Chanelle Elaine

Biography

Chanelle Elaine is the founder of Kashif Incubator, a nonprofit reimagining filmmaking through an integrated model of incubation, production, and financing. Her first feature, First Match—a Netflix Original and SXSW Audience Award winner—preceded her shift toward rethinking how content is developed, resourced, and sustained long-term. At Kashif, she cultivates, produces, and supports stories where the creative process is inseparable from wellness, autonomy, and access. Chanelle has led cross-sector collaborations with philanthropic, media, and justice organizations, advancing a long-term vision for a creative economy rooted in equity and self-determination. Kashif is preparing intersectional generations of storytellers—resourced, supported, and positioned to lead and shape what’s next.