by Tim Gordon
The Middleburg Film Festival has become a reliable bellwether for awards season. Each fall, the Virginia festival draws a carefully curated mix of prestige pictures, international gems, and intimate discoveries. Over the past decade, Middleburg has screened eventual Oscar contenders like Spotlight, Moonlight, Green Book, The Favourite, and The Power of the Dog. That track record ensures that the films debuting or spotlighted here are not just festival favorites but potential awards heavyweights.
This year’s slate is no different. From high-profile documentaries to politically charged dramas, lyrical international works, and music-infused stories, Middleburg 2025 is packed with films that could shape the narrative as the season unfolds.
Here are our 14 most anticipated films, grouped by the roles they may play on the awards stage.
Mr. Scorsese
A documentary portrait of Martin Scorsese isn’t just cinephile catnip. It’s a contender for the Best Documentary Feature race. With unprecedented access and a reflective Scorsese looking back at his extraordinary career, this film will likely be one of Middleburg’s most talked-about screenings.
Diane Warren: Relentless
Warren, a perennial nominee with 15 Oscar nods (and one honorary Oscar), finally gets the documentary treatment. If well-received, it could join Searching for Sugar Man and 20 Feet from Stardom as a music doc that plays well with voters.
No Other Choice
A tense political thriller exploring impossible decisions, moral accountability, and justice. With shades of Official Secrets and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, this drama could find traction in screenplay or acting categories if the performances land.
Nuremberg
Historical dramas always hold sway with awards voters, and Nuremberg revisits one of the 20th century’s most important trials. With its mix of archival and dramatized storytelling, it could emerge as a major player in both narrative and documentary spaces.
Global Voices That Could Break Through
International films have been dominating the Best International Feature category (and beyond) in recent years. This quartet could be Middleburg’s key contribution to that conversation.
La Grazia
An Italian tale of faith and loss that feels tailor-made for international feature recognition. If the cinematography and emotional pull connect, it could mirror the path of past European festival breakouts.
The Bend in the River
A sweeping African family saga with emotional and visual scale. With the Academy’s growing embrace of African cinema (The Woman King, Atlantics), this could capture attention well beyond the festival.
Bugonia
A daring South Korean allegory, brimming with satire and surreal imagery. Given the Academy’s openness post-Parasite to edgier global entries, Bugonia could be this year’s “dark horse” international contender.
Is This Thing On?
Hybrid cinema that blurs documentary, narrative, and performance. The Academy has warmed to experimental work (Flee, Honeyland), so if it connects, it could be one of the year’s most innovative awards players.
Music, Icons & Documentary Firepower
Docs about legendary artists and intimate musical journeys often play strongly with both audiences and voters.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Springsteen revisiting Nebraska? That alone guarantees attention. Expect strong play in the Documentary Feature race and a passionate fanbase to push it further.
Left-Handed Girl
A quieter narrative about identity and music. While it may not scream awards contender, a strong critical response could make it a festival sleeper. Sometimes the Academy embraces smaller, personal films in the Indie Spirit or arthouse lane.
Mr. Scorsese
Worth noting again here. Beyond documentary play, Scorsese’s cultural footprint could make this film more than just a contender. It could be an event.
The Hidden Gems (and Possible Sleeper Contenders)
Middleburg has always been a place where smaller films earn the kind of buzz that carries them into later-season critics’ prizes. These titles may not look like obvious contenders now, but they could become word-of-mouth favorites.
Jay Kelly
An intimate character-driven debut. While it may not be an Oscar frontrunner, it could launch a filmmaker’s career and pick up momentum in indie awards circles.
It Was Just an Accident
A comedy of errors with bite. Comedies face uphill awards battles, but a sharp script could earn screenplay mentions down the road.
Rental Family
A fascinating premise rooted in Japan’s rental real estate industry. Quirky but profound, it could be the kind of international indie that sneaks into critics’ circles later in the year.
Sentimental Value
A quiet, tender meditation on memory and loss. The Academy’s documentary and indie branches have increasingly embraced personal, understated work, making this a possible dark horse if reception is strong.
Final Take
Middleburg isn’t just another stop on the festival circuit. It’s a crucial marker for what’s coming next. The films on this year’s slate reflect cinema at its most varied and vibrant: political dramas, lyrical international films, music-driven stories, and portraits of icons. More importantly, many of them will enter the awards race with momentum from Middleburg, carrying the festival’s imprimatur of quality as they head toward year’s end.
This year’s 14 most anticipated films remind us why Middleburg has become an indispensable fall festival. It’s where award contenders are tested, hidden gems are discovered, and audiences are reminded of the power of cinema to shape the cultural conversation.