TEAM
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DAPHNE SCHMON
| Executive Director and Founder
Daphne is an award-winning Greek-American filmmaker and visionary leader with over 15 years of experience in the global film industry. As Founder and Executive Director of Breaking Through The Lens (BTTL), she has spent the past eight years growing a flagship initiative that supports women and queer led projects at the financing stage, with activations at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, and Sundance.
Daphne’s work is defined by her ability to connect rising talent with key gatekeepers—curating Cohorts, facilitating high-level matchmaking, and designing innovative training models rooted in equity, sustainability, and digital innovation. Her directorial debut, The Eye, won Best International Film at the London Independent Film Awards and was shot in Greece using pioneering green production practices that led to new filming policies on the island of Corfu. Prior to BTTL, she founded Seek Films, directing and producing broadcast content for CNN, SBS, Amazon Prime, and Sky Arts, and delivering projects in over 20 countries.
Trilingual and triple citizen, Daphne brings global fluency and strategic insight to every phase of development. She is uniquely positioned to foster international collaboration and help shape the future of cinema through systemic, scalable change.
RAFFAELLA ROSSIELLO
| Director of Communications
With a strong network of editors, influencers, artists, celebrities, and talents in all countries, Raffaella and her team of professionals helps brands in building their reputation and becoming more desirable. In her previous ten years’ experience at Chopard, as International Communication Director, Raffaella was responsible for corporate and product communication worldwide, international events such as the Cannes Film Festival sponsorship, celebrities’ endorsement, and the CSR project “The Journey to a Sustainable Luxury”.
ELENA PRIOVOLOU
| Director of Programs & Development
Elena is a highly accomplished Producer and Co-Production Specialist with over 15 years of experience in international film and television. She has worked with major studios and productions including David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future, ITV’s The Durrells, and iconic titles such as My Life in Ruins and Mamma Mia, helping to position Greece as a key destination for global storytelling.
As Director of Programs & Development at Breaking Through The Lens (BTTL), Elena plays a central role in connecting rising female and queer talent with global decision-makers. She is instrumental in expanding BTTL’s presence across Europe, curating high-impact activations at festivals including Cannes, Venice, and Berlin, and developing new cross-border film and TV projects.
Elena brings deep expertise in international co-production strategy, development financing, and festival packaging, having led over 80 international service projects during her tenure at Argonauts and Foss Productions (Maestro, Netflix). She is especially adept at bridging European creators with the global market, guiding projects from pitch to production with strategic insight and creative precision.
With a strong background in education and a wide international network, Elena is a dynamic force behind BTTL’s efforts to transform the industry through inclusive leadership, sustainable filmmaking, and next-generation business models.
ALEX NEWLAND
| Director of Operations
Alex has worked in the creative industry for over 25 years as an actor and producer with his films screening at festivals across the world. He’s worked extensively in theatre and appeared in many television shows, including CRACKER, SILENT WITNESS and Channel 4’s BAFTA nominated CAST OFFS.
Alex is BAFTA Elevate Producer and co-founder of the new production company As Big As This and has recently been selected for the Breakthrough Leadership program sponsored by Sky, ITV and BBC studios.
In 2021 Alex wrapped as a producer on a feature staring Natalia Tena and Nathaniel Parker and is in post production with a Creative Scotland film with Kate Dickie and Rickard Rankin. His film TINY VESSELS, directed by BTTL Founder Daphne Schmon won “Best Film” at Berlin Lift Off.
Alex most recently appeared in Tom Stoppard’s newest play LEOPOLDSTADT directed by Patrick Marber. Alex aims to continue working with those who share his enthusiasm and passion for making films that resonate with their intended audience.
ELPIDA STATHATOU
| Co-Founder | BTTL Greek Ambassador
Elpida is an award-winning Greek producer, actress and co-founder of BREAKING THROUGH THE LENS. In 2017 she adapted, produced and acted in a one woman play called “Stegosaurus" which received 5-star critical acclaim, and was nominated for the Mental Health Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. "Stegosaurus" was also part of the VAULT Festival 2018 in London. Elpida has been featured in InStyle and Esquire among other top publications. In 2021, Elpida completed short film “Umbilical” which she wrote, directed and starred in. The film recently screened at BAFTA-qualifying Encounters and is touring festivals worldwide. Elpida is playing a leading role and will be Associate Producing Seek Films’ upcoming feature film THE EYE.
EMILY CARLTON
| Co-Founder
Emily is screenwriter and producer based in London. Her pilot script LESBIAN BED DEATH was shortlisted for the Edinburgh TV Festival ‘New Voices’ award, and earned her a fellowship on the Film Independent Episodic Lab in LA. She currently has TV concepts in development with Pulse films, BBC Studios and OneTwoTwenty Entertainment and recently completed a horror feature SCUM which is currently in late-stage development with Boulderlight Films. THE EYE will be her debut feature film.
Emily has had three short film scripts produced which have played at over 35 international film festivals to date and won multiple awards including ‘Best Screenplay’ at the LiftOff Season Awards 2019. She made her directorial debut, short film EXIT TO STAGE (2019) with the support of Directors UK and ARRI. It won ‘Best Director’ at the London Independent Film Awards.
Emil is a Co-Founder of Breaking Through The Lens and an active member of WIFTV and BAFTA Crew. She hopes to spend the next four decades exploring her love of film, before pursuing her lifelong dream, to be a Cher impersonator in Vegas.
BOARD MEMBERS
LIZ CARDENAS
| Producer, Writer, Director, Actor, Ten To Six Pictures
| BTTL Board Secretary
LIZ CARDENAS is an award-winning producer, writer, director and actor. Nominated for the Producer Award at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards, she was a 2022 Indie Spirit Award Winner for Best First Feature for 7 DAYS (Tribeca 2021 | Cinedigm), which she produced for Duplass Brothers Productions. Written and directed by Roshan Sethi, the film stars Karan Soni and Geraldine Viswanathan. She was also nominated for the John Cassavetes Award at the 2019 Indie Spirits for Augustine Frizzell's NEVER GOIN’ BACK (Sundance 2018 | A24) starring Maia Mitchell, Camila Morrone and Kyle Mooney, which she produced with Sailor Bear.
A former reporter for The Dallas Morning News, Liz was selected by The Gotham to participate in the 2023 Cannes Producers Network at the Marche du Film at the Festival de Cannes, was one of four producers to receive the inaugural 2022 Dear Producer Award + Grant, and was included in the 2019 LATINXT, a highly curated list of emerging Latinx creators from an initiative by Zoe Saldana, Robert Rodriguez, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. She’s also a Rotterdam Lab and Film Independent Fellow.
Other notable producing credits include Alex Lehmann's ACIDIMAN (Tribeca 2022 | Brainstorm Media) starring Academy Award nominated actor Thomas Haden Church and Dianna Agron; MATERNA (Utopia), which took home Best Cinematography and Best Actress awards at Tribeca 2020; JULES OF LIGHT & DARK (Wolfe Releasing), the 2019 Outfest Best US Narrative Feature winner; and David Lowery's A GHOST STORY (Sundance 2017 | A24) starring Academy Award Winner Casey Affleck and Nominee Rooney Mara.
Liz has written and directed two award-winning short films and co-created a series of successful live-action children's films, ADVENTURES OF BAILEY, sold worldwide. Under her Ten to the Six Pictures, she has two features and one documentary in post-production and six features in various stages of development – one of which she wrote (an Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition semi-finalist), one she’s set to direct, and one based off the 2023 Oscar-qualifying Indigenous short film, BURROS, she produced and Eva Longoria Executive Produced. She also has a series in development about a Latino trans teen in Texas inspired by one of her short films, IMAGO, which she’s collaborating with 2023 Sundance Jury Award Winner Lio Mehiel (MUTT).
Liz is based in Los Angeles and Dallas, where she grew up with her Hispanic father who immigrated to the US from Mexico City and Irish-American mother from the East Coast.
JASMIN MORRISON
| Head of Business Affairs, Sky Original Film
| BTTL Board Treasurer
Jasmin is Head of Business Affairs at Sky Originals, and an experienced film professional having worked in production, post-production and film finance. For over 7 years, Jasmin served as Investment Manager at The Fyzz Facility, where she was involved in the financing of over 100 feature films including 47 METERS DOWN, THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT and the upcoming THE INFORMER. In 2019 Jasmin founded Soul Cognition a production and consultancy company which is committed to diverse stories. Jasmin is an expert public speaker having spoken at numerous events worldwide including SXSW and Film London’s New Entrants course. Jasmin is also the Business Director for Underwire Film Festival, and serves as a consultant for Breaking Through The Lens.
DAPHNE SCHMON
| Executive Director and Founder
| BTTL Board President
Daphne is an award-winning Greek-American director and co-founder of BREAKING THROUGH THE LENS. Her debut feature THE EYE recently won Best Director and Best Film at the Greece International Film Festival. Daphne began her career in documentaries with CHILDREN OF THE WIND winning 8 international awards including ‘Best Emerging Filmmaker’ and ‘Best Documentary’ at X-Dance. Her next documentary DOWN TO EARTH was broadcast on CNN and distributed by Apple. Daphne has produced three short films, including TINY VESSELS, winner of Best Film at Berlin Lift-Off, and EXIT TO STAGE, winner of Directors UK Trinity Challenge. Her work has been featured on CNN, SBS, Amazon Prime and broadcast in over 30 countries. Daphne often serves as a Jury Member for the Lift Off Global Awards and runs events at key festivals such as Cannes, Venice and Toronto in her role as CEO of Breaking Through The Lens.
ADVISORS
KATHRYN M. MOSELEY
| Founder & Producer, One Two Twenty Entertainment
| BTTL Advisory Board & Sponsor
Kathryn is a Writer, Producer, Financier and Executive Producer based in Southern California. After graduating Cum Laude from Pepperdine University with a degree in Economics, Kathryn worked for Price Waterhouse before turning her attention to social change and storytelling. In 2017 she founded One Two Twenty Entertainment, which focuses on high quality diverse projects by emerging talent in the film industry.
Kathryn’s Executive Producer credits include Paul Schrader’s THE CARD COUNTER (2021, Focus Features), John Swab’s BODY BROKERS (2021, Mubi) and XYZ Films’ feature documentary CLAYDREAM about the Oscar-winning master of Claymation. Kathryn Produced the 2022 Cannes’ Un Certain Regard winner JOYLAND, directed by Saim Sadiq, which became Pakistan’s nomination to the Oscars. Kathryn joined the BTTL team in 2020 and is a key member of their Advisory Board.
TIFFANY BOYLE
| President, Packaging & Sales, Ramo Law
| BTTL Advisory Board
Tiffany is President, Packaging & Sales at Ramo Law, a law firm that represents producers, financiers, as well as a handful of foreign sales agents, directors, and writers.
Over the past decade, Boyle has leveraged her business-oriented sales and packaging skills to bring hundreds of films and documentaries to fruition. She connects filmmakers with producers, co-finance partners, distributors, agencies, foreign sales agents and other industry representatives. She advises producer and investor clients on the foreign sales and distribution marketplace, how sales are made, and what the recoupment looks like from foreign entities; and she handles select direct territory deals for clients.
This includes advising investors and producers outside of the United States on the foreign marketplace, submitting and helping package their content. Such companies include: Upper Street (a production company based out of the UK), Backup Media (a finance company based out of France) as well as Media Fund Management (a debt and production company based out of Australia)
Experienced with project budgets ranging from micro-sized to $30 million, Boyle has helped to establish and expand high-value sales and packaging resources, uniquely accessed outside of the traditional management company and agency model, since joining Ramo Law in 2009. With this experience she has been able to help foreign production companies and investors create a foothold in the US marketplace.
She is also a partner in Vested Interest, a newly formed production company looking to produce and create sellable feature and television content focused on unique filmmaking voices. Thus far they have had “Something Else” and “Rollers” under this banner and recently sold an autobiography to Hulu for development into a limited television series.
OLIVER RIDGE
| Producer, Executive Producer | BTTL Advisor & Sponsor
Oliver is the founder of Space Pilot Media, sponsor of BTTL’s 2024 Filmmaker Travel Grants. Ridge is an experienced Producer and strategy advisor to BTTL. Ridge has been making a name for himself by creating independent films all over the world, most recently Executive Producing Paul Schrader’s OH CANADA which premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. After graduating from the Drama Centre with a Master of Arts degree in Acting, Ridge began his career behind the camera, cutting his teeth and producing his first indie film THE NEIGHBOUR, starring William Fichtner and Michael Rosenbaum. Legendary author Stephen King tweeted his praise, giving the film a great deal of traction and Ridge’s career began to build momentum. His next feature film, BODY BROKERS was top 3 on Netflix, the film shared a real-life story about insurance scams surrounding the opioid crisis in America and was acquired by HBO Max. His first documentary VALERIE based on the life, career, and illness of actress Valerie Perrine — won the American Documentary Film Festival (AMDOC) and was in Oscar contention that year. His independent film JOYLAND premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Un Certain Regard Jury Award and going on to win Best International Film at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
GLOBAL PARTNERS
MATI COVARRUBIAS
| BTTL Latin America
As a business woman, creative entrepreneur, film director, producer, and music composer, Mati Covarrubias actively promotes a new emotional culture in her works. She is committed to projects that enlighten and expand emotional health, the consciousness and care for the planet.
Around 2003, she founded Co-Crea, originally a communication, music, audiovisual and marketing company, where Mati has been director and general producer. At the time, she partnered with Deepak Chopra in the CD-Book LIBERARA.
In 2020, she took the company to a new level, turning it into a film production house and streaming service, creating her directorial debut in the documentary film “The Bay of my Life”. Mati observed the urgent need to reconnect with the Earth and with our origin, managing to create a film about love for nature, thus promoting a new way of being in the world, benefiting not only the environment but also our mental health and well-being by connecting with nature. “The Bay of my Life”” was chosen by Orasi Media (an international audiovisual distribution company) to promote it at LA Screenings 2024 and to broadcast the first preview during the Cannes Film Festival 2024.
With the aim of promoting the presence of women and underrepresented gender identities in the film industry, co-founder & CEO Daphne Schmon has invited Mati Covarrubias and her documentary film "La Bahía de mi Vida" to represent Latin America at "Breaking Through The Lens” an organization of female filmmakers from around the world, seeking to promote the participation of women directors and producers in the film industry.
Redes sociales / Social Networks
IG: @MatiCovarrubiasoficial
FB: @MatiCovarrubiasOficial
TikTok: @MatiCovarrubiasOficial
ISHAAN CHANDHOK
| BTTL India
Ishaan is the founder and producer at Criss Cross Content, a dynamic media company committed to developing and producing narratives that blend genre with South Asian identity, aimed at global audiences. Bringing over eight years of experience across various media formats, Ishaan was a pivotal member of the incubation team at Applause Entertainment, where he significantly contributed to the development and production of their IPs. His production credits include more than four series for Amazon Prime and Disney Hotstar, such as the BAFTA-winning BBC series 'Criminal Justice', starring Vikrant Massey, Pankaj Tripathi, and Jackie Shroff, designed for Indian viewers. An alumnus of Lasalle College of the Arts Singapore and mentored by Oscar-winning producer David Puttnam, Ishaan has been working extensively in the media and entertainment industries across India, Singapore, and the UK.