THE SEVENTH ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE FEBRUARY 9 – 12, 2017

 

New York, NY (February 1, 2017) – The Athena Film Festival (AFF) today announced the participants for the inaugural Athena IRIS Screenwriting Lab whose goal is to develop feature-length narrative scripts with bold and courageous female characters.

The Athena Film Festival, an annual celebration of women and leadership co-founded by the Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College and Women and Hollywood, returns for its seventh year February 9-12, 2017.

The participants of the 2017 Athena IRIS Lab, chosen through a highly competitive process, include:

  • Briana Belser for Victory Drive
  • Oonagh Kearney for Proserpina
  • Erin Sanger for Girl Show
  • Rashmi Singh for The Divide

Guiding the screenwriters through the lab are an illustrious group of mentors including: Hilary Brougher, film professor at Columbia University and screenwriter/director of The Sticky Fingers of Time and Stephanie Daley; Shinho Lee, Arts Professor at NYU and Screenwriter of The Chaser and My Mighty Princess; Afia Nathaniel, Lecturer at Princeton University and Screenwriter/Producer/Director of Dukhtar; and Susanna Styron, filmmaker of Shadrach and 9/12: From Chaos to Community.

“The Athena Film Festival is committed to developing the next generation of talented screenwriters who are creating scripts with female leaders at their center” said Melissa Silverstein, Athena Film Festival co-founder and artistic director and founder of Women and Hollywood. “By partnering with IRIS we can enable women to hone their voices and craft their stories. We look forward to a successful program this year.”

“Great film can deepen us, educate us, and unite us. The Athena Film Festival has given space and focus to women’s solidarity by building this incredible platform for female protagonists,” said IRIS co-founder Nitza Wilon. “We’re elated to be part of this pivotal work.”

Since its inception in 2013, IRIS has sought to amplify the female voice through narrative film. Founders Elizabeth Kaiden, Kyle Ann Stokes and Nitza Wilon created The Writers Lab, co-produced by New York Women in Film & Television and funded by Meryl Streep, to develop screenplays written by women over 40. IRIS is committed to expanding its efforts to support and promote female filmmakers.

Join us at the 2017 Athena Film Festival, a great opportunity to be inspired by bold women making a difference around the globe, and to recharge as we push forward as activists in the coming years.

For more information please visit https://athenafilmfestival.com.

                                                                                                               

ABOUT THE ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL
Now in its seventh year, The Athena Film Festival is four days of inspiring films that honor courageous and audacious women in real life and the fictional world. The curated program includes features, documentaries, and shorts directed by both women and men. The four-day festival, which includes conversations with directors, producers and actors, as well as activities for filmmakers, will be held February 9 – 12, 2017 in NYC at Barnard College. The Founding Sponsor of the Athena Film Festival is The Artemis Rising Foundation, Regina K. Scully, Founder and CEO.

 

ABOUT IRIS
IRIS is an organization of women filmmakers founded in New York City by Kyle Ann Stokes, Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon to champion the female voice through narrative feature film.

 

ABOUT WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD
Women and Hollywood educates, advocates, and agitates for gender parity across the entertainment industry. Over the last nine years, it has grown to be one of the most respected sites focused on women’s issues and popular culture, and its founder, Melissa Silverstein, has become a well-respected leader on the subject.

 

ABOUT THE ATHENA CENTER
Established at Barnard College,  the renowned liberal arts college for women at Columbia University, the Athena Center for Leadership Studies is a catalyst for the education, development and advancement of inspired and courageous women leaders worldwide. Renowned civil rights attorney, Kathryn Kolbert, is the Center’s Constance Hess Williams Director and a co-founder of the Athena Film Festival.

 

ABOUT ARTEMIS RISING FOUNDATION
Artemis Rising Foundation is committed to transforming our culture through Media, Education, the Arts and Spirit. Regina K. Scully is its founder and CEO.

 

# # #
MEDIA INQUIRIES
ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL

FRANK PR | (646) 861-0843
Stephanie Davidson | Stephanie@frankpublicity.com
Jeff McBride | Jeff@frankpublicity.com