VOGUE – Since 2015, Chanel and Tribeca Enterprises (founded by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal) have selected young, female and/or nonbinary filmmakers to participate in their joint mentorship fund competition Through Her Lens. The candidates, a group of about 10, get paired up with mentors—experts in script-to-screen development, casting, music composition, costume design, producing, and directing—and because Chanel is involved, the group is always top-notch, made up of the discerning sorts of figures you might expect to see sitting front row. They include Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Diane Kruger, Julianne Moore, Katie Holmes, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathryn Bigelow; while the likes of A.V. Rockwell, Nikyatu Jusu, and Hannah Peterson have competed, going on to screen their work at Sundance, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the BlackStar Film Festival.
In years past, Through Her Lens has kicked off with a luncheon, usually at De Niro’s Locanda Verde in New York, that unfolds like a parade of Chanel-clad film-industry talents. In the three days that follow, participants get one-on-one mentoring sessions and master classes dedicated to the development of short film projects. The program culminates with a lucky three being awarded grant money to help realize their films. This year, there will be no tweedy lunch or face-to-face mentorship sessions, but Chanel and Tribeca Enterprises are committed to continuing the program 2020 style: virtually.
Ahead of this year’s lineup, we caught up with Emilia Clarke, who will serve as mentors alongside Glenn Close, Niki Caro, Lucy Boynton, and Uzo Aduba. Calling her involvement “an absolute no-brainer,” the former Game of Thrones star rang from London, and her firecracker enthusiasm could be felt through the transatlantic call. She’s been at home for much of 2020, which has allowed her the time to develop projects for her own production company and to work with her charity, Same You, dedicated to brain injury recovery. Through Her Lens is just another chance for Clarke to give back. Below, she stresses the value of mentorship, the need to know your references and the glorious benefits of binge-watching cinema.
How did you first hear about Through Her Lens?
I got a call from my rep telling me about Through Her Lens. As soon as I heard about it, I was like, “Damn straight. I am so in!” I did a judging panel for the BFI last year and it was so fulfilling and amazing. I really passionately care about new voices being heard, especially when those voices are female, so this was an absolute no-brainer. It’s kind of funny because you’re sort of like, well, what can I bring to the table? What experiences can I share that might be beneficial to someone coming into the industry? Because Lord knows I would have loved [a mentor] for myself! I think that when you’re a female in this industry, you do have a slightly singular experience. And I think that it’s becoming increasingly valuable for us women to talk to each other.
What experiences and advice will you share with your mentees?
An understanding of what I’ve learned and what to expect; what you can push back on and what the environment you are being sent into is like. Because everybody starts with, largely speaking, a wide-eyed, optimistic gaze, and I think that the best way to have your stories told and heard is by understanding the environment you’re walking into. And now, as a producer as well, I see a whole other side of things, which is teaching me a lot as an actor and will definitely be valuable to a young filmmaker or a new voice.
You mentioned you wished you had more of a mentor. Could you expand on that?
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