Halle Berry, Regina King and Meg Ryan to jury Tribeca Chanel filmmaker programme
Halle Berry, Regina King and Meg Ryan will decide which new short film gets made through Tribeca and Chanel's talent scheme.
Berry, King and Ryan will serve on the jury for the 11th edition of Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women's Filmmaker Program, Variety reported. They will be joined by cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw and actor Ella Rubin.
Through Her Lens is an annual artist-development initiative from Tribeca Enterprises and Chanel. It supports emerging women and non-binary film-makers, meaning directors and creators who are early in their careers and working outside the usual studio system. The scheme was founded by Tribeca and Chanel in 2015, building on a relationship that began when the two organisations first partnered in 2005.
The 11th edition takes place Sept. 22-24 in New York City, Variety reported. Five film-making teams will gather for three days of workshops, one-to-one mentorship and industry conversations with working writers, directors and producers. The programme ends with a live pitch, a short in-person presentation in which each team explains its story, style and plan to the jury.
The prize is practical. One team will receive full financing to produce its short film with support from Tribeca Studios. A short film is typically under 40 minutes and is often used to launch a career in features. The other four teams will receive development grants to continue work on their scripts and plans.
This year's mentors include Celine Song, Aleshea Harris, producer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, actor Fala Chen and director Gina Prince-Bythewood. Mentorship here means hands-on guidance on story, directing and navigating the business. They will advise the teams during the programme before the film-makers face the jury.
The 2026 class brings five director-producer pairs with five new projects. Jasmine J. Johnson and producer Katy Wicker will present Break. Jinsui Song and Shen Wei will present Camouflage. Victoria Trow and producer Sabina Friedman-Seitz will present Cold Embrace. Gem Little and Kseniya Yorsh will present Cowards. Carlen May-Mann and Cacá Montagnana will present Grippy Socks, Variety reported.
For newcomers, this means the decision leads straight to a shoot. The jury hears every pitch in the room, then selects the project that moves into production.
Over its first 11 editions, Through Her Lens has developed 50 short films, with 10 winning projects receiving full financing. Alumni include A.V. Rockwell, Nikyatu Jusu, Numa Perrier and Hannah Peterson.
