Lunafest, a traveling film festival established in 2000 by Luna, the “whole nutrition” line of snack bars for women, comes to the Crest Theatre in Delray Beach on Friday for a one-night-only screening.
In conjunction with the Junior League of Boca Raton, the event is a fundraiser for the Junior League and for the Breast Cancer Fund, which is dedicated to eliminating environmental causes of breast cancer and preventing the disease.
Lunafest, a night of short films “By, for and about women,” says 100 percent of all net proceeds are donated to charity. Over the past 13 years, the festival has expanded to a nationwide event with more than 150 North American screenings each season and has raised more than $1.5 million dollars for the Breast Cancer Fund.
“Part of our mission is to develop the potential of women and improve our communities,” said Jackie Reeves, president of the Junior League of Boca Raton. “So, we support women producers and films, focused on women’s issues or inspirational thoughts, and I find the films enlightening. They make you think.
“Women in the U.S. are still well under-represented in a global scale on women’s leadership initiatives, whether local, national, or worldwide and under-represented in boardrooms,” Reeves said. “When the Lunafest opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance to support their initiative and present thought-provoking ideas.”
This year’s festival features nine short international films all by women. Blank Canvas, a film by Boston filmmaker Sarah Berkovich, is the story of a woman who turns her bald head into a work of art while going through chemotherapy.
Chalk, by Italian-born filmmaker Martina Amati, is a 20-minute film commissioned by Film4 and the former UK Film Council (UKFC) which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival 2011. It draws you into the world of two young female gymnasts who make discoveries about their bodies, friendship, and boys.
Canadian artist and filmmaker Andrea Dorfman’s Flawed is an animated story told with time-lapse storyboard photography about accepting yourself, flaws and all. A long-distance relationship with a plastic surgeon causes time for self-reflection about what makes a person beautiful.
“Lunafest connects women, their stories and their causes through film,” says Suzy Starke German, Lunafest program manager. “We spotlight the work of a diverse array of talented women filmmakers with intelligent, funny and thought-provoking themes.
“Each year, Lunafest and its board of advisors receives and views more than 850 film submissions. How do we narrow it down to only nine or 10?,” she asks.
“It’s tough,” she says. “I can tell you what we’re looking for: Exceptional storytelling. Creative delivery. Humor, honesty and heart. That intangible quality that delivers just a little ‘magic.’ Most important, the film needs to capture the essence of our mission.”
And as Kit Crawford, owner and co-CEO of Luna maker Clif Bar & Co., says on screen, “Film is such a great way to bring women together as a community. When we get up from our seats and walk away, we’re changed a little bit for the better.”
Lunafest will be presented Friday at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts. Cocktail reception at 7 p.m., showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and balcony tickets are $25. For more information please visit: www.jlbr.org or email: Lunafestdelray@gmail.com or visit: www.lunafest.org.
