The Athena Film Festival has awarded over $250,000 in grants awarded since 2019. In addition to cash grants, the Athena Film Festival offers our grantees continuous support, one-on-one mentorship, and a one-year FREE membership to the Girls Club, a global community for women creatives, culture-changes, and storytellers to connect, create, network, advocate, support, and redefine entertainment.
The Athena Film Festival Breakthrough Award
Given to a feature-length film — narrative or documentary — directed by a first or second-time woman filmmaker. The winning film screens at the Athena Film Festival.
Alfred P. Sloan Athena List Development Grant
Given to an Athena List winner or finalist with a screenplay that focuses on a woman or women in STEM project.
The Chinonye Chukwu Emerging Writer Award
Given to a feature-length writer who has previously participated in the Writers Lab to aid in the development of their script. The writer also receives a year-long intensive writing mentorship.
Disney Athena List Development Grant
Given to a writer/director of a project that is a winner or finalist of the Athena List and a member of a historically underrepresented community in film.
The Jaya Award
Given to an indigenous filmmaker from North America whose film features a woman leader at the center of the story. The winning film screens at the Athena Film Festival.
Two Breakthrough Awardees Ida Joglar & Débora Souza Silva
