Two decades ago, a pivotal moment cemented Paulson’s commitment to paying it forward. “I had a wildly wonderful experience with Diane Keaton when we were making a movie called The Other Sister,” she recalled. “I was 25 years old and I didn’t know anything. I’d never had the experience of shooting something when the rest of the cast had gone home. Diane changed out of her clothes, got a glass of wine, and stayed for my off-camera and helped me. It was my first understanding of how you can really show up for other actors.”
Paulson isn’t the only one rolling up her sleeves. Fresh from the Toronto International Film Festival, Tessa Thompson joined as a conversation leader too. It’s a full-circle moment for the Los Angeles native, who paired an archival Chanel miniskirt and slingbacks with a vintage Fiona Apple concert T-shirt to meet this year’s cohort of 10 filmmakers for lunch. “Tribeca was one of the first festivals where I got to debut a piece of work by a filmmaker called Nia DaCosta. Chanel’s support—how they want to inspire women and give them a pathway to find audiences and show their work at film festivals—is really incredible,” Thompson said. “If I didn’t have mentorship from people who were interested in stories by young women of color, I literally wouldn’t have a career.”
Thompson has since reunited with DaCosta for Hedda, already drawing awards-season buzz. “We’ve had the chance to grow through friendship and collaboration,” she said. “Programs like this that give safe spaces for people to create and collaborate are vital. It can be really hard to feel a sense of community—particularly when you might be the only person of color in the room. When you’re a storyteller, you remain a student, so I’m looking forward to learning over the next few days.”
Meghann Fahy—serving as a juror for the first time—flew across the country after Sunday’s Emmy Awards. The Sirens star arrived at the Greenwich Street eatery renouncing high heels altogether—“I’m so over them,” she laughed—opting for chic, comfortable Chanel leather loafers instead. “The list of women who’ve been instrumental in my career is luckily very long,” she mused. “But working with Julianne Moore recently was such a wonderful example of how having a female leader on set makes a big difference for everyone.”
“Lucky” is also how Paulson describes working on women-led projects. She recently wrapped All’s Fair, Ryan Murphy’s high-powered divorce-lawyer drama starring Glenn Close, Naomi Watts, Teyana Taylor, Kim Kardashian, and Niecy Nash. “It was really special—phenomenal, actually. We totally bonded and got to know each other,” she said of the series, which drops in November. “I feel I’ve been really lucky to work with women. I did Ocean’s Eight with all women, and a lot of American Horror Story with wonderful female actors.” And while viewers can expect plenty of “catfights and shenanigans” on-screen, off-screen was a different story. “We were more like little puppies in a box together,” Paulson laughed.
Over a family-style Italian lunch, Rosenthal officially ushered in the program and raised a glass to the late Robert Redford and his steadfast support of independent film. “So with that, let’s keep doing what we do best,” she concluded. “Telling stories, rattling cages, breaking molds, and refusing to be ignored. Because ‘Through Her Lens,’ the world looks sharper, braver, more honest—and let’s be real—it looks a lot better dressed.”
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