The Debut to Open Middleburg Film Festival
Jesse Eisenberg's musical comedy-drama The Debut will open the Middleburg Film Festival this October.
The festival, which runs Oct. 15-18, has set Eisenberg's film as its opening night screening, with star Julianne Moore to take part in a Q&A afterwards, according to Variety. Moore plays Mona Friedman, a housewife who lands a small part in a community theatre production. Paul Giamatti co-stars.
The choice gives The Debut a busy autumn. It is due to debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, according to Deadline, before making its United Kingdom premiere at London's Southbank Centre. That London screening will close the 70th BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 18, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Middleburg's centrepiece film will be I Play Rocky, directed by Peter Farrelly. It stars Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone as he struggles to get his screenplay for Rocky made.
Awards will run through the four days. Léa Seydoux will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award for Gentle Monster. Jordan Firstman will receive the Breakthrough Filmmaker Award for Club Kid.
Composer Daniel Pemberton will receive the Distinguished Composer Award for his work on Project Hail Mary and Ink. Jack O'Connell will receive the Spotlight Actor Award for his performance in Ink.
Olivia Colman will attend with two films, Elsinore and Wicker, and take part in Q&As for both. Nadia Stacey will receive the Distinguished Makeup & Hair Design Award for Elsinore. Ellen Mirojnick, Ruth de Jong and Jennifer Lame, the crafts team behind The Odyssey — costume design, production design and editing — are set to receive the Variety Creative Collaborators award.
Variety's Jazz Tangcay and Clayton Davis will host the festival's Coffee and Contenders conversation.
What makes this stand out is the density. An opener, a centrepiece and a full awards slate are packed into four days. For audiences, it means red carpets, Q&As and craft honours side by side in one small Virginia town.
