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Middleburg Film Festival picks 'Being Heumann' to close 14th edition, names 2026 honorees

The 14th Middleburg Film Festival (Oct. 15-18) will close with Siân Heder's "Being Heumann" and honor Martin McDonagh, Brad Bird, Seth Rogen, Rosalind Eleazar and others.

2 outlets · 2L · 0C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: IndieWire
Image: Variety

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The story, neutrally told

The Middleburg Film Festival announced that Siân Heder's Apple Original Film "Being Heumann" will close its 14th edition, which runs Oct. 15-18. IndieWire describes the film as the true story of disability rights activist Judy Heumann and the 1977 Section 504 protest, starring Ruth Madeley, Mark Ruffalo, Madeline Delp and Dylan O'Brien; it is Heder's follow-up to Best Picture winner "CODA". Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi's "La Bola Negra" and Tony Gilroy's "Behemoth!" get Spotlight screenings; the festival opens with Jesse Eisenberg's "The Debut", and IndieWire adds that the centerpiece is "I Play Rocky".

Honorees include Martin McDonagh (Director Spotlight Award for "Wild Horse Nine"), Brad Bird (Spotlight Animation Award for "Ray Gunn"), Seth Rogen (MFF Artistic Achievement Award), Rosalind Eleazar (Breakthrough Actor Award for "Misty Green"), and Guitarricadelafuente (International Spotlight Award). Casting directors Adam Caldwell and Bernard Telsey will receive the Special Achievement in Casting Award; IndieWire says composer Daniel Pemberton will receive the Distinguished Composer Award at the Composers & Songwriters panel. Other guests include "Toy Story 5" production designer Bob Pauley, who will lead a masterclass, tennis legend Billie Jean King, who will speak with founder and board chair Sheila Johnson after "Give Me the Ball!", and Bill Pullman, attending with "Everybody Digs Bill Evans".

Variety frames Middleburg as a reliable fall stop for awards hopefuls, helped by its proximity to Washington, D.C.; IndieWire notes individual tickets are on sale.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left2 outlets

Framing
Both outlets run the festival's announcement as a straightforward lineup rundown, led by the closing film and honorees.
Emphasis
Variety adds festival context and detailed film synopses; IndieWire stresses awards pedigree (CODA, TIFF, NYFF, Cannes) and ticket availability.
Leaves out or plays down
No centre or right coverage; neither outlet gives critical or outside views.
Charged language
“reliable fall stop for awards hopefuls”“breakout star”
For example
“Middleburg has become a reliable fall stop for awards hopefuls.” — Variety
“will have breakout star Guitarricadelafuente in attendance” — IndieWire

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