Athena Film Festival goes fully virtual for the first time, making stories more accessible Athena Film Festival goes fully virtual for the first time, making stories more accessible Barnard Communications / Courtesy of Flickr In response to the ongoing pandemic, the Athena Film Festival has worked to move from an in-person to a fully virtual experience. By Caroline Val | March 1, 2021, 11:50 AM Throughout the last year, the film industry has suffered the ongoing consequences of COVID-19 shutdowns. How do filmmakers continue to share stories in a socially distanced world? The Athena Film Festival had to tackle this question when planning its 11th annual festival. Now, for the first time, the Athena Film Festival has made an adjustment that many around the world have had to make—hosting a completely virtual event.