Shots and sequences of the gender equality in the EU’s governance of the film industry across external action

Gender inequality remains a persistent challenge in the European film industry, where women continue to be underrepresented in leadership, technical, and decision-making roles. As a global actor, the EU’s role in bringing about social change through governance frameworks extends beyond its own borders. The area of EU gender parity policies in the cultural sector is severely underdeveloped, as is the place of such focus in international relations of the polity. This article interrogates the place of gender equality in the film industries as an objective of cultural, creative, and development policies within the broader context of Global Europe, as the core governance framework for the EU’s external relations. It argues that EU initiatives, including Global Europe’s thematic programmes, provide important opportunities to address systemic barriers while advancing women’s visibility and participation in the audiovisual sector. By examining the ways in which the EU incorporates gender equality into its external cultural and development strategies, the paper highlights both the potential and limitations of these frameworks in driving structural change.