The 2011-12 Lunafest, which shows a collection of short films for and about women, returns to Fresno for its ninth year.
This year's selections range from the whimsical "A Reluctant Bride," winner of the 2011 Audience Choice Award at the World Of Women Film Festival, to the compelling documentary "I am a Girl!," which won the 2011 Jury Award for Best Documentary Short at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
The guest speaker will be Fresno State graduate Anastasia Malone, whose mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
"With our guest speaker, we are looking at breast cancer from a different perspective. We will be looking at how it affects family and loved ones," says Jennifer A. Whyte, coordinator of the Women's Resource Center.
The festival starts at 7 Friday and tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, $5 and $7 for Fresno State students. Proceeds from the fundraising event, at Fresno State's Satellite Student Union, go to the Breast Cancer Fund and the school's Women's Resource Center.
For more information about Lunafest, go to lunafest.org or call the Women's Resource Center at (559) 278-4435.
The films in this year's festival include:
"Every Mother Counts: Obstetric Fistula" (Christy Turlington Burns): The documentary deals with one of the most common and painful injuries women suffer during childbirth.
"How To Be Alone" (Andrea Dorfman): The filmmaker blends reality and animation for a look at being alone.
"I am a Girl!" (Susan Koenen): A 13-year-old faces the challenges of being a teenager while dealing with being born a boy but living life as a girl.
"Lady Razorbacks" (Laura Green): The rugby team started by a group of Pacific Islander women in East Palo Alto becomes a way to help them deal with life.
"Life Model" (Lori Petchers): Documentary about a 75-year-old nude figure model.
"Missed Connections" (Mary Robertson): The Craigslist forum becomes a way for strangers who have passed in the night to get together.
"A Reluctant Bride" (Shideh Faramand): A single Persian woman becomes the target of matchmakers at her younger sister's engagement party.
"The Wind is Blowing on My Street" (Saba Riazi): A young girl in Tehran, Iran, fears the consequences of accidentally being in public without her head scarf.
"Worst Enemy" (Lake Bell): A young woman's numerous quirks make her a mess.
TV and movie critic Rick Bentley can be reached at rbentley@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6355. Read his blog at fresnobeehive.com.
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