Cancer Support Community hosting first-ever Film Festival

This first-ever film festival charity gala will be an elegant and inspiring evening of courage, resilience, and hope. Broadcast live online on Saturday, September 18, it will present three original short films on the theme of cancer and community. Viewers will be able to vote for their favorite film, donate to Cancer Support Community (CSC), participate in an online auction, hear inspiring stories from CSC members. Local oncology nurses will be honored with the Spirit of Healing Award for their tireless work and dedication to cancer patients in our community.

erika bryant, author of the recently released Doing It Scared and a seasoned executive producer who’s worked on shows like OWN’s Family or Fiancé and Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta, will serve as the event’s emcee. “I have so much respect for what CSC is doing,” bryant said. “My family was hit by cancer in the last few years. You never expect it, but when it happens, I’m glad CSC is there for people. I’m grateful I have a way to give back through this event.”

To select the three winning films to be shown during the event, CSC has assembled an illustrious judging panel of film makers, producers, and industry executives with two Academy Awards and an Emmy among their many accomplishments. The five judges are

Lyn Sisson-Talbert: One of the most accomplished female producers in Hollywood and the guiding force behind original projects for film, stage, and books. She recently produced Netflix's first original live-action musical, Jingle Jangle.

Eric Ellenbogen: CEO of WildBrain and previously a senior executive with NBCUniversal, DreamWorks, and Marvel.

Perri Peltz: An Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, journalist, director, and producer. Known for some of HBO’s most impactful documentaries, including Warning: This Drug May Kill You, Alternate Endings, and Risky Drinking. She is currently the Director and Co-Producer of Axios on HBO, which she created with Matthew O’Neill, and host of The Perri Peltz Show on SiriusXM.

Josh Cooley: An Academy Award winning film director, writer, storyboard artist, and voice actor. After 17 years at Pixar Animation Studios, he is now writing and directing animated and live action films for Disney, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Universal Studios.

Jeffrey Friedman: Producer and director known for The Celluloid Closet, Howl (starring James Franco), Lovelace (starring Amanda Seyfried), Paragraph 175, Academy Award winner Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, Oscar nominee End Game, and 2021 Grammy winner Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice.

“Cancer Support Community is so grateful that these leading media figures are donating their time and talent to make sure our free programs can continue to support cancer patients and their families,” said Cancer Support Community’s CEO, Rob Tufel.

We invite you, your friends, and family to register for free to watch the show online from the comfort of your home.

About Cancer Support Community San Francisco Bay Area:

For more than 30 years in the East Bay, Cancer Support Community has provided comprehensive, integrative care—including counseling, support groups, nutrition training, exercise classes, and patient education programs—for people with cancer, their caregivers, and their families. Our evidence-based services enable cancer patients to partner with their medical teams to manage their treatment and recovery most effectively, increase their chances for survival, reduce their chances of recurrence, and provide for the highest possible quality of life. We never turn anyone away, and all of our services are always provided free of charge. With services provided at our Walnut Creek center, in local medical centers throughout the Bay Area, and in Antioch, we serve more than 2,000 people annually.