Bringing Film Festival Success to the Classroom
“Valley of Exile,” Anna Fahr’s first full-length narrative film, is currently making waves on the festival circuit, earning critical acclaim and awards. While navigating the demands of an international film release, Fahr also balances her role as a full-time assistant professor in the new Digital Media and Film program, where she brings her extensive industry experience to the classroom.
A powerful narrative about two sisters fleeing the Syrian war, “Valley of Exile” weaves themes of migration, identity, and survival. It’s been screened at over 20 festivals across six continents, including a prestigious Jury Award at California’s Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival. Most meaningful for Fahr, though, is the Best Director award she took home from the Canadian Film Fest.
Born in Ottawa, Fahr earned her BFA at Concordia University and later completed her master’s in film and Middle Eastern studies at New York University. Fahr began filming “Valley of Exile” in 2021 when she was living in Lebanon. She previously taught filmmaking at the Lebanese American University in Beirut from 2012-2015. As the daughter of Iranian immigrants, Fahr has long been interested in telling stories about immigrant experiences.
From her home base at St. Lawrence, Fahr shares not only critical and theoretical knowledge of film, but real-world insights based on her years of experience navigating the industry. Founder of the Toronto-based production company Morning Bird Pictures, Fahr also talks with students about budgets, financing, grant writing, and navigating festival circuits.
Fahr is passionate about fostering creativity and encouraging students to tell the stories that matter most to them. Her approach has resulted in some remarkable work from the budding filmmakers in her classes. Last semester, one of Fahr’s students created a documentary about gun violence, focusing on two survivors of the Sandy Hook shooting in her hometown of Newtown, Connecticut.
“She put together an incredibly impactful film on this issue with news clips and first-person accounts from the survivors themselves. She was able to draw on her lived experience of being from Newtown and growing up with these young women,” Fahr recalls.
Fahr also seizes opportunities to hire new talent. Her line producer and two assistant directors on “Valley of Exile” were first-timers and her former students. Both sisters in the film were played by first-time actors who are actually Syrian refugees.
“We managed to create this film as a team of people who were all taking a leap of faith together, and now we’re seeing such a beautiful response,” Fahr says. “It’s very gratifying and it’s also something I can use in the classroom. I can tell my students that when there’s a will, there’s a way, but it takes dedication. You have to believe in yourself and in your team and build those relationships to bring your idea to fruition.”
