Proof of Concept, an accelerator program supporting girls, trans and nonbinary filmmakers based by Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, Emmy-nominated producer Coco Francini and Dr. Stacy L. Smith, and supported by the Netflix Fund for Artistic Fairness, has introduced its second cohort.
The eight chosen filmmakers are Taylor Bakken, Jessica Barr, Asmahan Bkerat, Rachel Goldberg, Jessica Kozak, Alejandra López, Sam Mandich and Olivia Peace. Every chosen mission receives $50,000 to supply a brief movie, designed as a proof of idea for a bigger function or collection; filmmakers additionally obtain inventive mentorship and business entry. The movies will premiere in a curated showcase later this 12 months.
“We built this program to provide tangible support for filmmakers whose work might otherwise be overlooked, and to create space for their ideas to evolve,” mentioned Blanchett and Francini, companions at Soiled Movies. “By investing in their projects and supporting their creative development, we are working to expand access and ensure that more inclusive, dynamic storytelling reaches audiences.”
Taylor Bakken, Jessica Barr, Asmahan Bkerat and Rachel Goldberg.
Dr. Smith, founding father of USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, added: “These 8 filmmakers have incredible depth of skill and originality, and we believe it’s critical to create more opportunities to support their projects. By investing in new voices and removing the barriers that have historically limited access to the industry, we aim to ensure that these talented creatives have a real pathway to bring their stories to life and thrive in the entertainment industry.”
The Proof of Idea accelerator launched in 2024 to deal with among the key obstacles dealing with tales about girls, trans, and non-binary folks from being made. (Earlier this 12 months, the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative reported that simply 7% of administrators throughout 1,900 motion pictures have been girls and that ladies and women made up 39% of main actors within the prime motion pictures of 2025.)
In its first 12 months, the accelerator funded 10 short films, which have gone on to obtain important acclaim and display screen at quite a few movie festivals, together with CinePride, Miami, Seoul, Hamptons, American Black Movie Pageant (ABFF), Busan, the American Documentary and Animation Movie Pageant (AmDocs), HollyShorts and on the American Pavilion in Cannes. Award-winning initiatives from the primary cohort embody: “Ella,” from director Niki Taylor-Roberts, which gained on the NAACP Picture Awards; “A Man Who Takes Pictures of Flowers,” from Yoo Lee, a winner at San Luis Obispo and AmDocs, two Oscar-qualifying festivals; and “Queerbait,” from Nate Gualtieri, a winner at CinePride.
Jessica Kozak, Alejandra López, Sam Mandich and Olivia Peace.
The eight filmmakers within the second cohort and their initiatives are listed under. Full particulars on this system and recipients could be discovered on the Proof of Idea website.
Taylor Bakken, “The Mushroom Man”
Set in a world overtaken by moisture the place moss is equated with magnificence and mould is terminal, the Mushroom Man is an outcast whose fungi comprises therapeutic properties that he makes use of to maintain his lover alive.
Jessica Barr, “Mitzvah”
As a 13-year-old lady prepares for her Bat Mitzvah whereas her mom battles most cancers, an evening with two older teenagers affords her a fleeting escape from grief-and a primary style of autonomy.
Asmahan Bkerat, “The Oracle”
This documentary follows Hasna, a 14-year-old rising up in Petra’s historic caves, balancing teenage life with the obligations of her group. Guided by her two grandmothers, she navigates day by day routines, sheep, and vacationers, all whereas an encroaching risk looms over their secluded house, difficult the continuity of their ancestral life.
Rachel Goldberg, “Holy Shit!”
A younger lady’s determined search for a loo will get her inadvertently caught up in a weird shakedown together with her greatest good friend.
Jessica Kozak, “Open Your Eyes”
When estranged sisters Alice and Cole reunite of their childhood house after their mom’s dying, outdated childhood wounds are compounded by the arrival of unusual neighbors.
Alejandra López, “The 51st State”
A younger Puerto Rican lady is stopped at a militarized checkpoint the place troopers uncover explosives she was carrying — igniting the battle between the 51st state and the resistance.
Sam Mandich, “Hey Mr.”
Main as much as her Catholic affirmation, a sheltered teenage lady befriends a brand new lady on the town who invitations her to see the world in another way. However as her burgeoning sexuality slips additional out of her management, she’s confronted by a brand new model of herself – one she believes to be possessed.
Olivia Peace, “Congratulations, You’ve Won!!!”
A lady on the point of eviction wins a free home on-line! All she has to do is show she exists.
