LunaFest, a national travelling film festival promoting awareness for women’s issues and hosted by the Women’s Resource Center, will screen this year’s films at the Bama Theatre tonight at 7 p.m.
Tickets to the festival are $12 for students, $18 for faculty and staff and $20 for general admission. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Women’s Resource Center and the Breast Cancer Fund, a nonprofit organization advocating reduction of the risk of breast cancer by identifying and eliminating the preventable causes of the disease.
Nine films chosen from thousands of submissions will be featured at LunaFest.
“These nine films are some of the most amazing films they’ve come across,” said Puneet Gill, education and leadership coordinator for the Women’s Resource Center and LunaFest coordinator. “They really showcase women filmmakers and promote a lot of social-justice issues along with them.”
The featured films range from 10 to 15 minutes in length and cover various women-related topics. Each film was made for women, by women and about issues women face.
Among the films are “Lady Razorbacks,” a film about Pacific Islander women who form a Rugby team; “Every Mother Counts: Obstetric Fistula,” a look at injuries suffered by women in childbirth; and “I am a Girl!” the story of a transgendered teen girl who wants to ask out her male friend.
The film festival is expected to last two and a half hours. A preview and description of all nine films are available on LunaFest’s website.
Gill said LunaFest will promote the Women’s Resource Center’s mission of maximizing each student’s learning experience through outreach, service and advocacy.
“I believe these films also encourage the same kind of mission,” she said. “[LunaFest] is part of our education services that we offer the community, and I believe that this [event] will also help us to further that mission through the money we raise through the films.”
In its 12 years, LunaFest has grown from a single annual event into a travelling festival screened in over 150 North American cities each season. This season, 20,000 people are expected to attend screenings. Last year, the Women’s Resource Center sold over 500 tickets to the Tuscaloosa screening of LunaFest.
To date, LunaFest has raised nearly $1.2 million for charity. All of the film festival’s net proceeds will go to charity. Fifteen percent of every dollar raised will go to LunaFest’s main beneficiary, the Breast Cancer Fund, and 85 percent of every dollar raised will go to the host’s local charity of choice.
A free reception and a silent auction beginning at 6:30 p.m. will precede the festival screening. Auction items include restaurant gift cards, a haircut and style package, three oil paintings, a quilt from the West Alabama Quilters Guild and a football signed by Nick Saban. Proceeds from the auction will also benefit the Women’s Resource Center and the Breast Cancer Fund.
Sitar Indian Cuisine and Desperados Steakhouse will provide free food for the reception. Cake and cupcakes will also be available for dessert.
Additionally, Uptown Art will provide childcare for parents who wish to attend the event. For $20, children ages 10 and under will be able to participate in two crafts and a painting and will be provided with a meal.
Tickets may be purchased through the Women’s Resource Center or at the Bama Theatre. For more information visit LunaFest.org.
