Chanel Celebrates Emerging Women Filmmakers With a Star-Studded Luncheon at The Academy Museum

Lily-Rose Depp. Photo: Pat Marin

While the Academy Women’s Luncheon, presented by Chanel, is always a celebration, this year’s gathering had an added layer of jubilation thanks to the news that SAG-AFTRA had finally approved a deal to end the historic strike that shut down production across the industry for nearly four months. The annual event, which included a presentation of the Gold Fellowship for Women, the Academy’s program to support emerging women filmmakers, was held on the roof of the museum under a cinematic glass dome with a clear view of the Hollywood sign, setting the perfect scene. “Everyone can exhale today,” said Eva Longoria as she arrived at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles yesterday.

The starry guest list included Sadie Sink, mother and daughter duo Leslie Mann and Maude Apatow, Lily-Rose Depp, H.E.R., Riley Keough, Greta Lee, and Lupita Nyong’o, all of whom were dressed in the French luxury fashion house’s pieces. Chanel ambassador Kristen Stewart meanwhile sported a pair of white socks under her open-toe, patent black sandals—an elevated, new spin on the dorky, dad trend. “The energy in this room is this electric,” said Academy President Janet Yang as the assembled crowd took their seats for a luncheon of crudités and lobster salad. “If we had a ceiling, I believe we would be blowing it off. We are all eager to get back to work and we at the Academy are particularly thrilled that our industry, is once again, united.”

Chanel has been intrinsically linked to the world of film since its inception, and house founder Gabrielle Chanel’s legacy of fostering creativity lives on today through Chanel’s dedication to film and support of programs such as the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, a one-year program that combines direct support, personalized mentorship and access to networking opportunities for emerging women filmmakers. This year’s recipient of the U.S. fellowship, Erica Eng—a fifth-generation Chinese-American director—was introduced by actress Annette Bening who spoke about the importance of women creating more opportunities for representation. “Change can be slow and can take time, but it s a matter of resources,” said actress Greta Lee, whose recent film Past Lives is considered a likely Oscar contender. “I mean, you need resources for things to get made and an infrastructure to support from all sides. I ve been really moved by Chanel’s commitment to mentorship. It’s an essential way that we can support other women.”

As the high-wattage crowd tucked into a dessert of roasted apple and pear crostata, Barbie star America Ferrera closed out the afternoon with an emotional keynote presentation saying, “I want to focus for a minute on the concept of fellowship. Fellowship is community...and look at this room. Our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers dreamed of rooms like this, full of women from different backgrounds telling stories, celebrating each other, and standing together to demand more space, more resources, and more opportunity. Community is not something that we can or should take for granted. And I would like us to consider that growing and strengthening this community might be the key to moving this industry forward.”