Paul Feig Named Athena Film Festival’s First Male Honoree
Paul Feig will receive the inaugural Athena Leading Man award during the sixth annual Athena Film Festival in New York City, making him the first male honoree of the sixth annual festival that celebrates women and leadership.
Known for his female-centric box office hits, Feig will be honored for his contributions to film and relentless advocacy for a strong female presence in entertainment. His directorial efforts include “Bridesmaids” (2011), “The Heat” (2013) and “Spy” (2015), which he also wrote. Feig’s latest project, “Ghostbusters” hits theaters in July with a cast that includes Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and Kate McKinnon.
“There is nothing more important to me than creating meaningful, diverse and three-dimensional roles for women in front of the camera and doing whatever I can to help move the industry toward complete equality for their creative visions and voices behind the camera,” said Feig, who will be presented with his award Feb. 20.
“We feel it is crucial to recognize and honor not only the women who are breaking barriers, but also the men who support and advocate for them,” added Athena Film Festival co-founders Melissa Silverstein and Kathryn Kolbert. “Paul’s body of work is a true testament to his commitment to talented women in the entertainment industry.”
The Athena Film Festival runs from Feb. 18-21 at Barnard College in New York City.
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