Cinephiles will flock to Middleburg for the Middleburg Film Festival, an annual four-day event that presents a curated selection of new films and conversations with some of the most prominent voices in the movie industry. Now in its 11th year, the festival runs from October 19 to 22.
The festival includes screenings of documentaries and narrative films, encompassing many genres. Viewers will get to see Oscar contenders before they hit theaters, plus independent and foreign films they might never see otherwise.
Susan Koch, the festival’s executive director, says the organizers work hard to choose films that are high-quality, thought-provoking, and will “help expand our understanding of the world and of each other” through post-viewing discussions.
The 2022 festival featured 45 films, including the Academy Award for best picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Whale, plus a conversation with the Academy Award for best actor winner Brendan Fraser.
Attendees of the 2023 festival can look forward to an event honoring American composer Michael Giacchino, who won an Oscar for his work in Up. The Loudoun Symphony Orchestra will perform.
Screenings this year include May December, starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, Maestro, directed by Bradley Cooper, and The Zone of Interest, which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
Middleburg is the perfect backdrop for this scene. “It’s charming, it’s hospitable, it’s beautiful, and it’s accessible,” Koch says, emphasizing its convenient proximity to Dulles International Airport and DC.
The event was founded by prominent business owner Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts. Johnson is a longtime Middleburg resident who saw potential for the town — which does not have a permanent movie theater — to thrive as the host of a film festival.
Events are spread throughout town, with screenings at the Salamander Resort, the Hill School, the Middleburg Community Center, and the National Sporting Library & Museum. Other events, such as concerts and wine tastings, give visitors the opportunity to explore the community.
While many of the multi-day passes are sold out, the Backstage All-Access Pass is still available for $3,000, and individual screening tickets are on sale now for $18.
Feature image of ‘Nanny’ star Anna Diop with moderator John Horn at 2022 festival by Shannon Finney
This story originally ran in our October issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
