Films Executive-Produced by Barnard alumnae, “Cutting Through Rocks,” and “Children No More: ‘Were and Are Gone,’” were nominated for Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Jan. 22.
Sheila Nevins ’60 and Julie Parker Benello ’92 both served as Executive Producers on “Cutting Through Rocks.”
Another Executive Producer on the film, Judith Helfand, also has ties to Barnard – she serves as producer of the Athena Film Festival Documentary Pitch Program. The Athena Film Festival is a partnership of Barnard College and Women and Hollywood.
“Cutting Through Rocks,” is directed by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni centers on a remote Iranian village and a woman, Sara Shahverdi who fearlessly breaks patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriage all while navigating politics in a system stacked against her. It showcases a path of resilience, identity, and triumph.
Nevins was nominated as a producer of “Children No More: Were and Are Gone,” in the Documentary Short Film category. The film was directed by Hilla Medalia.
“We are tremendously proud of Sheila Nevins ’62 and Julie Parker Benello ’92 for their well-deserved recognition,” said Barnard President Laura Ann Rosenbury. “Their work is a powerful reminder of Barnard’s ongoing impact in film and storytelling and of the many ways our graduates continue to shape the film industry. It's also touching that they Executive Produced this film together, highlighting the lifelong nature of the Barnard network.”
Barnard College is the proud home of the Athena Film Festival, which showcases narrative features, documentaries, and short films, in-depth conversations with filmmakers and thought leaders, and a wide variety of events focused on amplifying women’s leadership through storytelling. The Host Committee is a dedicated network of supporters who advance the Athena Film Festival commitment to a more inclusive film industry and believe representation matters.
The sixteenth annual Athena Film Festival will take place March 6 - 8, 2026, and passes are on sale now.
“Each year, we seek to advance narratives about leadership through original, women-centered stories and ‘Cutting Through Rocks’ does exactly that,” said Melissa Silverstein, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of The Athena Film Festival.
“We are grateful to these three incredible women, who have cared about and been deeply-involved with the Athena Film Festival nominated for Academy Awards and this reaffirms the Festival’s role as the premier destination of films celebrating women’s leadership and for their dedication to helping future filmmakers through the Festival and beyond."
The full Festival lineup can be found here, where “Cutting Through Rocks” will be screened, Saturday March 7.
The Oscars are scheduled to air on Sunday, March 15, 2026.