Maureen invited a bunch of gals to check out Lunafest Chicago. Lunafest is a women’s film festival that showcases short films by and for women. LUNAFEST connects women, their stories and their causes through film. The festival travels around the US and spotlights the work of a diverse array of women filmmakers with intelligent, funny and thought-provoking themes. (Another awesome thing about this festival is that 100 percent of all net proceeds are donated to charity both the national beneficiary the Breast Cancer Fund but also local charities. Chicago’s is Bright Pink.) Since its inception, LUNAFEST has grown from a single annual event to a coast-to-coast set of events with 150 North American screenings each season. To date, 92 filmmakers have been featured, nearly $1.2 million dollars has been raised.
The event was a lot of fun – started with a great reception with wine from the Clif vineyards (who knew?!), great snacks from Molly’s cupcakes, Pastoral and Native Foods and plenty of Luna bars!
There were brief remarks from Clif, Bright Pink and Style Chicago (the co-sponsor). There were 9 films ranging from 3 minutes to 20 minutes. Click HERE to watch the trailer. The films ranged from the 5 minute biography of the first women’s bicycle maker (“Georgina Terry”), to a story about coming of age as a competitive gymnast (“Chalk”), to a woman undergoing chemotherapy (“Blank Canvas”), to a funny piece on a British girl who gets broken up with by her boyfriend’s little brother (“Lunch Date”) to a great animated short about a woman who tries to reconcile her feelings about her plastic surgeon boyfriend’s profession (“Flawed”) and several others. (Photography buffs should definitely check out “Self-Portrait with Cows Going Home and Other Works” by Rebecca Dreyfus a terrific
portrait of the ironically camera-shy Sylvia Plachy, a renowned contemporary photographer.)
I liked all of the films, but I especially liked “Flawed”. The description in the program captures it perfectly so I am borrowing it here:
You can watch this 12 minute film on the PBS Online Film Festival here.
I especially liked the fact that this beautifully animated, entertaining story unfolds in an unexpected way. I relate to the artist’s recollection of when she started comparing herself to others and the impact that finding out that someone who shared her flaw got plastic surgery to fix it. I did not have this experience, but vividly remember the first time I compared myself to other girls and feeling insecure about my body and physical attributes. I also like how her relationship triggered her to process these memories and feelings and that her “flaw” was not what I would have guessed.
If you have a chance, watch the video and let me know what you think!
PS. They had a VIP goodie bag and I got two $25 off coupons for Eileen Fisher online or in store and $50 off $100 at Langford Market in Chicago if anyone wants them, let me know and I will send to first person who calls them in the comments!