Through Her Lens

Overview

Through Her Lens: The Tribeca CHANEL Women's Filmmaker Program is a three-day intensive workshop and funding program for emerging women and non-binary screenwriters and directors in the United States. A partnership between Tribeca and CHANEL, the program selects five filmmakers each year to participate in mentorship sessions, workshops, and industry networking in New York City. One participant receives a $120,000 grant to produce their short film. The four remaining participants each receive a $10,000 development prize.

The program launched in 2015 and celebrated its 10th edition in September 2025. The 2025 workshop took place September 16 to 18 in New York City, with a jury that included Kaitlyn Dever, Meghann Fahy, Allison Janney, Payal Kapadia, Issa Rae, and Jenny Slate. Mentors have included Kathryn Bigelow, Patty Jenkins, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Catherine Hardwicke, Anna Boden, Christine Vachon, Debra Granik, Olivia Wilde, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Morrison across the program's ten-year history.

There is no entry fee to apply. Applications for the 2026 cycle opened May 19, 2026 and closed June 21, 2026. Applications are currently closed.

What the Program Provides

Through Her Lens combines funding with structured mentorship across a three-day workshop. The five selected participants receive:

• $120,000 production grant (1 winner): Full financing to produce the submitted short film, along with specialized guidance and mentorship from Tribeca Studios through production and into the marketplace
• $10,000 development prize (4 additional participants): Funding to continue developing their short film projects after the workshop
• Master classes and workshops with established women filmmakers and industry leaders, covering script-to-screen development, directing, producing, music composition, and costume design
• One-on-one mentorship from Tribeca's team and a leadership committee of working filmmakers
• Pitch development: All five participants receive script and pitch feedback from mentors, culminating in a live pitch to a curated jury on day three
• Industry networking with the program's extended network of producers, executives, and filmmakers
• Ongoing support: Tribeca continues to provide support as the winning project wraps production and enters the marketplace

The total funding distributed each year is at least $160,000 ($120,000 + 4 x $10,000). The program's Advisory Committee, established in 2023, shapes the program's future and supports participating filmmakers beyond the three-day workshop.

Eligibility and Application Requirements

Through Her Lens has specific requirements that applicants must meet:

• Women and non-binary filmmakers: The program is open to women and non-binary screenwriters and directors based in the United States
• Production-ready script: Applicants must have a production-ready script for a narrative short film no more than 20 minutes in length
• Prior directing work: Applicants must be able to share at least one previous directing work sample (minimum 5 consecutive minutes via an online streaming source like YouTube or Vimeo)
• Budget top sheet: A budget summary including post-production costs is required
• Visual material: At least one visual element (lookbook, pitch deck, moodboard, or tone reel) must be submitted
• Artist statement: A statement on goals for the project and a filmmaker statement on participation interest and career growth
• Bios and contact information for key applicant(s)
• No genre restrictions: The program has no restriction on genre, style, theme, or project
• Budget feasibility: Films must be able to be completed with a $120,000 budget

The program does not accept documentaries, television pilots, or feature films. The focus is specifically on narrative short films.

Selection Process

Five finalists are selected by an internal committee based on five criteria:

1. Originality of the submission
2. Technical merit of the script and prior work
3. Market viability of the project
4. Previous work quality (assessed from the required directing sample)
5. Mentorship potential (how much the filmmaker would benefit from the program)

All five finalists attend the three-day workshop in New York City. On day three, each finalist pitches their project to a jury of five to seven media professionals. The jury selects one winner based on the entire project: script, writer/director's vision, and the live pitch presentation. The winner receives the $120,000 production grant. The other four finalists each receive $10,000 development prizes.

Applicants are notified of their selection status by Fall 2026 for the 2026 cycle.

Submission Timeline

Applications are submitted through Tribeca's Submittable portal. There is no entry fee.

Through Her Lens in Context

Through Her Lens is one of the highest-paying short film grants in the United States. The $120,000 production budget is unusual for a short film program. Most short film grants range from $5,000 to $25,000. For comparison:

The program's combination of full production financing, mentorship from A-list filmmakers, and no entry fee makes it one of the most competitive short film programs in the country. The addition of non-binary filmmakers to the eligibility criteria (announced in recent cycles) expanded the program's reach beyond its original women-only focus.

The CHANEL partnership provides the program's funding. CHANEL has a long history of supporting women in the arts, and the Tribeca partnership began in 2015. The program is part of Tribeca's broader artist development initiatives, which also include Tribeca Studios productions and festival programming.

What Happens After the Workshop

The winning filmmaker does not simply receive a check and a handshake. Tribeca Studios provides production support throughout the filmmaking process, from pre-production through post-production and into the marketplace. The program continues to provide support as the completed short film enters the festival circuit or distribution pipeline.

The four development prize recipients use their $10,000 grants to continue advancing their projects independently. They maintain access to the program's network and community but do not receive the same level of ongoing production support as the winner.

Past mentors and jury members have included Academy Award winners and nominees, working showrunners, studio executives, and independent film producers. The program's alumni network spans ten years of selected filmmakers.

Past Recipients and Notable Films

Through Her Lens has funded short films that have premiered at Sundance, Toronto, and other major festivals. Specific winners and the short films they made with the grant:

• A.V. Rockwell - Feathers (2018) - 2016 winner ($80,000 prize). Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival 2018. Released by Searchlight Pictures. Rockwell later won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for her feature A Thousand and One (2023), distributed by Focus Features.

• Nikyatu Jusu and R. Shanea Williams - Suicide by Sunlight (2020) - 2017 winner. Premiered at Sundance 2019. Acquired by HBO. Jusu later won the Sundance Narrative Grand Jury Prize for her feature Nanny (2022), distributed by Universal Pictures.

• Hannah Peterson and Taylor Shung - CHAMP (2022) - 2019 winner. US premiere at Sundance. Starring Eva Noblezada. Produced by Taylor Shung (Past Lives) and Alex Coco (Anora).

• Wendi Tang and Hongwei Wu - Fishtank (2024) - 2022 winner. Premiered at Sitges Film Festival 2024. Selected for HollyShorts. A 17-minute short about a woman who cannot stop vomiting goldfish.

• Karishma Dev Dube and MG Evangelista - Strangers (2025) - 2025 winner (10th edition). Currently in production with full financing from Tribeca Studios. Selected from over 600 invited or recommended filmmakers.

What Makes a Competitive Application

1. Women and non-binary filmmakers only - The program is open to women and non-binary screenwriters and directors based in the United States.
2. Narrative short films only - Documentaries, television pilots, and feature films are not accepted. Scripts must be for narrative shorts no more than 20 minutes.
3. Prior directing work sample required - Must submit at least one previous directing work sample (minimum 5 consecutive minutes via YouTube or Vimeo).
4. Production-ready script - The script must be ready to shoot. Treatments or outlines are not accepted.
5. Budget feasibility at $120,000 - Films must be completable within the $120,000 production grant. Budget top sheet including post-production costs is required.
6. In-person attendance in NYC - All five finalists must attend the three-day workshop in New York City in September.

Who Should Apply

Emerging women and non-binary writers and directors based in the United States who have a narrative short film project (no more than 20 minutes) with a production-ready script, at least one prior directing work sample, and a budget that can be completed within $120,000. The program is designed for filmmakers at an early career stage who would benefit from both the funding and the intensive mentorship the three-day workshop provides.

Filmmakers who cannot attend a three-day in-person workshop in New York City in September should not apply, as attendance is required for all five finalists. The program is not for documentary filmmakers, TV writers, or feature film projects.

Recommended Resources for Filmmakers

• The Art of the Grant Proposal - A step-by-step guide to writing compelling grant proposals, with examples from successful film and arts funding applications. Available on Amazon.
• Winning Grants - Tori O'Neal's practical workbook covering grant research, narrative development, and budget preparation for film and media projects. Available on Amazon.
• Documentary Filmmaking Books - Browse books on documentary production, storytelling, and post-production for grant-funded nonfiction projects. Available on Amazon.

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See Also

For short film production planning, use the Shot List Generator and the Production Schedule Calculator. For understanding how short film grants connect to a longer career development strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For another program supporting women filmmakers, see the Athena List listing.