK film and TV producer, will share experiences from international productions, including the HBO Max crime drama series Tokyo Vice, The Way of the Wind by Terence Malick, and the Wachowskis’ Sense8 and Cloud Atlas.
Meet the Expert: Producing with Minimal Financial Support with Bianca Balbuena
Tuesday 4 February – 14.30
Bianca Balbuena, an accomplished film producer with over 30 feature films to her credit –including Engkwentro, A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery, and Un Certain Regard-selected Viet and Nam – will share insights on producing films with limited resources while achieving international success. The conversation will be hosted by Madeleine Molyneaux.
Meet the Expert: Knowing Your Audience – Enhancing Creativity Through Awareness and Development with Rikke Flodin
Tuesday 4 February – 18.00
Rikke Flodin, Head of Audience Insights at PUBLIKUM, in conversation with Sophie Mathisen, Script and Story Consultant, will explore how audience awareness and development can be integrated into the creative process for inspiration —from early script development to positioning and launch—to support a deeper connection with audiences.
Rikke is Head of Audience Insights at PUBLIKUM.io, a Danish-based tool for audience awareness. Within the last few years, she has worked on more than 80 films and series across 10+ European countries helping film makers get closer to their audiences through AI-backed anthropology. Rikke holds a MSc in Anthropology from the University of Copenhagen.
Contact the team
For any questions, get in touch with the Pro Hub team: Nikolas Montaldi, Jiri Pecinovsky and Luca Dimauro.