May 19th, 2026 Press Assets Available HERE
2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL AND CHANEL ANNOUNCE SPECIAL CONVERSATION WITH ACADEMY AWARD-NOMINATED ACTRESS TEYANA TAYLOR ON JUNE 7 AS PART OF THE FESTIVAL'S STORYTELLERS SERIES
Teyana Taylor will highlight mentorship, creative leadership, and expanding opportunities for women storytellers to shape the future of film
NEW YORK, NY - (May 19, 2026) - The 2026 Tribeca Festival and CHANEL today announced a talk presented by Through Her Lens: The Tribeca CHANEL Women's Filmmaker Program and part of Tribeca's Storytellers Series, featuring Academy Award- and GRAMMY Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress, director, producer, choreographer, creative director, musician Teyana Taylor, who is also the newest member of the Through Her Lens Advisory Committee.
The talk will take place on Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 PM at Spring Studios, the Tribeca Festival hub. The 25th Tribeca Festival runs June 3-14 in New York City. Tickets for the conversation are available at tribecafilm.com/films/storytellers-teyana-taylor-2026.
Joining the Through Her Lens Advisory Committee with Tribeca and CHANEL felt personal to me because I know how powerful it is when women are given the space, support, and confidence to fully step into their vision, said Teyana Taylor. That's what Through Her Lens is about - empowering women to tell bold, honest stories in their own voice. I'm proud to be part of something with CHANEL that's creating that kind of lasting impact.
As a newly appointed member of the Through Her Lens Advisory Committee, Taylor offers a dynamic conversation exploring the power of mentorship, creative community, and women's leadership in filmmaking. Taylor is reshaping every corner of entertainment through her visionary and multidisciplinary approach to storytelling.
Taylor first garnered widespread critical acclaim for her first leading breakout film role in A Thousand and One, directed by A.V. Rockwell - a former Through Her Lens Program winner and current Advisory Committee member - marking a powerful full-circle moment that reflects the program's lasting impact and commitment to championing women filmmakers. Since then, Taylor's role in Paul Thomas Anderson's 2025 One Battle After Another earned her a Golden Globe Award, as well as Academy Award, Critics Choice, and Actor Award nominations. She will make her feature directorial debut with Get Lite, due out in theaters in April 2027.
Drawing from her experiences both in front of and behind the camera, Taylor will share insight into building an authentic creative voice, navigating the industry as a multidimensional artist, and creating opportunities for the next generation of women storytellers. The conversation will highlight the importance of mentorship, representation, and creative support systems in empowering women to shape the future of film on their own terms.
Teyana Taylor has never waited for permission to define herself. She's built a career on instinct, originality, and fearless creativity. We're thrilled to welcome her to Tribeca and to the Through Her Lens Advisory Committee. I know her artistry and perspective will resonate with so many women and storytellers, said Tribeca Festival Co-Founder Jane Rosenthal.
Founded in 2015, THROUGH HER LENS: The Tribeca CHANEL Women's Filmmaker Program supports and mentors emerging filmmakers through an annual workshop and development grants, fostering the next generation of creative voices in film. Notable alumni include Kat Coiro (2015 winner), A.V. Rockwell (2016 winner), whose feature directorial debut A Thousand and One (2023) starred Taylor, and Nikyatu Jusu (2017 winner). This year's Festival includes alumni projects from Hannah Peterson (2019 winner), premiering her feature film Via Negativa, and Lara Everly (2024 participant), premiering her short film Selah, which was developed through the program.
THROUGH HER LENS: The Tribeca CHANEL Women's Filmmaker Program is a mentorship initiative that offers support, artistic development, and funding to emerging U.S.-based self-identifying women and non-binary filmmakers. The program's Advisory Committee includes Jane Fonda, Patty Jenkins, Laura Karpman, Lucy Liu, A.V. Rockwell, Teyana Taylor, Tessa Thompson, Kerry Washington, and Olivia Wilde. Each year, the program includes a three-day workshop with one-on-one mentorship and sessions focused on script-to-screen development, music composition, costume design, producing, and directing. Five participating film teams work with mentors to refine their projects and pitches, culminating in a final presentation to a jury of industry leaders. One team receives full financing to produce their short film with support from Tribeca Studios; the remaining four projects are awarded development grants.
Since its inception, THROUGH HER LENS has supported 50 short films and 100 emerging filmmakers, with 10 projects receiving full production funding and premiering at leading festivals including Tribeca, Sundance, and TIFF. The program has also advanced equity in the industry, with nine out of ten winning filmmakers identifying as women of color and nearly 70 percent of all participants identifying as women or non-binary filmmakers of color.
Submissions for the 2026 THROUGH HER LENS program are now open. The 11th annual workshop will take place in September 2026. Learn more tribecafilm.com/throughherlens.
CHANEL has a long-standing commitment to nurturing independent voices in storytelling and helping to ensure that the future creative voices better reflect the diversity of our world. The partnership between CHANEL and Tribeca, which commenced in 2005, has been enriched over the past 20 years to help nourish women filmmakers with supportive programming year-round.
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