Athena Xenidou

Athena Xenidou________________________________________________________________________ athena.xenidou@ Tel: +357-99467966 Linkedin profile: Athena Xenidou Website:

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE_______________________________________________________________________

An accomplished and award-winning director and producer in theatre, film and television with almost two decades
of experience in film, TV and stage productions from inception to completion.
An acting coach and a drama educator who is passionate about teaching.

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS________________________________________________________________

Guest Lecturer in Theatre Production/Directing/Acting, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus 2012-Present
Acting Coach, Master Class in Acting Techniques, Red Stage Theatre Drama School, Cyprus 2012-Present
Guest Lecturer in Drama, European University, Nicosia, Cyprus 2010-2011
Artistic Director/Theatre Coach, Motion Art Studio Fine Arts School, Nicosia, Cyprus 2010-Present

Artistic Director/Acting Coach, The Drama Studio, Master Class and Acting Showcase, Cyprus 2008-Present
Guest Lecturer in Documentary Filmmaking, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA 2001
Editor and Research Supervisor, Cyprus Artists, published by Pantheon, Cyprus 2000-09/2001
Teaching Assistant, Acting/Directing Professor Daniel Stewart, UC Santa Barbara, USA 1996-1997

TEACHING SPECIALIZATIONS_____________________________________________________________________

Teaching Producing and Directing for Film, Theatre and Television
Teaching Documentary Filmmaking
Designing and teaching independent drama master class workshops for professionals and amateurs
Heading drama classes for pre-school, primary school, teenagers and adults
Coaching students for auditions and preparing them for entry to drama schools in US and UK
Teaching Stella Adler, the Meisner Technique and Method Acting
Training professional actors in Acting for Theatre, Film and Television

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS_______________________________________________________

Television
Producer/Director Κρυφός Καιάδας all episodes (45) SIGMA TV, Cyprus
Director Ρουα Ματ (2014) 3 episodes ΑΝΤ1 TV, Greece
Director Survivor 2 (2004) all episodes (42) Mega TV, Greece
Director The Farm 2 (2004) all episodes (32) Mega TV, Greece
Casting Pop Idol (2004) Mega TV, Greece
Director Survivor 1 (2003) all episodes (28) Mega TV, Greece
Director Celebrity Farm (2003) all episodes (12) Mega TV, Greece
Director The Farm 1 (2002) all episodes (32) Fremantle Media SA, Mega TV, Greece
Art Director SCI Files:The Human Torch (2002) Glasshead Productions, London, UK

Theatre
Producer/Director Η σεξουαλική ζωή του κυρίου και
της κυρίας Νικολαίδη(2014) 4 city tour, Xmas Events, Cyprus
Director The Stone (2013) National Theatre, Cyprus
Producer/Director O κουνενές (2013) Pallas Theatre, Cyprus
Producer/Director The Good Body (2013) Xmas Productions, Cyprus
Producer/Director After Miss Julie (2012) 6-city tour Xmas Productions, Cyprus and Greece
Director I Hate Hamlet (2011) Theatre Ena, Cyprus
Director Touch and Go (2010) Dionysos Theatre, Cyprus
Producer/Director The Vagina Monologues (2009) 3-city tour, Xmas Productions, Cyprus
Director The Shadow Box (2007) National Theatre, Cyprus
Director Youkali (2004) Reform Productions, Greece


Feature Films
Co-producer/Co-writer/Co-director Socrates & Soc (in development with Barry Cook)Ministry of Illusion,S.A.,U.S.A
Director/Producer/Writer Unwitnessed Memories (2000) Sigma TV, Lumiere TV, Cyprus
Art Director Radichio Rosso (1997) Gallante Productions, Italy
Set Decorator Bad City Blues (1998-starring Dennis Hopper) Bad City Pictures, U.S.A
Production Assistant Swimming with Sharks (

Short Films
Co-Producer Tripwire (1997) American Film Institute, U.S.A.
Producer/Writer/Director The Made Guy (1997) UC Santa Barbara, U.S.A.
Co-producer Dead End (1996) UC Santa Barbara, U.S.A.

Music Videos
Director I agapi tou kalokairiou (2006) Xmas Productions, Greece
Director Anarotiemai (2004) Xmas Productions, Greece
Director Stigmes Alithias (2000) Xmas Productions, Cyprus

Commercials
Director Colfresh Chewing Gum Campaign (2006) Xmas Productions, Cyprus
Director Calvin Klein, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Fendi,
Police and Hugo Boss Sunglasses (1999) Piers Vellacott Productions, UK
EDUCATION___________________________________________________________________________________

MA International Relations with an emphasis on Media, University of Nicosia, Cyprus 2009
BA Film Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, U.S.A 1997
Diploma, English Literature, Drama and Music, University of Fribourg, Switzerland 1993
Certificate, Grade 8 Pianoforte, Grade 6 Music Theory, Royal Schools of Music, London, UK 1992

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS____________________________________________________________________

International Emmy Awards Jury Member 2001-2006
Cannes Film Festival Represented Cypriot filmmakers - invitation by EU and Cyprus Ministry of Culture. 2004
Olympia Dukakis Workshop for Directors and Actors 2010
Award for Best Actor, Nominated: Set and Lighting Design, National Theater Awards, for The Shadow Box 2009
Special Jury Award for Best Documentary - Houston International Film Festival for Unwitnessed Memories 2001
Best Documentary Award - Cyprus International Film Festival, Ministry of Culture and Education 2001
Official Selection: Int'l Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, Viewpoint Int’l Documentary Festival, Belgium
Int'l Festival of Visual Arts Hungary,Thessaloniki Int'l Film Festival, Int'l Human Rights Film Festival Prague 2001
Best Cinematography Award, for The Made Guy, Short Reel Film Festival in Santa Barbara, USA 1997
Best Project in Arts and Humanities Award and Scholarship, for Dead End, UC Santa Barbara, USA 1996

REFERENCES_________________________________________________________________________________

Barry Cook, Director of Oscar-nominated Mulan, Arthur Christmas, Walking with Dinosaurs, USA
Savvas Hadgigeorgiou, Director of Local Programs and Programming at Sigma TV, Cyprus
Professor Janet Walker, PhD, Department of Film Studies and Media, University of California Santa Barbara, USA
George Papageorgiou, Director of the National Theatre, Cyprus

MEDIA AND INTERNET ________________________________________________________________________
Linkedin profile, Athena Xenidou


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION______________________________________________________________________
Languages: Fluent in English, Greek, French
Cypriot citizen and U.S Permanent Resident
Member of the Board of Directors, Director’s Guild of Cyprus
Member of Rotary Club, Nicosia, Cyprus 2013-present
Member of The American Women’s Club of Cyprus