Popular Women's Film Festival 'Lunafest' Returns to Campus March 19

March 12, 2012

Lunafest, the national fundraising film festival dedicated to promoting awareness about women's issues and highlighting women filmmakers, will come to Old Dominion University on Monday, March 19, during ODU's Women's History Month celebration.

The event, hosted by the ODU Women's Center at the University Theatre, features nine short films by women filmmakers, highlighting their role as leaders in society.

The films range from animation to fictional drama, and cover topics such as women's health, motherhood, body image, aging, cultural diversity and breaking barriers.

"This is the fifth year that the Women's Center has brought Lunafest to ODU, and every year students, faculty, staff and community members comment that they were really moved by or laughed till they cried at one or more of the films," said Gretchen Edwards-Bodmer, public relations and marketing coordinator with the Women's Center.

"These films remind us of the wonderful contributions that women make, not just to the film industry, but also to the world. Lunafest is an evening of celebration of women's contributions as well as philanthropy for two organizations that support women in their time of need."

The evening will start with a reception and raffle at 6:30 p.m., following by the showing of the Lunafest films at 7 p.m.

Here is the list of films that will be featured:

• "Every Mother Counts: Obstetric Fistula," by Christy Turlington Burns: A look at one of the most common and painful injuries women suffer during childbirth.
• "How to Be Alone," by Andrea Dorfman: A poem and "how-to" manual about being alone.
• "I am a Girl!", by Susan Koenen: Joppe has always known that he's a girl - and won't let a little biology get in the way.
• "Lady Razorbacks," by Laura Green: When a group of Pacific Islander women start a rugby team in East Palo Alto, the field becomes a sanctuary.
• "Life Model," by Lori Petchers: A look inside the world of an aging nude figure model and the beautiful artwork she inspires.
• "Missed Connections," by Mary Robertson: On craigslist's "Missed Connections" forum, those who regret their timidity make appeals to the Ones Who Got Away.
• "A Reluctant Bride," by Shideh Faramand: Stuck at her younger sister's engagement party, an unmarried Persian woman dodges and weaves suitors and romantic setups like a pro.
• "The Wind is Blowing on My Street," by Saba Riazi: An accident that leaves a young girl on the street in Tehran without a headscarf leads to an unlikely connection.
• "Worst Enemy," by Lake Bell: Is our heroine way too neurotic to be a "normal" girl?

Tickets for Lunafest are $10, or $5 with an ODU student ID, and are available for purchase at the Webb Center information desk or at the theater.

All proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Fund and the YWCA of South Hampton Roads. So far, Lunafest, created and funded by nutrition bar-maker Luna, has raised more than $456,000 for breast cancer funding and over $785,000 for other women's nonprofit organizations.