VIFF showcases films directed by women of all backgrounds. We chose "Valkyrie International Film Festival" as our name because the Valkyries of Norse mythology were fierce warriors who symbolized strength and empowerment. We view every female director as a Valkyrie, and every woman as a Valkyrie; a force to be reckoned with that refuses to be silenced.
Our mission is to build an annual gathering that shines a spotlight on films created by women, and to advance the cause of women in film. VIFF is an event where female artists will support each other's work. We'll present awards but don't view our festival as a competition.
VIFF seeks impactful films in all genres. If a woman directed it, we want to see it! VIFF will screen narrative, documentary, and experimental shorts and features. The only requirement is that every film selected for screening must have been directed by a woman (any co-directors must also be female).
All submissions must be made through FilmFreeway. Films completed from 2019 to the present are eligible.
We have no premiere status requirements because we want to show the best films available, as long as they aren't available online. We do not grant waivers.
VIFF was founded by Tamar Lamberson and her daughter, Kaelin Lamberson, and is scheduled to run during Women's History Month (March) each year.
Tamar Lamberson has produced three internationally distributed feature films (Johnny Gruesome, Widow's Point and Guns of Eden). She has extensive experience dealing with the New York State Film Production Tax Credit and has assisted the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival for almost a decade. Raised in New York City, she's a strong Latina with a vision for supporting women in the film industry.
Kaelin Lamberson is a seventeen-year-old feminist born in Buffalo and raised on film sets; she acted opposite Craig Sheffer in the feature film Widow’s Point. Kaelin has a passion for singing, a penchant for reading, a zest for learning (she consistently makes the high honor roll), an eagerness to write, and enjoys helping others. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Addison's disease, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, she lets nothing stand in her way.
