All-Women Production Team Premiere STARDUST & MOONBEAMS at LA International Women's Film Festival

Female empowerment takes center stage in the L.A. International Women's Film Festival provocative short film, Stardust & Moonbeams, which celebrates its L.A. premiere on Saturday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. at LA Live Regal Cinemas.

Based on the novel, Stardust & Moonbeams (BZB Publishing), written by Madelyn Ritrosky, PhD, and Dena Huisman, PhD, the short is also produced and written by Ritrosky and touts an award-winning production team. The primarily all-women production team includes director Terri Farley-Teruel as well as ASC award-winning cinematographer and cinematic pioneer Nancy Schreiber. The film also pays homage and posthumously credits female composer Rosella Smeltzer, who was never credited for her lifetime achievements.

Set at the end of the Jazz Age, Stardust & Moonbeams tells a story of inspiration and female empowerment in the newly burgeoning sexual revolution.

Provoked by a photo exhibit of female nudes, the protagonist, Beth, is inspired to channel her creative spirit by focusing her photographic eye on her husband Will as the subject - the very antithesis of stereotypical nude artistry. Together, the couple plans an unconventional cocktail party exhibit to demonstrate their passion for sexual equality. As expected, the potentially scandalous images of male nudity taken by a female photographer turns the tables on cultural norms and strikes a shocking chord with the guests, leading to lively discussions that continue to resonate in today's society.

The production team includes award-winning director Terri Farley-Teruel, recipient of 13 film festival awards; cinematography by Nancy Schreiber, nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and the first female to win the ASC President's Award; producer and screenwriter Madelyn Ritrosky, who penned the script based her novel of the same name co-written by Dena Huisman. Kalynn Huffman Brower and Jo Throckmorton also serve as the film's producers. The film features songs from the era composed by composer Rosella Smeltzer, who is credited posthumously in honor of her lifelong dedication to composing music beginning in the 1930s. Stardust & Moonbeams is pleased to offer Rosella her first music credits as she was never published or credited in the male dominated field of composition.

The film stars model and actor Brad Meyer, as Beth's husband and photography subject, and Abby White as Beth.

Stardust & Moonbeams was shot entirely in Bloomington, Indiana at the Farmer House Museum, which features the works of local artists and is dedicated to the preservation and cultural memory of the area.

Stardust & Moonbeams also premieres at Fort Myers Film Festival in Florida on March 24.

About L.A. Women's International Film Festival - Celebrating the cinematic achievements of women from the around the world, The Los Angeles Women's International Film festival produced by Alliance of Women Filmmakers will take place March 22-25 at LA Live Regal Cinemas. Now in its 14th year, the festival serves as a platform for women filmmakers worldwide to share their unique stories and cultural experiences with Los Angeles' diverse audience. The 2018 festival will feature films from around the world including; Austria, Italy, India and Japan to name a few. The festival's programming also reflects Alliance of Women Filmmakers' mission to educate and inform audiences of social, political, and health issues impacting women globally.

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