For the second consecutive year, two films have shared the top prize at the Middleburg Film Festival — and both come from women directors.
Chloé Zhao’s emotional drama “ Hamnet ” and Hikari’s moving crowd-pleaser “ Rental Family ” won the audience award at the Virginia-based festival, which marked its 13th edition this weekend. Orlando von Einsiedel’s “The Cycle of Love,” about the romantic journey of a Delhi street artist, took home the best documentary prize, while Kaouther Ben Hania’s emotionally charged “ The Voice of Hind Rajab ” won for international feature.
“Hamnet,” which screened Saturday night as the festival’s Centerpiece selection, continues to be a crowd favorite following its audience prizes at the Toronto and Mill Valley film festivals. “Rental Family” closed out