By Elizabeth McEwen, Girls on the Run of Kent and Muskegon Counties

Did you know as recently as 2014, only about 20% of leads or co-leads in major movie entertainment were female?

There are 2.13 male directors for every 1 female. This is hugely problematic for our girls, as the stories they are seeing aren’t theirs. The narratives they are hearing aren’t theirs. We do a huge disservice to our girls by filling the airwaves with depictions that are not only absent of the female voice, but sometimes (and even more detrimentally) misrepresenting the female voice.

That’s where LUNAFEST comes in — this traveling film festival was started in 2000 by the makers of LUNA bars to help elevate women’s voices and our stories.

Join us in celebrating women behind the camera at LUNAFEST 2019. This traveling short film festival by, for, and about women is brought to you by LUNA to benefit Muskegon Girls on the Run on March 7th, and Kent County Girls on the Run on March 14th.

We’ll be holding a screening at 5:30pm on Thursday evening, March 7th, at The Block, 360 W. Western Ave, Muskegon, MI. On Thursday, March 14th at 5pm, we’re holding a screening at Wealthy Theater, 1130 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids, MI. Join us for food and drinks, friends and fun! 

Earlybird tickets are only $18, and include heavy appetizers! Go here to purchase tickets. Contact Elizabeth.mcewen@girlsontherun.org for more information. Download a pdf of the film lineup here.

LUNAFEST was the first all-women travelling film festival to hit the screens and amplify the voices of strong women everywhere. The first event was small, but hopeful, screening in California. Today, there are screenings in more than 175 cities across the nation where the work of talented women filmmakers are showcased.