A number of films created by female filmmakers are being highlighted in Boulder this month. First, don’t miss your opportunity to catch the inspiring films being shown at the Boulder Theater on Thursday, October 11th, as the 11th annual Lunafest makes Boulder one of its stops on its cross country tour of over 150 cities. Lunafest, which was founded in 2000 by the makers of the nutrition bar LUNA, “connects women, their stories and their causes through film” (Lunafest). The traveling festival highlights the talents of female filmmakers, and presents works with poignant, thought provoking themes.
This year’s festival contains nine films offering hope and opportunity for reflection, including Blank Canvas, by documentary filmmaker Sarah Berkovich. The film features Kim, who in the course of being treated for uterine cancer loses her hair. As she struggles to deal with her changing appearance, she makes the decision to use her head as a blank canvas for self-expression, which allows her to make a powerful statement while at the same time helping others who are struggling to cope with similar diagnoses.
Other films to be featured include Whakatiki – A Spirit Rising by Louise Leitch, and Flawed by Andrea Dorfman. Leitch’s film focuses on Kiri, a woman who reconnects with her true self during a trip to the Whakatiki River, while Dorfman’s animated film asks the question of whether or not a girl can accept herself, flaws and all.
One of the unique aspects of Lunafest is that the festival helps communities raise money for local nonprofits, while the proceeds of each event also benefit the Breast Cancer Fund, which is dedicated to eliminating the environmental causes of breast cancer. This year’s Boulder event will benefit the Greenhouse Scholars, a group that provides personal and financial support to high-performing, under-resourced college students. General admission tickets for the event cost $17.50, and student tickets cost $12.50. The event begins at 7:00 pm at the Boulder Theater, and doors open at 6:00 pm. You can purchase tickets online, or for more information, you can contact the event’s host, Clif Bar & Company, at ccooke@clifbar.com.
A second event of interest in October is Boulder’s first screening of The Invisible War, a documentary that exposes the pervasive and largely ignored epidemic of sexual assault occurring within the US military. The Women’s Wilderness Institute and Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA) are sponsoring this event, which will be held at the Boulder Public Library on Wednesday, October 17th at 6:30 pm. Tickets are available for $10 per person, or two for $15, and can be purchased through The Women’s Wilderness Institute web site.
All of the films being featured in Boulder this month shed light on significant issues facing girls and women today. By viewing and supporting these films, we can increase awareness of these important issues, and awareness is the first step toward positive change.
