Garth Davis’ feature directorial debut, Lion, won the Audience Award for Best Narrative at the Middleburg Film Festival. Meanwhile the Audience Award for Best Documentary went to The Eagle Huntress, which marked the first feature for helmer Otto Bell.
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.
The four-day festival wrapped today. Winners were chosen by audience ballot. Twenty-eight films from 17 countries were screened, including such notable features as La La Land, Loving and Moonlight. Susan Koch is executive director of the fest, which was founded by Sheila C. Johnson.
