It’s become one of the biggest predictors of Oscar nominees for nearly a decade now.
The ninth annual聽 returns to Middleburg, Virginia from Oct. 14-17.
This year’s festival returns to an in-person format after last year’s hybrid experience.
The lineup kicks off with “King Richard,” directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (鈥淢onsters and Men鈥�). It stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena Williams.
Friday’s spotlight film is “Red Rocket,” written and directed by Sean Baker (鈥淭he Florida Project”). The dark comedy stars Simon Rex in a magnetic performance as Mikey Saber, a hustler who returns to his small Texas hometown after a failed adult film career in L.A.
Friday’s international spotlight film is聽“The Hand of God,” directed by Oscar winner Paolo Sorrentino (“The Great Beauty”). The autobiographical film follows a young man coming of age in 1980s Naples where family, soccer, cinema, love and loss dominate his thoughts.
Saturday’s centerpiece is Kenneth Branagh’s 鈥淏别濒蹿补蝉迟,” which just won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. The crowd-pleasing, coming-of-age story follows a聽boy鈥檚 childhood during the tumultuous 1960s in Ireland.
The festival closes on Sunday with “The Power of the Dog,” directed by聽Jane Campion (鈥淭he Piano”). Based on the 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, the film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as a charismatic rancher who inspires and terrifies those around him.
This year’s documentary spotlight is “Flee,” directed by聽Jonas Poher Rasmussen. It chronicles Amin Nawabi, who confronts a painful secret kept for 20 years by recounting his childhood journey of fleeing Afghanistan with the help of smugglers to settle in Denmark.
In addition to the films, the festival will presents its annual filmmaker awards to Kenneth Branagh (鈥淏elfast鈥�),聽Paolo Sorrentino (鈥淭he Hand of God鈥�), Ann Dowd (鈥淢ass鈥�),聽Dakota Johnson (鈥淭he Lost Daughter鈥�), the ensemble cast of “Red Rocket,”聽cinematographer Ari Wegner (鈥淭he Power of the Dog鈥�) and composer聽Charles Fox (“9 to 5”).
The festival will also feature a special panel discussion with women film composers and songwriters, including Kathryn Bostic, Amie Doherty, Lesley Barber and Diane Warren, as well as a conversation with hair-and-makeup artist Donald Mowat (鈥淒une鈥�).
The Middleburg Film Festival will require attendees to be fully vaccinated and present proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours. Masks are required indoors.
