1 December 2005

Sophie Balhetchet appointed chair of Women in Film and Television

Women in Film and Television [WFTV], the respected industry membership-body today announces the appointment of Sophie Balhetchet as its new chair.

A founding member of WFTV, Sophie is a highly respected producer of television and film. Early credits include ground-breaking and award-winning TV dramas such as The Manageress and The Camomile Lawn. At World Productions she was executive producer of Ballykissangel, Ultraviolet and several major dramas including the controversial Men Only for Channel 4.

Sophie co-founded Cougar films with the renowned screenwriter and producer Lynda La Plante. Their first feature, Imagine Me and You had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2005 and will be released in the US by Fox Searchlight in February 2006 and Universal in the UK. Amongst their forthcoming projects is the feature film of La Plante's iconic television series Widows.

Sophie is also credited with playing a key role in shaping the independent television production sector as chair of the Independent Programme Producers Association (Pact's precursor) and heading the Association's 25% access campaign. She is a Royal Television Society (RTS) fellow and has been awarded its Silver Medal for Outstanding Services to Broadcasting.

Commenting on her appointment Sophie said:  "Our aim is to counter gender imbalance in our industry and to empower women: to give them more opportunities, more information, more training, more role models as well as celebration of their achievements".

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For further information, please contact:

Kim Trezise, ING MEDIA
Tel:  020 7247 8334
Email: kim@ing-media.com
www.ing-media.com

About Women in Film and Television:

• WFTV exists to champion the interests of women working at all levels in film, television and the digital media
• WFTV is an industry membership body with members drawn from all over the UK 
• WFTV is part of a closely-linked international network of groups from LA to NY, Sydney, Toronto, Johannesburg and throughout Europe.