THE AGE-C PROJECT AT THE VENICE BIENNALE

Key findings of the project on gender and ageism in contemporary cinema were presented at the Venice Production Bridge

On Tuesday, 8 September 2026, findings from the international research project AGE-C (Ageing and Gender in European Cinema) were presented at the annual Seminar on Gender Equality and Inclusivity in the Film Industry, organised by La Biennale di Venezia, Eurimages, and Women in Film, Television & Media Italy in the context of the Venice International Film Festival. (link to the wepage of the Seminar: https://veniceproductionbridge.org/agenda/annual-seminar-gender-equality-and-inclusivity-film-industry-1)

Entitled “2016–2026. Gender Equality in the Screen Industries: Looking Back to Look Forward,” the 2026 seminar provided a forum for reflecting on developments in gender equality across the screen industries over the past decade, while also addressing current challenges and future perspectives. The event brought together researchers, practitioners, and representatives of the film sector to discuss questions of equality, inclusion, and representation within the European audiovisual landscape.

Prof. Francesco Pitassio and Dr Gloria Dagnino, respectively head and researcher of the Italian unit of AGE-C, contributed to the seminar with a video presentation illustrating selected findings from the project’s ongoing research. Their contribution focused on the intersections between ageing and gender in European cinema, situating these issues within broader debates concerning representation, professional trajectories, and inequalities in the film industry.

Funded by the Volkswagen Foundation and running from 2023 to 2027, AGE-C is an international research project examining the ways in which ageing and gender intersect within European cinema, both on screen and within the structures and practices of film production. The participation of the Italian research unit in the seminar offered an opportunity to disseminate the project’s findings within an international professional and scholarly context and to contribute to ongoing discussions about gender equality and age-related inequalities in contemporary European screen industries.