Lunafest Film Festival raises money for community partners
Members of a synchronized swim team for seniors describe the freedom of the water. Photo taken from http://www.lunafest.org
Lunafest, a film event featuring female filmmakers, took place on May 17 at Windmill Pointe Park.
“(The event was) to raise money for one of our community partners, Tiny Homes Detroit,” Liana Dabir, the Junior League of Detroit (JLD) Recruitment Chair, said.
According to Dabir, the Luna Bar Company selected the nine best short films from 1000 entries submitted by female filmmakers.
“Some are documentaries and others scripted, yet all show women’s varied and challenged life experiences,” Dabir said.
One of the films was made by an 18 year old girl living in a Syrian refugee camp, according to Dabir.
“She shows the life that young girls are leading in the camp,” Dabir said. “She manages to show the difficulties yet is able to remain optimistic about life.”
Daniel Kuhnlein ‘17 said the event could encourage diversity in the film industry.
“(The event could) welcome people of all backgrounds to make less mainstream films,” Kuhnlein said.
Kuhnlein believed Lunafest wanted to showcase the work of female filmmakers and to allow people to discover the characteristics of solely-female films.
Emma Bowe ‘20 thought the message Lunafest wanted to send was that women can do anything men can do.
It might inspire young girls to dream of things that they normally would not be allowed to do, and show them that they can do it,
— Bowe said.
According to Dabir, the event began with appetizers and a presentation about Tiny Homes Detroit, followed by the featured film.
“This event appeals to anyone with an interest in filmmaking (or) non profit/community impact projects,” Dabir said.
Bowe and Kuhnlein both believed Lunafest could inspire young girls to do what they set their minds to.
“It shows the strong message that we can do anything we (women) put our minds to,” Bowe said.
