Lunafest 2023

Welcome to the 2023 LUNAFEST® lineup, a program of short films that empower and inspire. LUNAFEST believes that sharing diverse perspectives can spark conversation, connection, and change. This year’s stories are told from a variety of perspectives that champion women and gender nonconforming individuals, highlighting their aspirations, accomplishments, resilience, and strength. Join us.

The 2023 season of LUNAFEST® features seven short films with a total running time of 95 minutes.

We’re proud to amplify the inspiring short films by this year’s selection of women and gender nonconforming directors. Our featured filmmakers are from all walks of life and range from poets to conservationists, activists, and educators. These stories remind us that when we come together, we all move forward.

Reclaim Your Water: Natasha Smith (5:00) As a member of the Ebony Beach Club, Natasha Smith surfs, skates, and makes her own waves. Filmmaker: Faith E. Briggs (Portland, OR)

Miss Chelove: From Java to the Streets of D.C. (15:00) As she paints a mural, artist Cita Sadeli aka MISS CHELOVE opens up about her life, her cultural heritage, and how she fell in love with graffiti in the 1980s. Filmmaker: Sara T. Gama (Reston, VA)

Pete (7:00) The true story of Pete Barma explores gender identity, Little League Baseball, the people who inspire change by being themselves, and the superheroes who champion that change. Filmmakers: Bret Parker and Pete Barma (San Francisco, CA)

This is Beth (17:15) As celebrated rock climber Beth Rodden grapples with her body image, she rediscovers the love of her sport…and herself. Filmmaker: Jen Randall (Squamish, British Columbia)

More Than I Want to Remember (14:30) After her southeastern Congo village is bombed, 14-year-old Mugeni sets out on a remarkable solo journey across the globe, determined to reunite with her lost loved ones and lift up the Banyamulenge people. Filmmaker: Amy Bench (Austin, TX)

The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night (11:00) All cards are on the table when Noor, a queer Pakistani Muslim woman, brings her Puerto Rican girlfriend, Luz, home for the first time on the family’s annual game night. Filmmakers: Fawzia Mirza and Kausar Mohammed (Glendale, CA)

Swimming Through (15:30) Amid a brutal Chicago winter and the global pandemic, Deirdre, Helen, and Jennefer’s friendship grows as they commit to a daily sunrise plunge together in Lake Michigan. Filmmaker: Samantha Sanders (Chicago, IL)

Learn more about our films and filmmakers at lunafest.org/filmmakers.

This is a rental of The Loft Cinema, presented by the Women’s Studies Advocacy Council at the University of Arizona’s Department of Women and Gender Studies.