Athena Xenidou is a director, producer and screenwriter. She is currently the president of the Director’s Guild of Cyprus, served as a Jury Member for the International Emmy Awards since 2001, a member of WIFT Greece and is a leading member of the Declaration of Filmmakers, a lobby for Authors Rights which launched at Cannes, then Venice, Brussels, Athens and Berlin. Athena served as Vice President of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, where she launched a policy she deeply cares about - Equality at the Podium, aiming at bridging the gender gap in classical music for female conductors, soloists and artistic directors.
Athena studied music and english literature in Switzerland and holds a BA in Film from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MA in Politics and Media from the University of Nicosia. Her film credits include awarded shorts Dead End, The Made Guy, Saving Joy, Insidious Invisible and Unwitnessed Memories which received the Gold Jury Award at Worldfest Houston and a distinction at IDFA. Among her Greek TV credits are director on Survivor 1 and 2 and multiple episodes of successful TV drama series, starring Nikos Poursanidis, Giannis Vouros, Petros Lagoutis and Katerina Didaskalou.
Passionate for teaching, she founded The Film and Stage Studio, preparing young adults for entry in international acting conservatories and film schools. Athena is a Lecturer University of Central Lancashire, teaching TV Studio Production and Audio Production.
