As the Major Fall Film Festivals Wrap, the Oscar Race Goes Regional

The fall film festivals are not over. London is still underway and AFI FEST kicks off in Los Angeles on October 21. And Thursday night launched this year’s Middleburg Film Festival, a four-day fest set at BET co-founder Sheila Johnson’s posh Salamander resort in the rolling hills of Virginia outside of Washington, D.C., which has grown into a formidable regional film festival, alongside upcoming events like SCAD and Virginia. Baseball-capped “The Debut” auteur Jesse Eisenberg was on my flight from New York; I filled him in on the virtues of a small awards-focused film festival.

Fest director Susan Koch is landing more and more top Oscar contenders and talent every year, as well as Oscar pundits to cover them. For the lucky attendees from the greater D.C. area, with just about 45 new features are on view, almost everyone gets into the venues. This year, the sell-outs include Eisenberg’s Telluride breakout “The Debut” (A24), Sundance hit “Wicker” (Black Bear), and TIFF crowdpleaser “I Play Rocky” (Amazon/MGM). If the press and talent guests are a select few, there’s more access to the folks roaming the halls. Indeed, Eisenberg held court in the Salamander lobby before heading into the screening and Q&A.

On opening night, I dropped into two festival receptions being held indoors due to rain. Koch thanked Amazon/MGM production executive Scott Foundas for luring some “I Play Rocky” talent to the festival. Searchlight distribution chief Derval Whelan is accompanying two auteurs, Martin McDonagh (“Wild Horse Nine”) and Tony Gilroy (“Behemoth!”). THR’s David Canfield and The Ankler’s Katey Rich debated the likely final five in the international feature race (Rich is rooting for German longshot “Everytime”). Playing at the festival are the current frontrunners: Cannes prize-winners “Fatherland” and “Minotaur,” which may duke it out for the fifth slot, while Palme d’Or winner “Fjord,” director winner “La Bola Negra,” Cannes Actress-co-winner “All of a Sudden,” and Venice hit “Possible Love” are the likely top four.

Friday brings “The Invite” Oscar contender Seth Rogen In Conversation and the annual Women’s lunch; expected are Olivia Colman, who stars in both “Wicker” and “Elsinore,” and “The Debut” Best Actress frontrunner Julianne Moore — who popped out of an elevator Friday night looking dazzling and introduced herself to me as “Julie” — as well as actress Léa Seydoux and director Marie Kreutzer (Netflix‘s Cannes breakout “Gentle Monster”).

‘The Invite’A24

On Saturday, I will moderate a panel with Middleburg producer-advisors Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger (“Little Miss Sunshine”) and Bill Pullman, who plays the title role in Berlin director-winner “Everybody Digs Bill Evans” (Cohen Media). My colleague Marcus Jones will moderate a music panel, including Eisenberg and Daniel Pemberton who, along with “La Bola Negra” star Guitarricadelafuente, will also perform, plus Middleburg perennial, annual Oscar songwriter hopeful Diane Warren (17 Oscar nominations, no wins).

My great disappointment: at one point, I was going to do an interview in the Stallion Barn (the community is particularly horse-obsessed). That would have been a first.