About Through Her Lens

Workshop and Forum

Tribeca and CHANEL are seeking the best emerging women and non-binary screenwriters and directors in the U.S.

Using a non-public nomination system from Tribeca’s extensive list of industry contacts and alumni, an internal committee will ultimately select five projects to attend. Filmmakers must have a production-ready script and be able to share at least one previous directing work.

If you believe you are an eligible participant, please email your bio or résumé to THLSubmissions@tribecafilm.com.

Over the course of three days during the fall (September 2024), finalists attend an empowering Workshop and Forum. Striking a balance between industry mentorship and artistic development, the Workshop and Forum will include hands-on consultation for each project, master classes, one-on-one as well as peer-to-peer sessions and an opportunity for industry networking. Workshops and master classes will cover a range of topics, including script-to-screen development, approaches to directing and producing, working with creative team members and more.

The Workshop and Forum will also be dedicated to helping the five participating projects hone their stories and concepts into succinct presentations. Script and pitch feedback will be provided to all projects from the mentors. Group sessions led by some of the boldest and brightest working women in the entertainment industry will provide relevance and balance between the individualized sessions.

Mentors and session leaders for the Workshop and Forum will include respected women filmmakers (writers, directors and producers) as well as talent working in front of and behind the camera. Previous mentors have included Kathryn Bigelow, Catherine Hardwicke, Stella Meghie, Rashida Jones, Anna Boden, Leslye Headland, Effie T. Brown, Celia D. Costas, Lydia Dean Pilcher, Donna Gigliotti, Courtney Kemp, Karyn Kusama, Patty Jenkins, Emily Mortimer, Glenn Close, Rachel Morrison, Courteney Cox, Debra Granik, Christine Vachon, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Marti Noxon, Ilene Chaiken, Amma Asante, Veena Sud, Julie Taymor, Sarah Jessica Parker, Misha Green, Tina Mabry, Soo Hugh and a variety of other established filmmakers, producers and executives.

The Workshop and Forum will culminate on day three with the participants presenting their short film projects to a curated jury. The award recipient will be selected by the group of five to seven jurors based on the entire project: script, writer/director’s vision and succinct industry presentation of the idea.

The selected participant will receive an $80,000 grant to produce their short film, along with specialized guidance and mentorship from Tribeca to help the project reach its potential.

The additional four participants will each receive a $5,000 development prize to keep moving forward with their projects after the workshop. The mission is to support all of the filmmakers and projects in the program.

Through Her Lens: The Tribeca CHANEL Women’s Filmmaker Program will continue to provide support as the selected project wraps production and enters the marketplace.

Eligibility

Projects are selected with the intention to support working filmmakers who identify as women or as non-binary.
Eligible participants may be a writer/director or writer, and if the applicant is solely the writer, then a woman director must be attached to the submitted project.
Projects must have an attached producer that is not the film’s director. Producers do not need to live in the US.
Participants are invited to attend the Workshop as teams of two, and that team may include a producer. All attending participants must be women and/or non-binary.
Applying directors must have made at least one short in their area of focus. Directors who have completed a scripted feature are no longer eligible for this program.
Through Her Lens has no restriction on genre, style, theme or project.
Films must be able to be completed with an $80,000 budget.

If you believe you are an eligible participant, please email your bio or résumé to THLSubmissions@tribecafilm.com.

FAQ

How do I apply?

The application for Through Her Lens: The Tribeca CHANEL Women’s Filmmaker Program can be accessed and completed online through a link sent by invitation only. Please email us at THLSubmissions@tribecafilm.com with your bio or résumé if you’d like to be considered for an invitation. Invited filmmakers will be sent an application form to complete, which requires them to submit a production-ready short film script, a budget for under $80,000 and a link to previous work.

When is the submission deadline, and what is the entry fee?

Submissions will close on June 17th 2024 at 11:59pm ET. There is no entry fee to apply to Through Her Lens, but it is only open to filmmakers via invitation.

Am I eligible?

Projects are selected with the intention to support working filmmakers who identify as women or as non-binary. Eligible participants may be a writer/director or writer, and if the applicant is solely the writer, then a woman director must be attached to the submitted project. Documentary feature directors transitioning into scripted are eligible.

Projects must have a producer attached, that is NOT the director of the film.

Directors should have made at least one short previous work in their area of focus. Directors who have completed a scripted feature are no longer eligible for this program.

How many projects will be selected?

Five projects will be brought to the workshop, with up to two participating members of each team, which may include writers, directors and/or producers. Team members who identify as a woman or as non-binary are welcome to attend. One project will receive the $80,000 grant and the four other participating projects will each receive a $5,000 grant to keep their project moving forward after the workshop.

Are student films or grad theses eligible for Through Her Lens?

Are students, undergraduate or graduate, eligible to apply to Through Her Lens?

When will I be notified about my application status?

All applicants will be notified via e-mail August 2024.

Do I need footage to apply to Through Her Lens?

We require a minimum of five minutes of consecutive footage of the director’s previous work. Previous work produced by writers is appreciated but not required.

Do I need a full script, or is a treatment sufficient?

Yes, you need a full script, and it should be close to or production-ready.

Do I need a full budget, or is a top sheet sufficient?

You may provide just a top sheet, as long as the total is under $80,000. Please remember to allocate for your full post, deliverables, festival submission fees and any marketing materials you wish to have. Tribeca and CHANEL will not be providing additional funding for these fees.

Does Tribeca own the rights to my project if it is selected for the program?

No. Filmmakers will own their own films.

However, if you are selected as the production grant recipient, you agree to place a logo for Through Her Lens® in the introductory credits at the beginning of the short film produced in connection with the project. If you are selected to receive either the production grant or a development grant, you agree to place the following credit in any feature-length or TV version(s) or spin-off(s) of the project: “Developed through Tribeca’s Through Her Lens® program.” You also agree to place the following acknowledgments, in addition to any logos that may be provided to you, in the end credit scroll of your final short film, on all theatrical one-sheets/posters and on any film-specific website for the project, in substantially the following form: “Produced with support from Tribeca Enterprises and CHANEL.”

What is an Artistic Statement?

The Artistic Statement is your opportunity to discuss your creative vision for your project. This is where you can describe the tone and style of the film and speak to the reasoning behind your creative choices with regard to the subject matter, medium, setting, etc. It’s also the place to touch upon your motivation for telling this story and for how you’ve decided to tell it.

What is a Filmmaker Statement?

The Filmmaker Statement is your opportunity to explain how this program will help your future filmmaking career. Although we are only granting one project, we are choosing filmmakers who are thinking strategically about their future, and we would like this workshop to help advance them in their career.

Does Through Her Lens look for certain types of films? How do I know if my project has a “qualified director, producer or screenwriter” attached?

Through Her Lens has no restriction on genre, style or theme. The projects are selected with the intention to support working women and non-binary filmmakers. Eligible participants may be a writer/director or writer, and if the applicant is solely the writer, then a woman director must be attached to the submitted project. In addition, candidates should have made at least one previous work in their area of focus—which may include shorts or series. Directors who have completed a scripted feature are no longer eligible for this program. Documentary feature directors transitioning into scripted are eligible.

Is Through Her Lens open to filmmakers from around the world?

Applicants must be current residents of the U.S. or Puerto Rico, but do not need to be U.S. citizens. If you have any specific questions, please contact THLSubmissions@tribecafilm.com.

I am a screenwriter, but no director/producer is attached to my project yet. Do I qualify for Through Her Lens?

No. Screenwriters are welcome to apply, but we require that a director who identifies as a woman or non-binary is attached to the project. If you have any specific questions, please contact THLSubmissions@tribecafilm.com

If I am just the writer, will my director also be able to attend?

Yes, the workshop participants can be teams of two. Writer/directors are allowed to bring a creative producer to the workshop, and writers are allowed to bring their director or creative producer to the workshop. Please include who you would want to attend in your application. We strongly encourage a producer to attend if possible. Each attending participant should identify as a woman or as non-binary.

When do we need to be in attendance for the Through Her Lens program?

The qualifying writer or writer/director must be in attendance in-person throughout the entirety of the three-day workshop, date to be announced.

I live outside of New York City. If I am accepted into the program, will Through Her Lens cover my travel and accommodation?

Through Her Lens will cover the cost of airfare and set up accommodation for primary participants who do not reside in the New York City metro area.

If my project is selected for Through Her Lens, will it screen at the Tribeca Festival?

Acceptance to Through Her Lens does not indicate acceptance to the festival.

If my project is selected to receive full funding, when does it need to be completed?

Projects must make best efforts to be completed within one year of the workshop.

Am I allowed to submit more than one project?

Yes, however, we highly encourage applicants to submit the script that they feel is most production-ready and will best fit the $80,000 budget. Applicants do need to fill out a separate application per project.

Are there any stipulations on when I make the film?

Yes. Projects must make best efforts to be completed within one year of the workshop.

If I am accepted to the program, what will I be expected to do before I arrive?

The selection committee and Tribeca will provide feedback and notes on your draft and materials after you are accepted. You will be asked to address these notes and return your final script three weeks before the workshop.

How will Through Her Lens be responding to COVID-19 and safety regulations?

Tribeca and CHANEL are committed to hosting Through Her Lens 2024 while prioritizing health and safety. All in-person receptions and workshops will be held in New York City in accordance with CDC, NY State Law and NYC Department of Health guidelines.

Where can I find additional answers to questions?

Our staff will be happy to answer any other questions or concerns you may have. Email us here.