Home / Arts and Entertainment / Breaking Through the Lens Announces $10,000 Grant, Partners with Stage 32 to Uplift Underrepresented Filmmakers
Breaking Through the Lens Announces $10,000 Grant, Partners with Stage 32 to Uplift Underrepresented Filmmakers
26 Sep, 2025
Summary
- Breaking Through the Lens partners with Stage 32 to provide funding, mentorship, and education for underrepresented filmmakers
- $10,000 Action Grant open to women and LGBTQ+ filmmakers with late-stage projects
- Over 1,200 industry names, including Liev Schreiber and Mayim Bialik, reject Israeli film boycott
In a significant move to support underrepresented filmmakers, the nonprofit organization Breaking Through the Lens has announced a new partnership with Stage 32, the world's largest online platform for creatives in the film, TV, and digital spaces. This alliance will combine Breaking Through the Lens' funding and mentorship programs with Stage 32's online education and certification offerings.
As part of this initiative, Breaking Through the Lens has unveiled its 2026 jury, which will select the recipient of the nonprofit's $10,000 Action Grant. This grant is designed to provide unrestricted funding to women and LGBTQ+ filmmakers with projects in late-stage development, enabling them to take critical steps such as casting, location scouting, and shooting key scenes.
Alongside this exciting news, Breaking Through the Lens has also drawn attention to a separate issue, as over 1,200 industry names, including prominent figures like Liev Schreiber, Mayim Bialik, and Debra Messing, have signed an open letter rejecting a boycott of Israeli films. The signatories argue that such a boycott "advocates for the 'erasure of art'" and believe in preserving artistic expression.
