Breaking Through the Lens Co-Founder Daphne Schmon on What Has to Change for Gender Equity in Film: ‘We Need Actions to Speak Louder Than Words’

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Eight years ago, Daphne Schmon, a director, producer, and editor, found herself at the Cannes market seeking funding for her first narrative movie, “The Eye.” It was during this time that she had an epiphany – she was unsure of how to proceed.

Over a steaming cup of coffee in London, I found myself engaged in a discussion with a film industry executive. He inquired about our financial blueprint, and it dawned on us then that there’s surprisingly little understanding within the industry about the business aspect. This revelation took me back to my days at Wesleyan Film School, where I noticed an intriguing trend – a growing gender balance among graduates. It seems there’s a shift happening between film school education and the Hollywood scene itself.

This pivotal instance sparked the creation of Breaking Through the Lens, a charitable endeavor dedicated to promoting gender parity in cinema by offering essential funding assistance. Alongside Emily Carlton, her collaborator on “The Eye,” and Elpida Stathatou, the film’s lead actress, Schmon established BTTL. In 2018, they organized their inaugural event linking up-and-coming directors with reliable financiers, a move that left Schmon astounded when studios like Lionsgate and Sony expressed interest by responding to the invitation.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I can confidently say that there was a palpable craving for an occasion like this. We soon recognized that the financing phase was a significant chokepoint within the industry. Many high-profile investors prefer to remain inconspicuous, and yet they’re inundated with countless cold emails, leaving them without the time or resources to thoroughly evaluate these opportunities. Consequently, our platform emerged as a crucial connector, bridging this gap and making it easier for deserving projects to get noticed by the right people.

This year, Breaking Through the Lens’ presence at Cannes is more prominent than ever, highlighted by a keynote discussion on Friday between Kristen Stewart, whose directorial debut “The Chronology of Water” is premiering in Un Certain Regard, and Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth. Later, on Sunday, they will host an exclusive presentation for this year’s chosen projects, which were selected by a jury including Diane Kruger and features five films directed by non-male filmmakers.

As part of our creative collective, Emily Thomas, Olivia Peace, Erin Sayder, Rita Baghdadi, Damiana Acuña, and Isabelle Mecattaf have been fortunate to secure a €10,000 ($11,000) action grant for their respective films. While this may appear minimal compared to the overall budget of a feature film, it holds immense significance in the final stages of development, as it’s often the only funding available at that critical juncture, according to Schmon.

For the first occasion, Breaking Through the Lens offered its filmmakers festival accreditation and a travel allowance of $2,000 for the first time.

Schmon emphasized that our event isn’t just about discussion, it’s about bringing about real change through active participation. He pointed out that attending film festivals can sometimes seem unattainable, which can be an obstacle on its own. However, he noted, this is truly exceptional in the industry as many labs charge a fee for admission and additional costs for travel.

As a passionate cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that Breaking Through the Lens (BTTL) has made its mark at the “big five” film festivals this year. Our journey began at Sundance where we proudly premiered, following our first action grant win by the talented Nadia Fall and her film “Brides”. I envision Sundance and Cannes to serve as the cornerstones for BTTL’s programming in the future.

Expanding our horizons is key, which is why we’ve opened an office in Greece to tap into European funding sources. Additionally, discussions are underway to establish a presence in Mexico. However, unlike countries like the U.K. and France with central government funding bodies, America doesn’t have such a resource. To fill this gap, BTTL is committed to providing substantial grant funding for American independent filmmakers, particularly women and marginalized directors.

While she agrees that significant progress must originate from leadership positions and those with substantial financial resources, Schmon emphasized the importance of actions over words. “Actions need to make a stronger statement than mere words,” she said. “There’s plenty of discussion and good intentions, but if you examine the statistics, they aren’t showing much improvement. In 2024, just 13.5% of the top 100 U.S. films were directed by women, which is a concerning figure. An even more alarming statistic is that in the 97-year history of the Academy Awards, only three women have ever won the best director award. Ninety-seven years! So, we still have a long journey ahead.

Internal changes are equally important. As Schmon points out, there remains a “hidden prejudice” among many executives in the field, even some who are women themselves. She’s experienced instances where female execs mistook her for an assistant and addressed their discussions to the DOP she collaborates with, rather than herself, the director. This has happened on multiple occasions, and Schmon admits that at times, she too has made similar assumptions. She emphasizes the need for everyone to scrutinize their own actions.

Schmon highlights the importance of inner change in the industry too, as she’s noticed a “secret bias” among some executives, even women. She’s been mistaken for an assistant by female execs, who have directed conversations to her DOP instead. This has happened several times, and Schmon acknowledges that she’s made similar mistakes herself. She believes we all need to look closely at our own behaviors.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I deeply appreciate the initiative “Breaking Through the Lens.” This program doesn’t just boost women directors, but it also amplifies the voices of nonbinary and trans filmmakers. Remarkably, three out of the five filmmakers in this year’s cohort identify as queer. Given the current cultural discourse and the significance of the issues at hand, representation like this is more crucial than ever. It’s essential that our film industry mirrors our culture and society, because movies have an extraordinary ability to transform people’s viewpoints.

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2025-05-16 13:17