Athena Film Festival Celebrates Women

The 8th annual NYC Athena Film Festival  is four days of inspiring films and documentaries produced and directed by women that tell the stories of strong, bold women leaders, both real and fictional.

Their extraordinary stories of ambition, courage and resilience, both in front of and behind the camera, are especially timely this year, the year of #MeToo.

The Athena Film Festival opens with Battle of The Sexes, the story of that memorable, historic tennis battle between Billie Jean King and Bobby Rigg, and includes a live discussion with Ms. King and longtime women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem.

The Athena Film Festival is at Barnard College, Feb. 22 to 25.  Individual tickets are $20 and $25, and multiple-ticket passes also are available.

Other featured films include:

THE BREADWINNER, directed by Nora Twomey and executive produced by Angelina Jolie;

The New York premiere of I AM NOT A WITCH, from first-time writer and director Rungano Nyoni;

LADY BIRD, the directorial debut of Greta Gerwig (AFF ‘11 Honoree and 2006 Barnard graduate), starring Saoirse Ronan;

MEGAN LEAVEY, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and starring Kate Mara; WONDER WOMAN, directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot; and THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE, directed by Niki Caro and starring Jessica Chastain, among others.

The documentary category includes BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY, directed and written by Alexandra Dean. Lamarr was so much more than simply a beautiful Hollywood movie star.  She was also a technological trailblazer who perfected a radio system to throw Nazi torpedoes off course during WWII;

• Note: This film also is being screened at Symphony Space, also on the UWS, on Sat. Mar. 3 and Sun., Mar 18, for $14, $13 Seniors and $12 Thirty and Under with ID

I AM EVIDENCE, directed by Trish Adlesic and Geeta Gandbhir and produced by Mariska Hargitay;

The New York City premiere of IT’S CRIMINAL, directed by Signe Taylor (1987 Barnard graduate); and the international premiere of MY YEAR WITH HELEN, directed by Gaylene Preston, among others.

A  variety of shorts will be featured, including the world premiere of FRONTIER, directed by Jillian Banner; and the New York premieres of AL IMAM, directed by Omar Al Dakheel; BEADS, directed by Rachel Byrd; CON MADRE, directed by Clancy McCarty; THE FAN directed by Mohammad Ghanefard and Ali Delkari; and THE RED THUNDER, directed by Alvaro Ron, among others.

In addition, the festival features several Virtual Reality experiences including Look But With Love: A Story of Women, Look But With Love: A Story of Dance from Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Testimony from project creator Zohar Kfir, and Under the Net from director and writer Justin Perkison.