EFAD General Assembly: Dundalk, Ireland 2026
As part of the Official programme of the 2026 Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, EFAD held its General Assembly in Ballymascanlon Hotel, Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland, from 3 to 5 November. Members elected a new Board of Directors and President and reaffirmed the Vice-President for the 2026 - 2029 term. They also EFAD’s vision for the next three years and welcomed guests from the Irish audiovisual sector to discuss artificial intelligence and the future of film.
Election of the new leadership
The General Assembly elected Jeanne Brunfaut, Director-General for Culture at the Cinema and Audiovisual Centre of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Belgium, as EFAD President. Members reaffirmed Kjersti Mo, CEO of the Norwegian Film Institute, Norway, as EFAD Vice-President.
Jeanne Brunfaut:
“The national audiovisual public funding bodies will face tremendous challenges in the coming years; EFAD needs to be strong enough to support them and help them achieve a secure environment for their growing industry and creativity fields. I am honoured and very excited to be leading this new chapter of the EFAD history with my partner Kjersti Mo. European cinema has still so many stories to tell!”
Kjersti Mo:
“I am grateful for the renewed trust of my colleagues, and very much look forward to continuing our work together with Jeanne.
Europe’s strength lies in the diversity of our languages, cultures and filmmaking traditions. We do not work together to become more alike, but to make each of us stronger. That is what EFAD is about: bringing together countries of different sizes, markets and traditions, and making sure that our common voice reflects the full diversity of our members. At a time of profound change, I believe this cooperation is more important than ever – not only to strengthen European filmmaking, but to protect the freedom and diversity of the stories we tell.”
Board of Directors for 2026 - 2029:
- Jeanne Brunfaut, EFAD President - Director-General for Culture, Cinema and Audiovisual Centre of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Belgium
- Kjersti Mo, EFAD Vice-President - CEO, Norwegian Film Institute, Norway
- Giorgio Carlo Brugnoni - Director General for Cinema and Audiovisual Ministry of Culture (MIC), Italy
- Luis Chaby Vaz - President of the ICA Board of Directors, Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual, Portugal
- Elena Christodoulidou - Head of Cinema Office and Senior Cultural Officer, Department of Contemporary Culture, Deputy Ministry of Culture, Cyprus
- Peter Dinges - CEO, German Federal Film Board, Germany
- Désirée Finnegan - CEO, Screen Ireland, Ireland
- Olivier Henrard - Delegate CEO, National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC), France
- Athena Kartalou-Aduku - General Director, Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED), Greece
- Chris Marcich - CEO, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Croatia
- Edith Sepp - CEO, Estonian Film Institute, Estonia
- Laimonas Ubavičius - CEO, Lithuanian Film Centre, Lithuania
EFAD warmly thanks the outgoing Board and outgoing President Chris Marcich for their extraordinary dedication to advancing the association’s objectives and upholding its shared values. Through their leadership, they strengthened EFAD’s voice in European audiovisual policy and championed the role of public funding in sustaining independent creation. The new leadership will carry this work forward by helping ensure that European films reach audiences across Europe and beyond.
Chris Marcich:
“EFAD General Assembly is an essential moment to reflect together on the future of screen sectors and the role and impact of public funding in bringing European voices to European and international audiences. Cooperation is core to filmmaking in Europe, and as public institutions, it is extremely valuable for EFAD members to have a more in-depth understanding of Irish film sector and Screen Ireland’s vision. The European Film Agencies Directors association is very grateful to Screen Ireland for hosting our General Assembly and the elections of our new board.”
Setting priorities for EFAD’s next three years
Through a strategy workshop, members explored a shared vision for EFAD’s next three years and shaped priorities for the association’s work. They identified which activities and initiatives should take precedence for the newly elected Board. Subject to the latter's approval, these recommendations will inform EFAD’s 2026 - 2029 strategic framework.
Conversation with the Irish audiovisual sector - AI and the Future of Film
In a panel on AI in audiovisual production, Cathal Gaffney, a creative entrepreneur working across animation, AI and technology, and Sarah Glennane, CEO of the Screen Composers Guild of Ireland, explored copyright and licensing, the protection of original work and how film funds might assess the use of AI in productions. In a following panel on the future of film, Rebecca O’Flanagan, producer and director at Treasure Entertainment, and John Carney, film director and screenwriter, discussed with EFAD members how changing viewing habits and new technologies are shaping the way films are made and reach audiences.
