The Athena Film Festival at Barnard College has just announced its first ever Virtual Writers Lab. In partnership with WIST (Women in the Script Trade) and Stephens College, the Athena Film Festival will give emerging women TV and film writers the space to workshop and advance their projects. The Athena Film Festival Virtual Writers Lab is for emerging women identified writers who have not had a film produced or a pilot picked up within the past 10 years.

This Film & TV Lab is usually held in Los Angeles each summer, but it has been moved online this year to ensure the health and safety of the participants and the surrounding communities.

The Virtual Writers Lab provides women identified storytellers with training, skills, and a robust supportive network. Participants will have several one-on-one mentoring sessions with experienced screenwriters as well as peer-to-peer and group sessions.

The lab will also include events where participants will learn about how to navigate the industry as well as a keynote conversation from an established filmmaker. Past panels have included The Fluidity of Writing, How Does Representation Work, and The Art of Pitching, and past keynotes have come from “Love & Basketball” writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood and “Queen Sugar” writer-producer Kat Candler.

Those interested in the screenwriting branch of the lab should submit a feature-length screenplay (80-120 pages) that includes a woman or women characters in a leadership role or position at the center of the story. Those interested in the TV writing branch should submit a pilot or spec script (60 pages or less) that includes a woman or women characters in a leadership role or position at the center of the story.

The Athena Film Festival at Barnard College Virtual Writers Lab is sponsored by Lifetime. The Lab will take place the week of July 27. Submissions are now open. Participants will be selected by July 13. Go to the fest’s website to submit or find more information.