Lunafest Film Festival Visits Redlands

LUNAFEST: It’s not the name of a cosmic event, it’s a film collection by women filmmakers highlighting issues concerning women and showcasing the works of women filmmakers across the United States. Recently, two Redlands groups, Zonta and the American Association of University Women (AAUW), came together to present LUNAFEST to the community to raise funds for local scholarships for women and girls. Established in 2000 by LUNA, the makers of the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, LUNAFEST connects women, their stories and their causes through film. This traveling film festival spotlights the work of a diverse array of women filmmakers with intelligent, funny and thought-provoking themes. The dual purpose of LUNFEST is to honor and highlight outstanding film-making by a variety of women and to provide a vehicle for helping non-profits raise funds for their designated causes. Kay Dobbertin, AAUW president, has been active in the organization for 30 years. This is the second year LUNAFEST has been presented by AAUW and their goal is to host one every year and increase the number of attendees. This year over 250 participants came and Dobbertin said, “It’s such a quality production. The films they choose are fabulous and it brings women and men together.” The festival was held at the ESRI auditorium in Redlands and included a reception for participants. The response from attendees was positive with many repeat viewers. The films that were shown included topics such as immigration, a young girl with Gilles de la Tourette’s syndrome, a female wrestler on an all-boys team and some grandmothers who get together to play basketball with each other. Dobbertin says, “The Festival promotes awareness about women’s issues and brings women together in their communities. It is a wonderful way to see a variety of short films by women and to give back to the community at the same time.”