More than 6,000 people came to this year’s Athena Film Festival, which offered three days of screenings, panels, and workshops in celebration of strong women and their stories. Athena Awards went to director Patricia Riggen; documentary filmmaker Regina K. Scully, the festival’s founding sponsor; and Eve Ensler, an activist and author of the play The Vagina Monologues. Actor and producer David Oyelowo received the 2017 Leading Man Award for his work championing female directors. A town hall discussion on building movements for social change included legendary feminist leader Gloria Steinem and Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers. Dolores, which chronicles Huerta’s work challenging gender stereotypes and fighting for farmworkers, was the final film screened at this year’s festival. •
