The sun set on a perfect fall evening in New York City as new writers, directors and producers gathered with industry giants in a rustic Greenwich Village loft. As appetizers and endless lemon juice were distributed around the room, the crowd awaited the announcement of this year’s Chanel x Tribeca. Winner thanks to Her Lens, which gave a team full funding to make a short film.
Over the past three days, participants participated in workshops, one-on-one mentoring and industry conversations, and then performed a live presentation in front of a panel of judges that this year included Halle Berry, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Regina King, Ella Rubin and Meg Ryan. “[I] “I was so sure that all these talented women would and should make these movies, but ultimately one movie touched us,” Arkpaw told the crowd Thursday night. [as] Most of all, as a compassionate, powerful example of a story that is needed right now in our country.”
This year’s award was given to writer and director Gem Little and producer Kseniya Yorsh for their short film “Cowards”.
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Set on a summer day in Chicago in 1999, the film follows 11-year-old Diamond as she falls out with her best friend and reckons with everything she was taught about toughness as a young girl. It’s a story close to Little’s heart, based on his own life experience. “Youth violence is such an important issue, and we don’t often talk about it from the perspective of young girls and how we’re taught to be resilient as a survival mechanism,” she says. Diversity. The past three days have transformed both her and Yorsh not only as storytellers and filmmakers, but also as women. As they head back to Los Angeles, the duo agree that their biggest takeaway is: “How important it is for us right now to have a voice and autonomy over our own stories. Women are telling the truth. I think we’ll continue to do that.”
“I don’t think our first instinct as a woman is to fight,” Berry adds. “We are very egalitarian. We are the caretakers of our families. Most of the time we are ready to talk about an issue and find a peaceful solution. That’s the difference between men and women. ‘Cowards’ puts it very well.”
Kseniya Yorsh and Gem Little
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Throughout the deliberation process, Berry and the other jurors decided that “something had to be a definitive thought” and decided that “a film about nonviolence and a feminine way of dealing with violence is something the world needs right now.”
“I’ll be honest: When I first got the supplies, I was like, ‘Oh, homework? I thought we were just going to hear the pitch,'” King jokes later in the evening. But hearing these stories and meeting the women who tell them reminds her why she loves the job. The omnipresent individuality of each team gives her hope. “You can be absolutely exhausted at this age,” she laughs. “We’re all going to hell in a bag.” It’s the new generation “marching to the beat of their own drum” that has enabled her to relive the joy of filmmaking.
I’d like to point out that, given the current news cycle, there’s something nice about being able to position yourself well for the future. He corrects me: “A Great path.”
After the three-day experience, King says he took off his blinders. “When you experience success, you may feel guilty for losing the peripheral. Having this experience reminds me that not everything is okay.” This year’s mentors included Past Lives and “The Materialists” filmmaker Celine Song, playwright and filmmaker Aleshea Harris (“Is God Is”), producer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, actress Fala Chen and “The Woman King” director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Regardless, King was thinking about his next film as a director and was grateful that his sister, Reina King, was his filmmaking partner throughout the process. “It can [us] “In this room,” he smiles. “We Still in such shooting rooms.
As the night draws to a close, Little stands across from me on the terrace and shares the words of wisdom that Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal imparted to the group earlier in the week. “You’re not just holding the door open to the women behind you, you’re holding the door open to the women in front of you. You never know. It’s all a sliding scale.”