Cowards wins Chanel x Tribeca Through Her Lens funding award
“Cowards” has won the Chanel x Tribeca Through Her Lens award.
Writer-director Gem Little and producer Kseniya Yorsh will receive full financing to produce the short film through the programme, which backs women filmmakers by funding one project from script to screen, Variety reported. The winners were named at a gathering in a Greenwich Village penthouse in New York City.
The story is set on a summer day in 1999 in Chicago. It centres on 11-year-old Diamond. A rift with her best friend leaves her facing hard lessons about what it means to act tough.
The winner was chosen by a jury of actors Halle Berry, Regina King, Ella Rubin and Meg Ryan, alongside cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Variety reported. The jury system is simple. A small group watches the finalists and picks one team to fund.
Berry said the jurors had chosen “a film on anti-violence, and a female way of dealing with violence” as something the world needs right now. Speaking about the choice, she said she does not believe women’s first instinct is to fight. She said “Cowards” beautifully expresses a willingness to look for a peaceful resolution.
The finalists were guided in the run-up to the decision by working filmmakers and industry figures. Mentors included “Past Lives” writer-director Celine Song, playwright Aleshea Harris, producer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, actor Fala Chen and director Gina Prince-Bythewood, Variety reported. That kind of mentoring covers script, directing and planning the shoot.
The wider celebration around the programme drew other familiar names. Actors Riley Keough and Emmy Rossum were among those who attended the 2026 Chanel x Tribeca Through Her Lens Luncheon, WWD reported. The luncheon is a separate gathering that brings past participants, jurors and guests together.
What makes this stand out for viewers is the next step. Little and Yorsh now move into production with the money in place. For a short film, which is usually under 40 minutes and often made on a tight budget, full financing removes the long search for funds. The finished “Cowards” will then travel the usual route for shorts, through festivals and organised showcases where buyers and programmers decide what gets seen next.
