by FIlmInk Staff
GLOBAL NON-PROFIT BREAKING THROUGH THE LENS ANNOUNCES THEIR 2026 ACTION WINNER AT A PANEL WITH OLIVIA WILDE, SOPHIE MAS, SABA ZEREHI, & SARA BERNSTEIN
The panel, which was hosted at the Canon Creative Studio Space, focused on the critical need for financing independent films, especially those made by marginalized individuals
Yesterday, during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, global nonprofit Breaking Through the Lens (BTTL) hosted a panel discussion at the Canon Creative Studio Space in Park City with actor & director Olivia Wilde (“The Invite”), producer and co-founder of MountainA Sophie Mas (“The Gallerist”), impact-driven producer Saba Zerehi (“If I Go Will They Miss Me”) and President of Imagine Documentaries, Sara Bernstein.
BTTL is dedicated to closing the gender gap in film by addressing its most critical barrier: financing. By supporting women and LGBTQIA+ filmmakers with vital funding, mentorship, and access, BTTL moves beyond advocacy into tangible action.
To kick off the panel, BTTL CEO and Founder Daphne Schmon welcomed everyone and gave an overview of their work, in addition to announcing the five finalists of their 2026 Action Grant, as well as the winner: “I Brought You Into This World.”
“We founded Breaking Through The Lens to move beyond conversation and into action. By focusing on financing, we’re addressing the point where so many vital voices are still being shut out. It’s an honor to be joined by Olivia, Sophie, Saba and Sara in our second year at Sundance, women who exemplify the creative courage and leadership this industry needs on both sides of the camera,” said Schmon.
Moderated by BTTL Board Member Liz Cardenas, the panel covered a wide breadth of topics, including Wilde’s experience directing her Sundance directorial debut “The Invite,” their respective careers and projects, and the critical need for financing independent films, especially those made by marginalized individuals, which is at the core of BTTL’s tireless work. Speaking to an audience of fellow creatives and aspiring filmmakers, the panelists had much wisdom to share.
- On the topic of financing: Sophie Mas said, “It’s hard to find money [to make your film], but it is out there… but you also want to find the right people with the right vision. It’s also good to know when to say no to money when it’s not the right people.”
- When asked about making a second feature after making a first: Olivia Wilde shared that “a lot of women feel that the sacrifice isn’t possible to do again. It breaks my heart… we need to create the support to make women feel like they are capable of doing it again… Sometimes what I see happen to a lot of new directors is that they make this kick-ass film, have full creative control, and then get sucked into a studio system.” Her advice was to “take a second and not just think, this is the goal to jump to those bigger [opportunities] which can be enticing.”
- As a producer herself, Saba Zerehi remarked “Producing is a lonely job. You can’t do it alone, but it’s also hard to find like minded people and not sell out for another opportunity.”
- On working with like-minded producers: Wilde chimed in, “It’s the person who would believe in your insane idea like ‘let’s shoot a movie next month’ and doesn’t flinch… you need to find a producer who believes in your insane idea… people who will believe in your delusion.”
- Panelists went on to discuss some of the obstacles they’ve faced over the years.
- Sara Bernstein shared, “When I left HBO where I’d been for a long time, I went from being a commissioner to being an Executive Producer. I felt isolated. I was used to incoming calls and all of a sudden I had to make the calls and build a slate and get it off the ground… but I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.”
- Mas added, “Doors close all the time… It’s about finding your community and making sure you surround yourself with people who want to do the same thing as you and want to grow with you.”
- “The feeling of getting smashed to the ground is part of the process. It’s sort of healthy to hit rock bottom, it gives you something to push off of,” Wilde chimed in. She added, “My first movie had 100% on Rotten Tomatoes… my second movie maybe broke 40%. The ability to say we are proud of what we made, I love this crew, we worked so hard pushing through… that’s when you know you love what you do.”
- To wrap up, panelists shared how festivals, like Sundance, keep them hopeful, despite hardships in the industry.
- “Festivals show us the power of cinema and the power of being in a room with others… laughing, crying together… that’s the goal,” said Mas.
- Wilde’s final words were, “There’s so much doom and gloom and pessimism… but we’re here telling stories. It’s so inspiring to be here.”
This marks the third year of the Action Grant, BTTL’s most direct support initiative which offers $10,000 in funding to support the winner in taking a concrete step forward in production. The Action Grant is open to women and LGBTQ+ filmmakers who have a feature film or documentary in late-stage development. BTTL received a record number of submissions this year from 60 countries around the world, which launched at the Cannes Film Festival last May, where the Official Jury was announced.
Director of the 2026 Action Grant winning film, Brittany Ferrell said, “We are deeply grateful to Breaking Through The Lens for making this possible and for affirming that our stories are not something to be given up on. Grant funds will allow us to identify, support, and film the final story arc, which is centered on a Black queer pregnancy in the South. This arc is a vital contribution to the film and is necessary to tell a fuller, more truthful, and more inclusive story of Black birth in the United States.”
The four Action Grant finalists and the winner will go on to join BTTL’s 2026 Cohort, receiving industry mentorship throughout the year and the opportunity to pitch in front of leading investors at the Cannes Film Festival. Those finalists are:
I BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS WORLD | U.S.A. | Documentary, Health, Racial Justice
Director: Brittany Ferrell
Producer: Shannon Sun-Higginson
I Brought You Into This World follows three Black birthing people: two women and one gender nonconforming parent, navigating pregnancy, love, and survival in post-Roe America. Centering joy, agency, and the fight for bodily autonomy over statistics, it’s a portrait of resilience.
THIRSTYGIRL | U.S.A. | Comedy, Drama
Director: Alexandra Qin
Producer: Carlos López Estrada & Valerie Bush
When Charlie is forced to drive her estranged younger sister cross-country to rehab, her own secret addiction comes to the surface in the most devastating and hilarious ways.
EXODUS STORIES | U.S.A. | Documentary, Immigration
Director: Ilse Fernandez
Producer: Alessandra Pasquino
Three Central American immigrants fleeing violence join the migrant caravans to the United States. Facing relentless obstacles and a broken asylum system, their journeys expose the human cost of migration—and the resilience, faith, and fight for second chances against all odds.
THE FIRE IN US | United Kingdom | Immersive, Documentary, Sci-Fi
Director: San San F. Young
Producer: Rebecca Wolff & Ed Owles
Inspired by BIPOC futurism, and collaborating with young people of colour, we will create an immersive, interactive installation that gives those who feel excluded from the climate debate, the power to create the future they want.
CAMINO | Spain | Queer Western, Romance
Director: Annabella Fazio Mineghino
Producer: Jade Risser Sofia Kunz & Theodora Dunlap
On a fading Spanish ranch, a mosaic artist and a non-binary cowboy fall into an all-consuming and law breaking queer romance.
ABOUT BTTL
Breaking Through The Lens (BTTL) is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing gender equity in the film industry by addressing its most critical barrier: financing. Founded in 2018 in response to the historic gender equality protest at the Cannes Film Festival, BTTL supports women and LGBTQIA+ filmmakers through targeted Action Grants, industry education, and high-impact festival events at the world’s leading film festivals, including Cannes, Sundance, Venice, Berlin, and Toronto.
By connecting underrepresented voices with capital, mentorship, and decision-makers, BTTL moves beyond advocacy into tangible action. Since its inception, BTTL has supported more than 10,000 filmmakers worldwide, contributed to projects with over £150 million in combined production budgets, and maintained a 70% success rate across its funded cohorts. BTTL is registered as a nonprofit in both the United States and Europe and continues to build a global platform where bold voices can secure the resources needed to bring their stories to life.
Image: Getty Images for Breaking Through the Lens
