Cornelia Guest brought a dose of Palm Beach polish to downtown Manhattan last week, leading a glittering guest list at the annual luncheon honoring Through Her Lens, CHANEL and the Tribeca Festival’s initiative supporting emerging women filmmakers. Hosted in the garden courtyard of The Greenwich Hotel, the gathering drew Hollywood insiders, rising creatives, and longtime supporters for an afternoon that celebrated storytelling, mentorship, and the power of women behind the camera.

Tribeca CEO and Co-Founder Jane Rosenthal opened the lunch with a reflection on the program’s evolution: “This year marks over two decades of our partnership with CHANEL, and the 11th year of Through Her Lens. What began as an idea shared between two friends — myself and the brilliant Paula Weinstein — has become one of the most vital artist development programs in the industry.” Rosenthal continued, “None of this would be possible without our steadfast partners at CHANEL. Thank you for your unwavering belief in this work, and for championing these voices year after year.” 

This year’s guest list reflected the program’s cultural influence and multi-generational reach. Attendees included Riley Keough, Miley Cyrus, Lucy Liu, Mariska Hargitay, Olivia Munn, Beanie Feldstein, Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, Zosia Mamet, Annie Murphy, Mira Sorvino, Jennifer Beals, Misty Copeland, and A.V. Rockwell—alongside emerging names like Francesca Scorsese, Ella Beatty, Lola Tung, and Gracie Lawrence.

Parker Posey, Miley Cyrus and Tish Cyrus attend the CHANEL Tribeca Festival Women’s Luncheon to celebrate the THROUGH HER LENS Program at Greenwich Hotel on June 06, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)

 

Launched in 2015, the Through Her Lens program includes a three-day immersive workshop with one-on-one mentorship with top industry leaders across directing, producing, screenwriting, scoring, and costume design. Past mentors and Advisory Committee members include Jane Fonda, Kerry Washington, Greta Lee, and Patty Jenkins, who reminded guests that “storytelling is a profound responsibility.”

Laura Karpman, Jane Rosenthal, A.V. Rockwell and Patty Jenkins attend the CHANEL Tribeca Festival Women’s Luncheon to celebrate the THROUGH HER LENS Program at Greenwich Hotel on June 06, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)

To date, the program has helped develop 45 short films, eight of which have premiered at major festivals like Sundance and TIFF and secured distribution through platforms including Max, Criterion, and Searchlight. Alumni have gone on to direct acclaimed features such as A Thousand and One by A.V. Rockwell, The Perfect Find by Numa Perrier, and Nanny by Nikyatu Jusu.

For CHANEL, Through Her Lens reflects a long-standing commitment to championing independent voices in film. “It’s about nurturing not just talent, but vision,” said one longtime collaborator—a sentiment echoed by the community it continues to build.

Submissions for the 2025 edition are now open, with the next workshop scheduled for September. For more information, visit https://www.tribecafilm.com/throughherlens.