THE FIRST ANNUAL ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL
A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN AND LEADERSHIP

February 10-13, New York, NY
www.athenafilmfestival.com
The First Annual Athena Film Festival (www.athenafilmfestival.com) will take place February 10th through February 13th at Barnard College. In its inaugural season, the Athena Film Festival will examine the values women leaders share—vision, courage, resilience—and explore leadership across race, class, and culture.

Film is a medium known to nearly all people in nearly every part of the world. And films have power. They create conversation. They reveal truths. They inspire.

Why Now?

In 2010, for the first time in history, a woman won the Oscar for best director. Directing is the most visible leadership position in film yet, in 82 years, only 4 women have been nominated for best director, and only a single woman has won. In 2009, in the 250 top-grossing domestic films, women made up only 7% of directors, 8% of writers, and 17% of executive producers. 98% of these films had no female cinematographers. And, in front of the camera, as of 2007, women had less than 30% of the speaking roles.

Through feature films, documentaries, and shorts, the Festival will explore what makes a leader.

• Is it the ability to inspire people to fight injustice or stand up for the rights of those who are powerless?
• Is it about defining and preserving one’s own dignity or protecting one’s family or community?
• Is it about motivating others to change when necessary, to learn from failure?

The festival will examine the values women leaders share—vision, courage, resilience—and explore leadership across race, class, and culture.

The Festival will highlight the wide diversity of women’s leadership in both real life and the fictional world, illuminating the stories of women from across the globe who have made a difference in their countries and communities.  Our goal is to open a robust dialogue about women and leadership:  what it takes to excel, collaborate, lead, and inspire.