Virginia Welcomes Back the Film Festival Season with Ramped-Up Editions of the Middleburg Film Festival and the Virginia Film Festival
As the fall season begins in North America and society gradually acclimates to returning to some sense of normalcy following the COVID-19 pandemic, film festival season has also returned after a hiatus during 2020. Following the prominent global film festivals that have already successfully taken place this year (Cannes, Venice, Telluride, and Toronto film festivals have all occurred in-person safely amid stricter health protocols than any of their previous editions), we now enter the time of year when smaller-scale regional film festivals take precedence in showcasing the film festival gems from the past year in cinema. Nestled in the foothills of Virginia are the two biggest film festivals the state has to offer - The Middleburg Film Festival and the Virginia Film Festival - both scheduled to take place during the middle-to-end of October, both programming some of 2021’s most critically celebrated films from across the globe.
Middleburg Film Festival, October 14th-17th:
“King Richard”. Warner Bros.
Returning to a fully in-person event this year will be the Middleburg Film Festival, taking place in the scenic town of Middleburg, Virginia. Between October 14th and 17th, the festival will exhibit over 30 of the season’s most anticipated films from the four corners of the world, along with several conversations and tributes to talent from many facets of the filmmaking industry, including actor/writer/director Kenneth Branagh, actress Dakota Johnson, and cinematographer Ari Wegner.
MFF will open on Thursday, October 14th with “King Richard”, the biographical film focusing on Richard Williams - the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena - during the early years of their athletic careers. Following its premiere at Telluride Film Festival where it played amazingly well for audiences, “King Richard” is already a major film in this season’s awards conversation, especially for Will Smith’s dynamic portrayal as Williams. Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical film “Belfast” will be the festival’s Centerpiece, and MFF will also recognize the director’s expansive career with a tribute on Saturday, October 16th. Paying homage to his upbringing during the tumultuous times of The Troubles in 1960’s Northern Ireland, “Belfast” is already receiving praise and recognition for being Branagh’s most personal and successful work, even winning the coveted TIFF Audience Award back in September. On Sunday, October 17th, Middleburg Film Festival will close with Kiwi auteur Jane Campion’s newest film “The Power of the Dog”. A twistedly suspenseful exercise in the Western genre adapted from a book of the same name, “The Power of the Dog” will likely play well for MFF audiences. The film has garnered rapturously successful screenings at the season’s largest film festivals (Campion was awarded the Best Director Prize at Venice Film Festival and the film was Second Runner Up for TIFF’s Audience Award).
Other high-profile films screening: “Spencer, The French Dispatch, Red Rocket, Cyrano, The Lost Daughter”.
Films to watch out for: “Bergman Island, A Hero, Drive My Car, Becoming Cousteau”.
For more information on the Middleburg Film Festival, visit their website at https://middleburgfilm.org
Virginia Film Festival, October 27th-31st:
“C’mon, C’mon”. A24.
The Virginia Film Festival, taking place in Charlottesville at its home the University of Virginia, celebrates 34 years of bringing some of the world’s greatest contemporary and classic cinema to audiences in Central Virginia. Following a drastically scaled-down version of the 2020 festival which operated by offering drive-in film screenings, this year’s edition VAFF returns to a more traditional form by screening 80+ films over five days, at locations across Charlottesville.
The Opening Night film on Wednesday, October 27th will be Wes Anderson’s highly-anticipated anthology film “The French Dispatch”, which focuses around a fictional American magazine publication operating in mid-20th century France. The film will undoubtedly excite die-hard fans of Anderson’s iconic visual and narrative style. “The Power of the Dog” will serve as VAFF’s centerpiece film, emphasizing the creative genius of director Jane Campion as one of the most prominent female filmmakers working today. The festival will close Sunday, October 31st with the newest film from writer/director Mike Mills, “C’mon C’mon”, an intimate and unlikely road film starring Joaquin Phoenix as an artist taking a cross country trip with his young nephew. Based on the film’s emotional trailer and stunning black and white cinematography shot by Robbie Ryan (“The Favourite, Marriage Story, Slow West”), “C’mon C’mon” seems to be a solid choice for Closing Night audiences after its positive screenings at both Telluride and New York Film Festival.
Other high-profile films screening: “Spencer, Parallel Mothers, Belfast, Passing, Last Night in Soho”.
Films to watch out for: “Beans, Mothering Sunday, FLEE, Hive, Aloners, Memoria”.
For more information on the Virginia Film Festival, visit their website at https://virginiafilmfestival.org
The Middleburg Film Festival and the Virginia Film Festival serve as prominent regional festivals for the Mid-Atlantic due to their emphasis on world cinema and films that will be definite awards contenders in 2021. Both of the festivals function as extraordinary platforms for cultural events and theatrical experiences in a pandemic-era world. Be sure to stay up-to-date with both festivals as they unfold during the busy month of October!