European Film Agencies Directors Association appoints Sevara Irgacheva as new Secretary General
European Film Agencies Directors Association appoints Sevara Irgacheva as new Secretary General
Brussels, the 1st of April 2025
The European Film Agencies Directors Association (EFAD) is delighted to announce the appointment of Sevara Irgacheva as its new Secretary General. A former film industry professional, Sevara brings over a decade of experience in audiovisual and media policy, and government affairs.
Based in Brussels, Sevara will drive EFAD efforts to promote the independent European film and audiovisual sectors, enhance collaboration across creative industries with shared values and strengthen engagement with European institutions, advocating for ambitious policies upholding the diversity of European cultural expressions.
Sevara Irgacheva says: I am deeply honoured to represent the organisation uniting a diversity of European countries, film industries and cultural traditions. EFAD members are a driving force empowering the European cinema and guaranteeing that the audiovisual sector thrives locally and globally. Film agencies are essential to the sustainability, competitiveness and vitality of Europe’s film industry, safeguarding cultural diversity, fostering freedom of artistic expression and supporting innovation. Working with members and industry partners, I look forward to enhancing collaboration and advocating for ambitious European audiovisual policies that will champion the vibrant mosaic of European stories, languages, and artistic expressions.
Chris Marcich, EFAD President says: On behalf of all thirty eight EFAD members, welcome on board Sevara! I am confident Sevara’s impressive breadth of experience and skills will be of great value to all of our members. This includes the policy arena, where Europe faces unprecedented and menacing turbulence coming from a parallel and frightening universe across the Atlantic.
Kjersti Mo, Vice President of EFAD says: Sevara will play a key role in strengthening cooperation and understanding around our core European values, such as cultural diversity and artistic freedom. Our members represent great diversity – from small and large countries, both within and outside the EU. In challenging times, unity is essential, and I am confident that Sevara will strongly contribute to putting our values on the agenda, both nationally and at the European level. I truly look forward to working with Sevara.
About Sevara Irgacheva:
Sevara Irgacheva brings deep expertise in European and national audiovisual industry and policy. She started her career in Belgian film industry where she held a variety of roles in film production. In 2015 she joined the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (audiovisual media regulatory authority – Belgium) working on cultural diversity policies, audiovisual production and commercial communications, and extensively taking part in projects of the European Regulators group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA). Later she held the position of Political adviser on Media Policy to the Minister of Media and Culture of Wallonia Brussels Federation, implementing EU policies and leading the work on public service media. Most recently, she held a director position at a leading EU public affairs consultancy, advising international and European clients on public affairs strategies and audiovisual and digital policy. She holds a master’s degree in Film Directing and Production from the prestigious Institut National des Arts de Spectacle (Brussels) and a LLM in European and International IP and ICT Law from KU Leuven.
About EFAD
EFAD (European Film Agency Directors association) is the voice of national European Film Agencies, bringing together national film and audiovisual centres from European countries. EFAD membership covers the European Union countries as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Norway, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Having functioned over the years as informal network, EFAD was formally established in 2014 as an international non-profit Association (aisbl) based in Brussels. The association is led by a General Secretariat, hosted and administratively managed by the Cinema and Audiovisual Centre of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
Contact:
Chris Marcich:
+32.475.78.41.45
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Kjersti Mo:
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European Film Agencies Directors Association
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EU Transparency register 430805515370-85
