Buffalo film: Five-day event puts focus on women directors

By Gabrielle Dubreville 
(Image above from YAPs, directed by Miriam Gordon-Stewart)

When the Valkyrie International Film Festival returns to Buffalo from Aug. 7-11 for its fourth year, the Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center will transform into a vibrant showcase of 61 all-female-directed films. 

This year’s event proves that when women are given the spotlight, they don’t just participate—they soar.

The festival is a labor of love for co-founders Tamar Lamberson and her daughter, Kaelin, who curated the entire lineup.

The vision for Valkyrie was born from Tamar’s observations while attending other festivals where her husband, Greg Lamberson’s, films were screened. She noticed a persistent pattern: most directors were men, and women behind the scenes were often relegated to producer roles. 

“We wanted to change that and give these talented directors an opportunity to shine,” Tamar explains. When she approached Kaelin with the idea, her daughter provided the perfect name, envisioning a “Valkyrie” as the embodiment of a strong woman.

Since its 2023 launch, the festival has grown significantly in local representation. Of this year’s 61 selections, 25 were directed by Western New York artists. 

Beyond local talent, the festival is embracing international diversity. This year features a significant Spanish-language presence, with various films from Puerto Rico, one from Mexico, and one from Spain. 

“Seeing that one-sixth of our films are in Spanish and that more than one-sixth were directed by Latinas and Hispanic women (including films in English) thrills me,” Kaelin said, noting that she enjoys the opportunity to further familiarize herself with the language and learn new words.

The diversity extends to the themes explored on screen. This year’s lineup centers on family dynamics, growing up, the nuances of relationships and powerful true stories.

SOME OF THE FILMS THAT WILL BE SCREENING:

Films like “Georgina,” directed by Ana Marazzi; “exception(al)”, directed by Michelle Bossy; “Miriam,” directed by Karla Condado; “My Long Covid Story,” directed by Sabrina Peña Young; and YAPs, directed by Miriam Gordon-Stewart, are expected to spark deep, emotionally impactful conversations. 

In Western New York specifically, the subjects range from the serious to the light-hearted, covering everything from trauma, same-sex romances, grief and autoimmune diseases to aliens, insects, cats and French opera. 

“The locals bring it all!” Kaelin said. “I think that the audiences might not expect such a variety regarding tone.”

Valkyrie is more than just a screening series; it is a catalyst for community. Tamar has seen the festival inspire women to direct for the first time and foster collaborations between local artists. 

She said, “We’ve inspired women to direct their first films, which we’ve screened. Furthermore, we’ve inspired filmmakers to create female-centered film festivals in other states. Many local filmmakers have collaborated with each other after meeting at our festival … First-time directors often sought out and received help from directors they met at our festival.”

A highlight of this year’s schedule is the Puerto Rico block on Sunday at 4 p.m., featuring a visiting director for a post-film Q&A. These sessions are often the audience’s favorite part, providing a rare window into the filmmakers’ inspirations and the driving force behind their stories.

First-time attendees can expect a welcoming, safe space where independent voices are celebrated. 

Tamar said, “It’s a safe space for women to share their impactful stories with like-minded people. Most of our audience members are women. It’s a different feeling watching a film with a female audience.”

Kaelin describes the festival: “Valkyrie International Film Festival shows films directed by fierce, independent, and outspoken women who notice, document and share nuanced themes that are pushed into the shadows by mainstream media for not fitting into boxes of restrictive conventionality and plain palatability. If you consider yourself a feminist and/or a cinephile, and enjoy discussing emotionally-saturated art, you won’t want to miss our film festival.

“All women directors are Valkyries, and we want to see them fly!”

RELATED MEDIA: The festival promo video.

As women are often overlooked in male-dominated fields, this festival is designed to celebrate and shine a bright light on them. Kaelin said, “Our mission is to advance the cause of women in film. We are so proud to have inspired so many women to make their first films, and we hope to continue to do so.”

These two co-founders select the films to be screened in this festival. Kaelin explains, “My mother and I watch and rate movies that filmmakers submit to us via FilmFreeway. We then decide who to accept, nominate and give awards to as a team.” 

The hope for this year’s festival is even more collaboration. Tamar said: “We hope to inspire filmmakers to direct their first films or to collaborate with the filmmakers they meet at our festival. We hope attendees see as many of the filmmaker Q&As as they can. It’s an opportunity for them to learn what inspired the film and why the filmmakers felt so strongly about telling their story.” 

Ticket options for the Valkyrie International Film Festival range from $15 for a single block purchased at the door, to $25 or $30 for day passes depending on the date, with a $75 Pegasus Pass providing access to all five days of the event.

HERE is the full festival schedule. You can also check out film posters and trailers.