Oscar-winning actor Halle Berry joined a panel of well-known film industry figures in September 2026 to choose five emerging women and non-binary filmmakers for a special mentorship programme in New York City. The three-day programme offered expert guidance and a production grant to help bring a short film to life. The initiative, called Through Her Lens: The Tribeca CHANEL Women’s Filmmaker Program, marked its 11th year by pairing five selected creative teams with experienced writers, directors and producers. Organized by Tribeca Enterprises and luxury brand Chanel, the programme offers creative advice and professional guidance on script development, pitching, directing and production planning. According to 10 Magazine USA, writer-director Gem Little and producer Kseniya Yorsh won the top prize for their proposed short film, COWARDS. The winning team received a $120,000 grant and production support from Tribeca Studios to fully fund and make the film. The other four finalist teams each received a $10,000 grant to help develop their projects further.
High-profile jury selects winning narrative
At the end of the workshop, a selected panel of actors, directors and cinematographers reviewed the five projects and chose a winner. Halle Berry was joined on the jury by actors Meg Ryan, Regina King and Ella Rubin, along with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw. The winning film, COWARDS, follows an eleven-year-old girl named Diamond as she deals with difficult family relationships during a single summer day in Chicago. The story is based on writer-director Gem Little’s own experiences of living with different relatives while her mother was in prison.In a formal statement published by 10 Magazine USA, the jury said the project “touched us the most as a compassionate, strong example of a story that is needed in our country right now.” The selected teams also received direct guidance from experienced film professionals who served as mentors during the workshop. The 2026 mentors included director Celine Song, playwright Aleshea Harris, producer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, actor Fala Chen and director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Three days of intensive industry instruction
The official programme overview on the Tribeca website explains that the three-day autumn workshop helps filmmakers improve their scripts, develop a clear creative vision and learn how to present their projects to potential investors. After an open application process, a selection committee chooses five projects with completed scripts that are ready for production. Applicants must submit a finished screenplay and show at least one project they have directed before. During the workshop, the teams take part in one-on-one advice sessions, group discussions and meetings with other filmmakers. The programme covers practical parts of independent filmmaking, including choosing key creative staff, working within a budget and finding opportunities at international film festivals. The initiative aims to reduce long-standing gender gaps in filmmaking by giving emerging directors financial support and valuable industry contacts. According to Tribeca, the winning team continues to receive guidance after filming ends and the completed short film moves into distribution. Speaking about the effect of the workshop, director Gem Little told 10 Magazine USA that “this experience changed me.” She highlighted the supportive atmosphere created by the mentors and other participants.
Sustained support for independent storytelling
Since it began, the partnership between Tribeca and Chanel has aimed to help women and non-binary writers and directors move their projects from early script development to a commercial release. Previous editions of the programme have offered advice from directors Kathryn Bigelow, Patty Jenkins, Karyn Kusama and Olivia Wilde. Actors Glenn Close, Courteney Cox, Sarah Jessica Parker and Lucy Liu have also taken part. The grant awarded to Little and Yorsh will cover the full production of COWARDS. Tribeca Studios will also provide practical support through post-production. Meanwhile, the four other teams will each receive $10,000 to continue developing their projects and move closer to making their films. With the 2026 programme now complete, the organizers confirmed that applications for the next edition will reopen ahead of the 2027 Tribeca Festival. The festival is scheduled to take place in New York from June 3 to June 12.
