LunaFest Celebrates Women Filmmakers

LUNAFEST, a national festival of women’s films, comes to Dayton for the 7th time Sunday June 5 at from 3:00-5:00 pm at the Neon.  The program features six award-winning short films for, by and about women that are international in scope, plus Wren, a short film by local filmmaker Aisha Ford.

The films examine women’s stories told through the lens of women filmmakers in places ranging from Dayton, Ohio to the Philippines, Cuba and Iran.  The diverse, thought-provoking stories for 2016 include challenges facing a woman boxer, a deaf woman dealing with cancer, the effects of drug addiction, raising a transgender child and more.

Established in 2000 by LUNA, the makers of the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, LUNAFEST connects women, their stories and their causes through film and spotlights the work of a diverse array of talented women filmmakers with intelligent, funny and thought-provoking themes.  Since its inception, LUNAFEST has grown from a single annual event to a coast-to-coast force with more than 175 North American screenings each season.  To date, 127 filmmakers have been featured, nearly $2.9 million dollars have been raised and thousands of attendees have come away moved, entertained and inspired.

100 percent of all net proceeds from this event will go to the Breast Cancer Fund and to Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region.  Tickets are $10.00 ($5.00 for students) and donations over this amount are gratefully accepted. The event is sponsored locally by Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance and the Dayton chapter of the American Association of University Women.  Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Neon. Films  can be previewed online.