Wāhine at Cannes: Insights from the International Stage - Wellington

Wāhine at Cannes: Insights from the International Stage

Three wāhine. One iconic festival. A global perspective.

Fresh from the Croisette, join us as three Aotearoa screen professionals share their experiences from the 2025 Cannes Film Festival — the people they met, the trends they spotted, and what it all means for our industry back home. From red carpet reflections to the real talk behind closed doors, this is your insider’s guide to the state of the international screen sector, as seen through the eyes of wāhine in the room.

Jasmin McSweeney
An Industry Award for Excellence recipient and an NZOM for services to film, Jasmin was previously the head of marketing at the NZFC, and now Head of Sales & Acquisitions NZ at Umbrella.  She leads the company’s expansion in Aotearoa and overseeing deals across theatrical, VOD, home entertainment, and streaming.

Rouzie Hassanova
Rouzie is a creative leader with extensive experience in international film financing, development, production and post-production. While in London, she worked for the renowned post-production company Prime Focus, and the international sales agents HanWay Films and Mister Smith Entertainment. Since moving to New Zealand with her Kiwi husband, she has worked in Development at Great Southern TV, the New Zealand Film Commission, Libertine Pictures. Currently at The Sweetshop Entertainment, Rouzie played an integral part in financing Mārama by Taratoa Stappard, while developing their content slate.

Rosie Hole
Rosie brings over 15 years in film and TV, from Universal Pictures UK to the NZ Film Commission. Now at Hinterland, she supports producers through funding routes and distribution strategy.