Roll out the pink carpet: Breast Fest Film Festival to showcase inspiring
stories from around the world

TO VIEW AN HTML SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE ON BREAST FEST'S MUSICAL, INCLUDING VIDEO, PLEASE VISIT: WWW.SMRMEDIAROOM.CA/BREASTFESTMUSICAL

- November 19-21: www.breastfestfilmfest.com -

TORONTO, Nov. 1 /CNW/ - Breast Fest Film Festival, the world's only film festival dedicated to breast cancer is set to take the stage in Toronto with screenings of funny, moving, inspirational and educational films from across the globe.

Created by Rethink Breast Cancer, the third annual Breast Fest sets the scene for the breast cancer community and film lovers to connect, share stories and explore the art of living, with or beyond breast cancer. The festival showcases groundbreaking dramatic features, documentaries and shorts, plus workshops and panel discussions featuring high profile experts on key issues affecting the breast cancer community.

"This year's international film programme shines a light on the varied faces of breast cancer here at home and around the world," said Alison Gordon, Director, Breast Fest Film Festival and Vice President, Rethink Breast Cancer. "It is inspiring to witness how each person's culture impacts their journey."

The What's your Story: A Conversation workshop will focus on personal storytelling through film, print and photo through the perspective of three women from different disciplines; award winning Canadian documentary filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal, (Manufactured Landscapes, Act of God), author Ruth Rakoff and visual artist Sara Angelucci. The workshop is taking place on Saturday, November 20 at 10 a.m.

The Breast Fest 2010 programme features seven films from Germany, Sweden, Singapore, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Canada that explore breast cancer from witty, heartfelt and unexpected perspectives.

Breast Fest Film Festival 2010 Programme

Busting Out - Friday November 19 @ 8 p.m.

Breast Fest's opening night film explores the history and politics of America's obsession with the female breast and how attitudes affect health, happiness and the corporate bottom line. 

*This film will be followed by a cocktail party, details below.

I Want to Live Don't I - Saturday November 20 @ 11:30 a.m.

Kathrin, a young actress uses a video camera to keep an uncensored video diary of her breast cancer journey, so as not to overburden her friends and family.

Glowing Stars - Saturday November 20 @ 2 p.m.

Fourteen-year-old Jenna shares many of the same concerns as other young women her age, such as wondering when her breasts will finally grow and trying to figure out how to get the guy she has a crush on to notice her. However, Jenna has one worry that she doesn't share with her peers: her mother is dying of cancer.

Pink Paddlers - Saturday November 20 @ 5 p.m.

Ranging from a 65 year-old principal to a rebellious biker chick, meet the women who picked up their paddles to form Singapore's first breast cancer survivors dragonboat team.

Living Downstream - Sunday November 21 @ 10 a.m.

Based on the acclaimed book by ecologist and cancer survivor Dr. Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., Living Downstream is an eloquent and cinematic feature-length documentary. This poetic and character-driven film follows Sandra during one pivotal year as she travels across North America, working to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links.

Healing & Hope - Sunday November 21 @ 1 p.m.

Six breast cancer survivors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and their families share their experiences with the disease, conveying the urgency of early detection while breaking down local stereotypes, myths and taboos in a country where many women still feel that the disease cannot happen to them, and that it is always fatal.

April Bride - Sunday November 21 @ 3 p.m.

April Bride is the true story of Chie and her boyfriend Taro, and the love between them that sustained Chie through her battle with breast cancer.

Panel discussions will follow screenings of Glowing Stars, Living Downstream and Healing & Hope.

The annual luncheon Live. Laugh. Lunch! held on Saturday, November 20 at 12:30 p.m.is exclusive to women who have experienced breast cancer. It will feature guest speaker Ruth Rakoff, author, will read from "When My World Was Very Small. A Memoir of Family, Food, Cancer and my Couch."

Screenings begin Friday, November 19 and end the afternoon of Sunday, November 21.  All screenings take place at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Tickets are available online at www.breastfestfilmfest.com. A festival pass is available for $65 and includes the luncheon, workshop and all screenings. Opening night tickets are $25 and include the presentation of the Amazing Grace award for Best Short, the screening of US made Busting Out and access to the after party. Individual tickets to the luncheon, the workshop or regular screenings are available for $10.

Top sponsors of the Breast Fest Film Festival include Chatelaine, Citytv, Dundee Wealth, The Hive, Maple Pictures, NOW, Principle, Roche, Schick Quattro for Women and yellow tail.

Visit www.breastfestfilmfest.com for more information.

About Rethink Breast Cancer
Rethink Breast Cancer is a charity helping young people who are concerned about and affected by breast cancer through innovative breast cancer education, research and support programmes. Rethink is a national volunteer-driven registered charity with a bold, enterprising and entrepreneurial approach. We are thinking differently about how to beat breast cancer.

By taking a groundbreaking approach to all aspects of breast cancer - awareness, medical research, support, and fundraising - Rethink Breast Cancer is a new breed of breast cancer charity and plays an important role in expanding support for the cause.

For further information:

Kathleen McMenamin / Laura Arlabosse-Stewart
Paradigm Public Relations
416-203-2223
[email protected] / [email protected]