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LION and THE EAGLE HUNTRESS Take Top Prizes

Middleburg, VA – Middleburg Film Festival announced today the 2016 Audience Award winners, concluding the four-day festival. This year’s Audience Award for Best Narrative went to LION, Garth Davis’ feature film directorial debut. This year’s Audience Award for Best Documentary went to THE EAGLE HUNTRESS, from first-time feature filmmaker Otto Bell. With 28 films from 17 countries, the festival featured Oscar contenders, critically acclaimed foreign language films and compelling documentaries.

“We want to congratulate our audience award winners, LION and THE EAGLE HUNTRESS,” said Middleburg Film Festival Executive Director Susan Koch. “A record number of attendees turned out for this year’s Middleburg Film Festival- and the response to our entire slate of films has been tremendous. We were delighted to be able to present so many inspiring, important and ground-breaking films from LION to LA LA LAND, LOVING, and MOONLIGHT. We have no doubt that many of the films screened here in Middleburg will be receiving Oscar nominations.”

“We are grateful to all of our sponsors, distributors, filmmakers, special guests and the local Middleburg community for their dedication to the festival,” said Middleburg Film Festival Founder Sheila C. Johnson. “With their support, we were able to share many of the year’s best films and thought-provoking conversations with festival audiences.”

LION follows a 5-year-old Indian boy who is separated from his brother and finds himself lost on a train headed thousands of miles away from home. Homeless in an unfamiliar place, he is eventually placed in an orphanage and adopted by a loving Tasmanian couple. Twenty-five years later and determined to uncover his identity, he begins a journey to find his first home in India. Film subject and author Saroo Brierley, actress Priyanka Bose, and producer Angie Fielder were in attendance following the Opening Night screening.

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS tells the story of Aisholpan, a 13-year-old Mongolian girl who comes from a long line of Kazakh golden eagle hunters. Aisholpan’s skill and strength helped her become the first female to compete at the Golden Eagle Festival and win. Aisholpan, her father Nurgaiv Rys, and director Otto Bell joined filmgoers for a conversation following the screening on Sunday.

Winners were chosen by audience ballot.

Please visit Middleburg Film Festival Website for more info on the festival.