Ep 217: International Women's Day special: inspiring female figureheads in the film industry

In this bumper episode, Anna speaks to four film heavyweights from across the globe. From the head of a renowned London film studio to a top Hollywood magazine publisher, these women are leaders in their respective fields and join us to discuss their remarkable career trajectories. Anna catches up with Dea Lawrence, the Publisher and Co-President of Variety, about how she is shaping the iconic publication’s future. She also welcomes Jen Smith, the CEO of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, to talk about improving the safety of creative working environments. And she takes a trip down memory lane with old friends Rebecca Hawkes and JoJo Dye, who are brimming with rollicking stories from their early years in Cannes. They also just happen to be Head of Elstree Studios and Director of the Global Entertainment Awards, respectively. Get ready for a masterclass in film business as each of our guests offers golden advice, taken from illustrious, decades-long careers. They also discuss the importance of female friendships and name the legendary on-screen women that inspire them. CIISA: Elstree Studios: JoJo Dye: Variety: Marilyn Monroe’s article, recommended by Jen Smith: Films mentioned: Imitation of Life (1959), Hello Dolly, St Trinian’s, The Misfits, Mommie Dearest, Gone with the Wind Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: Sign up to the Girls On Film newsletter here:

You can listen to Ep 217: International Women's Day special: inspiring female figureheads in the film industry online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Ep 217: International Women's Day special: inspiring female figureheads in the film industry is an episode from Girls On Film by Girls On Film.

This episode is 01:11:02 long.

This episode was published on Mar 6, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Girls On Film when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.