LUNAFEST® Kicks Off 15th Anniversary Season
Leading Short Film Festival Raises Awareness for Women in Film
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–LUNAFEST®,
a national fundraising film festival that showcases short films by, for,
and about women, celebrates its 15th year today with the
premiere of six unique films at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.
LUNAFEST was created by LUNA®, the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, 15
years ago to address gender disparity in filmmaking, and for the past 15
years LUNAFEST has supported female filmmakers and given these talented
directors a platform to share their perspectives and stories. To date,
LUNAFEST has received over 10,000 submissions, worked with over 100
female directors, and had female directed films viewed by more than
300,000 people across the United States.
Over the next year, LUNAFEST will travel to more than 175 cities
nationwide from Santa Monica to New York City. Each LUNAFEST screening
raises funds and awareness for LUNA’s primary cause partner, the Breast
Cancer Fund and local women’s nonprofit organizations. Since its
inception in 2000, LUNAFEST has raised more than $860,000 for the Breast
Cancer Fund and over $2.1 million for women’s community non-profit
organizations across the country.
The films featured in the 2015-2016 season include:
“Balsa Wood”
By Dominique Lecchi
A light-hearted slice
of life about two mixed race siblings visiting their extended Filipino
family for lunch.
“Boxeadora”
By Meg Smaker
One woman defies Fidel
Castro’s ban on female boxing to follow her dreams of Olympic glory and
become Cuba’s first female boxer.
“Beach Flags”
By Sarah Saidan
A young Iranian
lifeguard, determined to participate in an international competition in
Australia, experiences an unexpected obstacle when a new team member
arrives.
“Finding June”
By Anna Schumacher
Through the eyes of a
deaf woman just diagnosed with breast cancer, communication’s role in
understanding one another is explored.
“First World Problems”
By Hanna Maylett
A tired
housewife loses her car in a shopping mall – sometimes problems can open
a door to a whole new world.
“Raising Ryland”
By Sarah Feeley
An intimate look at
parenting with no strings attached – a journey inside the transgender
experience as lived by a six year old boy and his two loving parents.
For more information on the films in this year’s LUNAFEST circuit and to
find out about upcoming screening locations, please visit, www.lunafest.org.
About LUNA®
LUNA® nourishes women with delicious snacks. LUNA connects, supports and
champions women with programs such as LUNAFEST®, a national traveling
fundraising festival of short films by, for, and about women, and Team
LUNA Chix, an all-women’s sport group inspiring women to learn new
sports and be active. LUNA proudly donates one percent of its sales to a
variety of women’s nonprofits and the Breast Cancer Fund through the
Clif Bar Family Foundation. (www.lunabar.com)
Contacts
for LUNA
Meaghan Praznik, 510-596-6592
mpraznik@clifbar.com
