A Reproductive Justice Story Facilitation Program for Screenwriters
About the Abortion Pipeline Project
The Abortion Pipeline Project (APP) is an annual narrative screenplay competition for feature and short film scripts which seeks to seed and source a variety of narrative film projects which center abortion. It is part of the Athena Film Festival’s Creative Development Program.
APP will introduce writers to reproductive justice leaders to ensure the scripts are steeped in expertise with the goal to give creatives a positive and generative experience of collaboration with abortion justice experts within the reproductive justice movement. The competition winner(s) will also be connected with writing mentors to support their creative process, and will receive a grant to continue to develop their project.
Winners receive grant money, mentorship, and sessions with experts on the depiction of abortion on screen. Finalists receive a session with experts on the depiction of abortion on screen.
The Abortion Pipeline Project is in Collaboration with: Jess Jacobs, filmmaker/activist; Renee Bracey-Sherman, Co-Executive Director of We Testify; Dr. Gretchen Sisson, lead researcher of ANSIRH’s Abortion Onscreen; Melissa Silverstein, Artistic Director of Athena Film Festival
Timelines
Submissions for the Abortion Pipeline Project are now closed! Check back when submissions open again in the fall.
Program Participants
Baby by Brandy Carie
Bringing It Home by Sabine El Gemayel
Let Their Hearts Beat by Emily Saunders
Mambaby by Xenia Matthews
Situationship by Luisia Fernanda Alvarex Restrepo & Rahul Arun Chaturvedi
Rules and Eligibility
- Projects must have a woman, trans or non-binary character(s) in leadership role(s) or
- position(s).
- Projects must contain representation of, meaningful mention of, or thematic reference
- to abortion.
- Projects from all genres are accepted; we look for stories from all racial, ethnic,
- socioeconomic, ability and cultural groups, but must be a NARRATIVE;
- Projects must be written in English (dialogue intended to be filmed in non-English
- language is OK) and cannot be more 120 pages;
- If you have been on the Athena List, you can submit a project, but it CANNOT be a
- script that was on the Athena List;
- Scripts based on existing material will be considered, as long as the writer(s) have
- secured the underlying rights to the source material;
- There is NO FEE to submit your project;
- The Athena Film Festival encourages applications from people of all races, religions, national origins, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and ages, as well as veterans and individuals with disabilities. We strongly encourage you to apply if you are from a marginalized or underrepresented group, particularly in the film industry.
For more information, check out our FAQ page or reach out to us at athenafilmfestival@gmail.com.
