Middleburg FF 2024 Female Focus Wrap – Leslie Combemale reports
The Middleburg Film Festival is one fest that has leaned into its support for female filmmakers from its inception 12 years ago. It has always not only premiered and featured a wide variety of female-helmed documentaries and narrative features from all over the world, it has also made sure to invite those filmmakers to the fest for panels and Q&As, so that fans, film lovers, and press can learn what inspired them and their unique process for their projects.
2024 is no different in terms of highlighting female filmmakers and craftspeople, although this year there were more filmmakers and below the line artists in residence than ever before.
There were some great documentaries shown, and it was great meeting and hearing from those involved. Director Shiori Itō was there with the critically acclaimed documentary Black Box Diaries, which followed her experience of holding the powerful political journalist who assaulted her accountable. Director B Monet and Comcast Chief Diversity Officer Loren Hudson presented Black Girls, about intergenerational healing and advocacy among Black women. The filmmakers behind Porcelain War, about continuing artistic work after the invasion of Ukraine, spoke about their challenges represented in their film.
Narrative work was celebrated as well, with some of the most talked about films of the year featured. Gia Coppola talked about The Last Showgirl, Marielle Heller discussed her highly anticipated Amy Adams starrer Nightbitch, and Sandhya Suri chatted about her true story-based narrative Santosh, about a young widow who takes over her husband’s job as police officer in India. Songwriters Taura Stinson (Blitz), Diane Warren (The Six Triple Eight) and Camille Dalmais (Emilia Pérez) were on hand to talk about their newest projects, with Dalmais being honored with a Special Achievement in Music Award for her work in Emila Perez.
As always, there were a number of female honorees this year. The Spotlight Actor Award went to Zoe Saldaña for Emila Perez. The Breakthrough Actor Award went to Danielle Deadwyler, who is getting Oscar buzz for her work in The Piano Lesson. The Agnes Varda Trailblazing Film Artist Award went to Isabella Rossellini, who will be seen next in Conclave (which won the fest’s Audience Award). She, in particular, was in high form during the panel about her life and career, talking about not only her roles but also using her expertise as an animal behavior for her film series Green Porno, and work at her farm in New York, where she raises a wide variety of animals. British Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce was honored with the Film Diplomacy Award, and Nigerian filmmaker Bolanie Austen Peters spoke about her film Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, known as the all time highest grossing biopic in West Africa, at a special panel of African filmmakers.
Many of these powerful female filmmakers were present at the Women in Film luncheon, which has become a mainstay of the fest very much looked forward to by the many film professionals taking part in the fest, including all members of the AWFJ, who are always welcomed by the fest organizers.
One of the best aspects of the Middleburg Film Festival is the fact that in bringing so many films showing potential for Oscar nominations, it amplifies all movies represented. This has a very positive and significant impact on female filmmakers and their success, as well as their consideration for future projects
