Athena Film Festival
The world's most important film festival celebrating women's leadership, held annually in February at Barnard College in New York City, presenting films that feature women as leaders with complexity, agency, and authority.
Overview
The Athena Film Festival is the world's most important film festival celebrating women's leadership. Founded in 2011 and held annually in February at Barnard College -- one of the most prestigious women's colleges in the United States, affiliated with Columbia University -- the festival presents films that feature women as leaders with complexity, agency, and authority.
The festival's specific focus on leadership -- not just women's stories broadly, but stories of women exercising leadership in all domains of human activity -- gives it a distinctive programming identity. Films are selected not just for featuring women protagonists but for presenting female leadership as central, complex, and normative.
Barnard College's location in Manhattan's Morningside Heights neighborhood and its connection to Columbia University create an audience combining students, faculty, and New York's professional community, with particular presence from the media and entertainment industries.
Key Sections
- Feature Film Program -- films featuring women leaders across all genres
- Documentary Program -- nonfiction films about women in leadership
- Short Film Program -- short films with women leadership themes
- Conversations -- panels with filmmakers, leaders, and advocates
- Student Screenings -- films specifically for Barnard and Columbia students
What Filmmakers Should Know
The festival accepts open submissions. For filmmakers creating films that center female leadership, Athena provides a platform with strong media attention and connections to organizations and funders focused on gender equity. The Barnard College setting creates connections with academic and advocacy networks.
Major Awards
- Athena Award -- for films that best exemplify female leadership
- Audience Award
Festival History
Athena Film Festival was founded in 2011 by Kathryn Kolbert and Dorian Warren and has operated at Barnard College.
See Also
For women in film, see Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards. For feminist documentary, see Documentary Filmmaking Guide.
