Tickets are now available online for Lunafest® 2017, a festival of short films by, for and about women, presented by Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley. This year’s Lunafest offers a series of nine short films on Thursday, May 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Canyon Theater Guild, 24242 Main Street in Newhall.

“These films will compel discussion, make you laugh, tug at your heartstrings and motivate you to make a difference in your community,” commented event co-chair Sue Hayward. “They are incredibly diverse in style and content.”

The showings include: Another Kind of Girl, following the life of a 17-year-old girl who meditates on how her refugee camp has opened up new horizons and given her a sense of courage that she lacked in Syria; Family Tale, redefining the meaning of family through love, loss and determination; Free to Laugh, a documentary that explores the power of comedy after prison; Join the Club, which deals with a writer’s dilemma of whether or not to join a networking club, as the issue unfolds during one therapy session; Ninera, a story that looks at the bitter irony many nannies face: raising the children of strangers for a living while their own children are virtually left to raise themselves.

Also, Nikosi Coiffure, in which a women escapes into a hair salon in Brussels after a fight with her boyfriend in the street; Partners, professional and life partners who confront how intertwined their lives have become; The Honeys and the Bears, members of a synchronized swim team for seniors describe the freedom of the water; and The Third Dad, ten years after breaking all ties with her father, a daughter sets out to find his grave – and redemption.

For $10, guests will be able to purchase one of a limited 300 tickets for an opportunity drawing that will be held at the event (winners do not need to be present to win). Committee members are still assembling a list of valuable prizes for the drawing, but already have completed 13 baskets, some worth over $500. Raffle tickets are $10 each or three for $25 and can be purchased online or from individual committee members.

This will be the seventh time that the local Zonta Club has been a Lunafest host, and the number of guests increases each year as word spreads throughout the community, according to event co-chair Barbara Meyer. In addition to supporting Zonta’s local and international service projects, Lunafest has raised more than $1.2 million for the Breast Cancer Fund, the event’s main beneficiary, and for other women’s non-profit organizations.

Lunafest is a nationwide film festival which features short films by, for, and about women. It was conceived by the creator of LUNA Bar, Kit Crawford. Kit was diagnosed with breast cancer and throughout her fight appreciated enormously the support she received from the Breast Cancer Fund. Now a proud survivor in the fight against breast cancer, she wanted to give back to the Breast Cancer Fund while highlighting women’s issues and celebrating their strength.

Lunafest, established in 2000 by LUNA, makers of the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, connects women, their stories and causes through film. A portion of the proceeds from these films help support The Breast Cancer Fund, which is dedicated to eliminating the environmental causes of breast cancer affecting one in eight women. The remaining proceeds from this event are used to support Zonta Club’s programs and projects to improve the lives of women locally and on an international level.

Admission of $45 includes the film screening, pre-screening patio reception with appetizers and one glass of wine, and movie-type snacks. Guests also will receive a swag bag loaded with gifts from local merchants and service providers.

Guests can purchase electronic tickets and raffle tickets for this year’s event, available at www.scvzonta.org by clicking on Events, and then Lunafest. Tickets and raffle tickets can also be purchased in person from Zonta Lunafest Committee members.