Nora Ephron Prize for ‘Farah Goes Bang’

Tribeca Film Festival Meera Menon, the director of “Farah Goes Bang.”

The Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday inaugurated the Nora Ephron Prize, for a “woman writer or director with a distinctive voice,” by giving it to a very surprised Meera Menon, director of the road-trip comedy “Farah Goes Bang.”

The award, bestowed at a brunch for female filmmakers, includes $25,000 for the winner, and that would be very helpful, Ms. Menon told the crowd, which included Glenn Close, Anna Wintour and Ms. Ephron’s sister Delia. “I have soooo much credit card debt,” Ms. Menon said.

Turning serious, she referred to the story of her film, about girlfriends stumping for John Kerry during the 2004 presidential election, as she spoke about influence of the late filmmaker Nora Ephron “in terms of taking issues that are painful and kind of fear-ridden for women and finding the humor in them.”

This year, contenders for the prize were chosen from titles already selected for the festival. Next year, organizers said, female filmmakers can apply for the honor.