Films, News, Women Directors

The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program Announces This Year’s Participants

Marianna Amelinckx is among this year’s emerging filmmakers: Through Her Lens

The five participants of this year’s Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program have been announced. Launched to provide industry support, funding, and other resources to new and emerging U.S.-based female writers and directors of short-form narrative films, the three-day mentorship initiative is now in its third year. This year’s crop of filmmakers includes Marianna Amelinckx, whose short film “Salta” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and 2016 Independent Spirit Award nominee Myna Joseph (“The Mend”).

The emerging filmmakers will “take part in master classes, one-on-one mentorship, and peer-to-peer sessions,” a press release details. “At the end of the program, each of the five filmmakers will pitch her project to a jury of industry experts. One filmmaker will be awarded full financing to produce her short film, along with support of Tribeca Studios to make the project, and the four other projects will each be awarded grant funds to continue the development of their films.”

The five talents will gather in New York City from October 17–19 for an intense, intimate program focusing primarily on “script-to-screen development, casting, finding collaborators, and working with music composers, costume designers, and producers.” They’ll be improving their pitching skills and meeting with prominent women in the industry. Each filmmaker will get the chance to work with writing mentors during the summer.

Master class advisors include “A United Kingdom” director Amma Asante, “Twilight” actor Dakota Fanning, and “Hidden Figures” producer Donna Gigliotti. “Queen of Katwe” helmer Mira Nair and Oscar-winning actor Rachel Weisz are among the jurors. Mentors include writer-executive producer Ilene Chaiken (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), writer Leslie Dixon (“Hairspray”), and producer Celine Rattray (“American Honey”), with writing mentors such as writer-director Robin Swicord (“The Jane Austen Book Club”) and producer Effie T. Brown (“Dear White People”).

“We’re thrilled to give such a talented new class of filmmakers the opportunity to participate in Through Her Lens,” said Amy Hobby, Executive Director of Tribeca Film Institute. “The program, and advancing the careers of female filmmakers in general, is an important part of our year-round work elevating diverse storytellers in order to advance racial, gender, and economic equity.”

Check out all of the filmmakers selected to participate, their projects, and their bios below.

VUELA — Marianne Amelinckx (Writer/Director). Venezuela could have been one of the richest countries in the modern world, but ineffective government policies and corruption have made the country one of the most dangerous places to live. Vuela (Fly) tells the story of a chance encounter between Luisa and Monica just before they take off to different countries and leave everything behind them, including the opportunity to get to know each other.

Marianne Amelinckx is a Venezuelan writer/director whose passion for storytelling led her to write and direct Salta, a very personal short film that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017. Vuela is the second short film of the trilogy: Salta, Vuela, Corre. She is also currently working on 39 bedrooms, a personal blog that might turn into her first feature film.

WINGMEN — Nicole Emanuele (Writer/Director). Sarah’s bachelorette party is all cigarettes and penis shots, until she and her best friend Marie get the call to report for active duty the next day. They’ve been training for years to be deployed by the U.S. Navy, so they’ve got this, right?

Nicole Emanuele’s short film Love, Gina (2017) played at Cinequest and Rooftop Film Festival and was featured on The Playlist. She produced Not Waving But Drowning (2012) with Adam Driver, Lilli Reinhart, Megan Guinan, and Vanessa Ray and is currently a development executive at YouTube Red overseeing series and films including Step Up: High Water and Doug Liman’s Impulse.

NO FAULT — Myna Joseph (Writer/Director). Following a near-fatal car accident, Lu wrestles with creeping invisibility as she approaches the second half of her life. On this long winter day, she finds her physical identity fractured, ignored, misunderstood, and judged — but with wry humor and stubborn resilience, she’s determined to be seen.

Myna Joseph’s short film Man screened at Cannes in Directors’ Fortnight, Sundance, SXSW, and New Directors/New Films Festival. She was nominated for a 2016 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay for The Mend, which was also nominated for a Gotham Award. Myna attended the Sundance Directors’ and Screenwriters’ Labs with her feature Charlotte XVI and is a graduate of Wellesley College and Columbia University’s M.F.A film program.

SUICIDE BY SUNLIGHT — Nikyatu Jusu (Writer/Director). Valentina, a day-walking Black vampire protected from the sun by her melanin, finds it difficult to suppress her bloodlust when a new woman is brought around her estranged twin daughters.

Nikyatu Jusu is an award-winning Sierra Leonean-American filmmaker. Her screenplay Free the Town participated in the Sundance Institute’s inaugural Diverse Writers Workshop and was selected for both the 2013 Durban Film Mart and Film Independent’s Fast Track. Her short film, Flowers, won the HBO short film award and is her third film acquired by HBO.

GIRL WANTS MAGIC — written by Anna Zlokovic (Writer/Director). Manny, an outcast and bullied high schooler, finds her only friend in music. When her teacher, Mr. Hornby, is possessed by a violent, alien insect, Manny is forced to fight her biggest demon yet and discover her magic within.

Anna is an award-winning writer/director based in Los Angeles and an alumna of the USC Film & TV Production program. Her films and music videos have screened internationally at festivals including SXSW, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Fantasia Int’l Film Festival, and Oberhausen Int’l Film Festival. She is a founding member of the Aporkalypse filmmaking collective.

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