On Tuesday, October 17th, Jane Rosenthal, Paula Weinstein, Tribeca and CHANEL hosted the 3rd annual Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program kickoff luncheon at Locanda Verde in New York. They brought together a hundred women in entertainment – leading women actors, directors, writers, producers, casting directors and costume designers – to support one another and celebrate the emerging female filmmakers selected for the program.
During the luncheon, Tribeca Enterprises EVP, Paula Weinstein and Executive Chair of Tribeca Enterprises, Jane Rosenthal spoke to the importance of supporting both the current and next generation of female filmmakers. Jane Rosenthal offered encouraging words, saying, “When you hit success, when you take another step forward it’s not enough, make sure you pull another woman up with you. Women producers, select women directors. Women directors hire more women designers and crew. Produce and direct the work of women writers. Women in power, commit to mentoring the next generation of women.”
Next, Paula Weinstein commended the women in the room for their support of one another, noting that “in the 70’s my generation of women in Hollywood used to look at each with envy over their jobs, there was no sisterhood. Slowly that has changed. Today women are committed to each other. They wouldn’t consider a day without reaching behind to pull someone up or to hold a sister by her hand and encourage her to do well and not see her success as less success for them but rather that it is success for all of us. If we don’t approach it this way, our stories won’t be told.”
The three-day workshop from October 17– 19th aims to balance industry support, artistic development and funding for new and emerging U.S-based female writers and directors of short-form narrative films. At the end of the program, each of the five projects will be pitched by the filmmakers to a jury of industry experts. One filmmaker will be awarded full financing to produce her short film, along with the support of Tribeca Studios to make the project. The four other projects will each be awarded grant funds to continue the development of their films.
2017 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS:
The Leadership Committee participating in the 3rd annual THROUGH HER LENS: WOMEN’S FILMMAKER PROGRAM includes:
- MASTER CLASS ADVISORS: writer/director Amma Asante MBE (Belle, A United Kingdom, Where Hands Touch), actor Dakota Fanning (“The Alienist,”Brimstone, The Runaways), producer Donna Gigliotti (Hidden Figures, Silver Linings Playbook, Shakespeare in Love), composer Laura Karpman (Paris Can Wait, Underground), producer Riva Marker (Stronger, Beasts of No Nation), and costume designer Sandy Powell (Wonderstruck, Carol, The Aviator).
- JURORS: director/producer Mira Nair (Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding, Queen of Katwe), producer Paula Weinstein (“Grace and Frankie,”The Perfect Storm, Recount), and actor/producer Rachel Weisz (Disobedience,The Lobster, The Constant Gardner, My Cousin Rachel).
- MENTORS: producer Caroline Baron (“Mozart in the Jungle,” Capote,Monsoon Wedding), writer/executive producer Ilene Chaiken (“The L Word,” “Empire,” “The Handmaid’s Tale”), writer Leslie Dixon (Mrs. Doubtfire, Limitless, Hairspray), casting director Ellen Lewis (Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Irishman), actor Elizabeth Olsen (Wind River, Ingrid Goes West, Avengers: Infinity War), and producer Celine Rattray (The Kids Are All Right, American Honey).
- WRITING MENTORS: producer Effie T. Brown (Fox’s “Star,” Dear White People, “Project Greenlight”), producer Lucy Fisher (The Great Gatsby, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Divergent Series), president of TriStarHannah Minghella (Trainspotting 2, Baby Driver), and director/writer/producer Robin Swicord (The Jane Austen Book Club, Memoirs of a Geisha, Little Women).
The selected projects and filmmakers participating are:
- Marianne Amelinckx with Vuela and producer Claudia Lepage
- Nicole Emanuele with Wingmen
- Myna Joseph with No Fault with producer Amy Lo
- Nikyatu Jusu with Suicide by Sunlight with co-writer R. Shanea Williams
- Anna Zlokovic with Girl Wants Magic with producer Heather Grehan
For more information, visit tribecafilminstitute.org.