Yara Shahidi and Rachel Morrison to Speak at Through Her Lens Filmmaker Program

The sixth annual Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program has added masterclass conversations to this year’s lineup.

“Grown-ish” star Yara Shahidi, and her business partner and mother Keri Shahidi will discuss the film business, while cinematographers Rachel Morrison and Ellen Kuras will talk about visual storytelling.

Held virtually due to the coronavirus, the Through Her Lens program will take place Oct. 13 to Oct. 15, and provide $100,000 in grant money to emerging female filmmakers. Five teams of filmmakers will take part in the three-day immersive program, which includes virtual one-on-one mentorship in development, casting, music composition, costume design, producing and directing. One team will receive full financing to produce their short film with support from Tribeca Studios. The four other projects will be awarded grant funds to support their films’ development.

This year’s leadership committee includes:

Masterclass Advisors: Annette Bening, Alexa Fogel, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Laura Karpman, Marti Noxon and Sharen Davis

Jurors: Angela Bassett, Angelica Ross, Channing Dungey, Jessica Elbaum, Kirsten Dunst, Lucy Boynton and Uzo Aduba.

Mentors: Glenn Close, Emilia Clarke, Mollye Asher, Nikki Caro, and Ry Russo-Young, Brit Bennett, Janine Nabers, Jennifer, Kaytin Robinson, Kelly Carmichael and Marja-Lewis Ryan

The 2020 selected projects and filmmakers are:

“Benediction”: writer-director Zandashé Brown and producer Monica Sorelle

“Cut Leaf”: writer-producer Nadia P. Manzoor and producer Khaula Malik

“Rest Stop”: writer-director Crystal Kayiza and producer Jalena Keane-Lee

“Rosario”: writer-director Mary Angélica Molina

“Wings”: writer-director-producer Susan O’Brien and writer-producer Giselle Byrd

The three days also include a welcome tea on Oct. 13, hosted by Chanel, Jane Rosenthal and Paula Weinstein.