Lunafest East Bay: Festival of Short Films

El Cerrito, CA, LUNAFEST®, the fundraising film festival dedicated to promoting awareness about women’s issues, highlighting women filmmakers, and bringing women together in their communities for 14 years, returns for its eighth year to El Cerrito High School’s Performing Arts Center in El Cerrito, CA, on Saturday, March 21, 2015. Ticket prices range in price from $5 - $50 and can be purchased online here.

Jeanne Rizzo, RN, the inspiring President and CEO of the Breast Cancer Fund, Lunafest’s primary beneficiary, will give the welcome. Ms. Rizzo guided the Breast Cancer Fund to adopt its bold mission to work to prevent breast cancer by eliminating our exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation linked to the disease. Under her direction, the organization has become a national leader in translating the science linking breast cancer and environmental exposures into public education and advocacy campaigns that protect our health and reduce breast cancer risk.

After Ms. Rizzo’s welcome, guest filmmakers Emily Fraser and Katherine Gorringe will discuss in an on-stage interview the making of their Lunafest-selected film, Lady Parts, about a woman-owned auto repair shop in Redwood City.

The film showing will be preceded by a VIP reception at a local residence - just a few minutes walk from the theater - featuring a variety of exciting hors d’oevres created by celebrated caterer Sirona Skinner Nixon (formerly of Bay Wolf and Camino), local wines from Donkey & Goat Winery and Grey Fox Vineyards, and beers from Lagunitas Brewing Company and Trumer Pils.

A raffle will accompany the event, where several coveted prizes will be raffled off to raise additional funds for the beneficiary causes, including a GoPro HERO4 video camera and a Kindle Fire HDX.

All net proceeds from LUNAFEST will benefit the Breast Cancer Fund, El Cerrito High’s IT Academy and the El Cerrito Community Foundation. Since its inception, LUNAFEST has grown from a single annual event to a coast-to-coast force with more than 150 North American screenings each season. To date, 110 filmmakers have been featured, nearly $1.9 million dollars has been raised and thousands of attendees have come away moved, entertained and inspired.