If someone can change the world by doing TV, it is harder, however, to change it by watching it.

Well, this is not Jobeda Ali’s point of view. And the last thing you want to do is contradict this committed and effusive 32 years-old film-maker – the main reason being she may be right, and is determined to prove it. This young woman of Bangladeshi origin aims at making the world a better place thanks to the promotion of equal opportunities for everyone – nothing more. And for that, TV and media contents are nowadays the best ways to increase the visibility of given issues, and in the end, raise people’s awareness and make them react towards those issues. “People often believe I’m doing films because I like it”, she says, “Actually, it’s more like a social tool for me.” Jobeda is currently working on a film aiming at modernising radically the way Muslim women are perceived, as well as the way they perceive themselves. “The problem with Muslim women is they don’t realise they can disagree,” she comments. In order to help them gain their independence, this bullish young woman has a 20-year plan: make them and people around them accept they can question their environment, and give them the tools to get what they want and need.

The least you can say is this proactive woman has a strong sense of values and morals. Jobeda was raised in the Muslim faith, and her opinions make her take risks towards her community. Though, she is not afraid to face complex questions such as cultural relativism and tolerance, and does it in a really lucid way. For instance, where should be the limit between acceptable and non-acceptable when it comes to discuss personal beliefs or cultural issues? Where is the deadline in the sacrifice of oneself when balanced with the greater good? Can anyone pretend  to have an answer on that?…

Being a woman is also about harmony…  How better than through music?

Croatian mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupić is known internationally through acclaimed performances of baroque, classical and other coloratura-mezzo repertoire as well as solo songs, and she’s been selected by the Women’s Forum and JP Morgan as one of the 20 “Rising Talents” this year.

As an opera-fan, I couldn’t leave Deauville without meeting her, and this serene-looking woman charmed me by her simplicity and the passion she expresses when talking about lyrical singing. “Singing is my first and biggest love. I was 6, listening to Verdi on the radio, and I knew I wanted to become a singer.”

And so she did, and not half-way: after studying singing at the Music Academy of Zagreb, she made a successful debut at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris in 2003, where she sang Anna in Les Troyens by Hector Berlioz with Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting. A year later, she was blowing up the London scene, during the London Handel Festival, singing Dejanira in Handel’s Hercules the London Handel Orchestra under conductor Laurence Cummings. Since then, it seems nothing can stop this graceful young woman to charm Europe with her vocalises.

As a woman, is it a problem to travel so much from festivals to music theatres all around Europe? Not for Renata, who agrees her job hardly leaves her time for her personal life, but, as she beautifully says: “As a singer, you don’t work for a living: you entirely live your job. I am fortunate enough to work with amazing musicians, singers, orchestras and conductors, and this fulfils me completely.”

It’s the first time Renata attends a gathering such as the Women’s Forum, and she finds it tremendously inspiring. “It’s something very new to me to meet so many admirable and committed women, and I now feel an urge to commit beyond my job.” The Rising Talents program offers mentoring to its laureates, and Renata hopes this will help her finding what she could do “to help make things better around the world”.

In the meantime, her musical career keeps her very busy. On Sunday, she is heading to London to prepare a Lieder recital with Roger Vignoles. “Working with this pianist is simply heaven!” And so was listening to you, Renata!