Chanel and Tribeca Festival’s 2026 Through Her Lens Luncheon Celebrates Women in Film with a Stylish, Joyful Affair
Chanel hosted its annual lunch in New York on Friday, June 5, at the Greenwich Hotel Courtyard to celebrate Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program, marking 11 years of the initiative supporting female filmmakers. The gathering brought together a cross-generational group of guests from film, television, art, and music, including Katie Holmes, Meg Ryan, Jodie Foster, Myha’la, Bethann Hardison, Patty Jenkins, and Mira Nair.
While Chanel fans in Europe crowded stores for Matthieu Blazy’s first Métiers d’Art collection, the New York event was a more intimate and relaxed affair. Guests dressed in Chanel and stayed cool in the 90-degree weather with rosé and caprese salads as they mingled in the courtyard. Meg Ryan wore a tonal cream look with oversized pants and chatted with Jodie Foster, who appeared in a Chanel Charvet shirt. Francesca Scorsese arrived later and spent time with Tommy Dorfman.
The lunch also included a major announcement from Tribeca Festival co-founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal, who revealed that the documentary Jean-Michel by Quinn Whitney Wilson had been acquired by Netflix. The room responded with loud applause, and Wilson celebrated with a dance. The moment captured the spirit of the program, which Rosenthal described as a space created to give women filmmakers access to mentorship, resources, funding, and a supportive community.
Rosenthal said the goal of Through Her Lens was to build something unique and necessary, offering women the chance to tell stories on their own terms. She emphasized support for filmmakers who are willing to take risks and create work that is bold, complicated, funny, painful, messy, and true. By the end of the lunch, the event felt like more than a sponsor gathering; it became a celebration of women’s creative ambition, collaboration, and recognition.
The atmosphere reflected both the fashion house’s influence and the program’s cultural purpose. Chanel’s presence added polish, but the focus remained on the filmmakers and the work they represent. The mix of established stars and emerging talent highlighted the program’s multigenerational reach, while the Netflix news underscored its impact in helping new projects gain visibility and momentum.
The annual luncheon served as a reminder of how Through Her Lens has grown into a meaningful platform for women in film. It combined industry networking, creative support, and public celebration in one setting, reinforcing the value of a program designed to champion voices that might otherwise struggle to be heard.
