Proof of Concept Announces Second Class of Filmmakers
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- Proof of Concept announced its second cohort of eight filmmakers, a program founded by Cate Blanchett, Coco Francini and Dr. Stacy L. Smith and supported by Netflix.
- The eight filmmakers—Taylor Bakken, Jessica Barr, Asmahan Bkerat, Rachel Goldberg, Jessica Kozak, Alejandra López, Sam Mandich and Olivia Peace—each receive $50,000 and mentorship to produce a short proof‑of‑concept film for a larger feature or series.
- The showcase will premiere the eight short films in a curated event later this year, giving the creators industry access.
- The first cohort’s ten short films screened at Cannes and other festivals, winning awards such as the NAACP Image Awards and Oscar‑qualifying honors.
- The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative reported that only 7% of directors across 1,900 movies were women and women and girls comprised 39% of leading actors in 2025 top movies, highlighting the accelerator’s inclusion goal.
Why it matters: Emerging women, trans and nonbinary filmmakers gain $50,000 funding and mentorship, accelerating their path to feature projects; Netflix strengthens its diversity brand amid shareholder scrutiny, while Cannes receives fresh inclusive content for its lineup.
