The Athena List

Overview

The Athena List is an annual feature-length script competition run by the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College in New York City. It selects exceptional unproduced screenplays that center on women leaders. The program is part of the Athena Film Festival's Creative Development Program, which launched in 2011 to elevate women's leadership in film. The competition is open to scripts from all genres, written in English, between 80 and 120 pages.

There is no submission fee. The Athena List is one of the few major script competitions in the United States that does not charge an entry fee, which removes a financial barrier that disproportionately affects emerging writers.

The Athena List was postponed for the 2026 submission season. The festival has not announced whether the program will resume for 2027. Writers should monitor the Athena Film Festival website and social channels for updates.

What Winners Receive

Scripts selected for the Athena List receive industry visibility and development support. The specific benefits are:

• Public recognition through Athena Film Festival channels and industry press, placing the script in front of producers, development executives, agents, and managers who track the list as a source of women-authored projects
• Athena List Development Grant: $10,000 awarded to the writer or director of a selected script to support further development
• Alfred P. Sloan Athena List Development Grant: $20,000 awarded to a STEM-themed script that integrates science or technology themes into a narrative centered on women leaders
• Professional credential that carries weight in query letters, pitch meetings, and agent submissions
• Networking access through Athena Film Festival programming and events, including the annual festival held at Barnard College (typically March)

The Athena List is not a cash prize awarded to all selected scripts. The development grants are awarded to specific winners within the selected group. All selected scripts receive the visibility and credential benefits regardless of whether they receive a grant.

Eligibility Requirements

The Athena List has specific eligibility criteria that go beyond what many script competitions require. The requirements as of the most recent active cycle are:

• Women characters in leadership roles: Scripts must have a woman or women character(s) in leadership role(s) or position(s). All genres are accepted. Stories about women from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural groups are encouraged.
• Feature-length only: Scripts must be between 80 and 120 pages. Short films and television scripts are not accepted.
• Advanced development: Scripts must be in advanced development. First drafts are not accepted. The program explicitly states "DO NOT SUBMIT A FIRST DRAFT."
• Prior development required: Submitted projects must have taken part in a writer's lab or intensive, or the writer must be actively working with industry members (manager, agent, executive, or producer) on the project. This is a higher bar than most script competitions, which accept scripts at any development stage.
• English language: Scripts must be written in English.
• Not fully financed: Screenplays that are fully financed and in pre-production are not eligible. Scripts can be optioned and have producers or talent attached.
• No resubmissions: Scripts previously submitted and considered for the Athena List are not eligible.
• Logline required: Entries lacking a logline on the application form will be disqualified.
• Rights secured: Scripts based on existing material will be considered only if the writer has secured the underlying rights to the source material.

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. The program specifically encourages applications from marginalized or underrepresented groups in the film industry.

Submission Process

Submissions typically open in late summer or early fall, with the window running from June through August. The submission process is two-tiered:

1. Synopsis review: The committee first reviews the synopsis of the submitted script to determine whether it fits the eligibility criteria. If the synopsis does not fit the criteria, the script will not be read in full.
2. Full script read: Scripts that pass the synopsis stage are then read in full by the committee.

Submissions are made through the Athena List page on FilmFreeway or directly through the Athena Film Festival website. There is no submission fee.

The Athena List in Context

The Athena List occupies a specific niche in the script competition landscape. It is modeled on the concept of the Black List (the annual survey of Hollywood's most liked unproduced scripts), but with two structural differences: it requires women characters in leadership roles, and it requires evidence of prior development (a writer's lab, intensive, or active industry collaboration).

This prior-development requirement sets the Athena List apart from competitions like the Academy Nicholl Fellowships (which accepts scripts from non-professional screenwriters at any development stage) or the Page International Screenwriting Awards (which accepts scripts at all levels). The Athena List is designed for writers who have already invested in developing their script beyond a first draft and are seeking industry visibility to move the project toward production.

The Alfred P. Sloan Athena List Development Grant adds a STEM dimension. The Sloan Foundation has funded multiple film programs (including partnerships with Sundance, Film Independent, and the Tribeca Film Institute) to encourage scripts that integrate science and technology themes. The $20,000 Sloan grant at the Athena List is specifically for scripts that combine women's leadership with STEM subject matter.

Comparison to Similar Programs

The Athena List is the only major script competition in this comparison that charges no entry fee and requires evidence of prior development. The $10,000 to $20,000 grant range is competitive with the Nicholl Fellowships ($35,000) and exceeds the Page Awards top prize ($25,000).

Who Should Apply

Women screenwriters with a completed, polished feature-length screenplay (80 to 120 pages) that centers on women in leadership roles, and who have already developed the script through a writer's lab, intensive, or active collaboration with an industry professional. The program is not for first drafts or scripts still in early development. Writers who have a STEM-themed script with a woman leader at its center should also consider applying for the $20,000 Sloan grant.

Writers should verify the program's status before applying, as the Athena List was postponed for the 2026 submission season. Check the Athena Film Festival website for the most current information.

See Also

For understanding the development process from script to production, see Film Festival Strategy: Getting Your Film Seen. For planning a production timeline once a script moves into production, use the Production Schedule Calculator. For other grant programs supporting women filmmakers, see the Through Her Lens: Tribeca CHANEL Women's Filmmaker Program listing.