Cord Jefferson’s ‘American Fiction’ Wins Audience Award at Middleburg Film Festival
23.10.2023 - 22:05
/ variety.com
Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Cord Jefferson’s satirical comedy “American Fiction” has won the Audience Award for narrative film at the Middleburg Film Festival. Proving to be a true crowd-pleaser, it’s the third audience prize for the MGM title on the festival circuit following the Toronto and Mill Valley Film Festivals (at the latter it tied with “Rustin”).
Based on the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett, the film follows author Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), a frustrated novelist who is fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. The film also stars Sterling K.
Brown, Erika Alexander, Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross, Leslie Uggams and John Ortiz. With SAG-AFTRA still on strike, it’s been writer, director and producer Jefferson doing the promotional and festival rounds for the movie, with the Oscar buzz continuing to grow in these early days of the season.
Now in its 11th year, except last year’s winner “Devotion,” all Middleburg Audience winners have gone on to score Oscar nominations or wins, including — “Belfast” (2021), “Minari” (2020), “The Two Popes” (2019), “Green Book” (2018), “Mudbound” (2017), “Lion” (2016), “Spotlight” (2015), “The Imitation Game” (2014) and “Philomena” (2013). “Belfast” and best picture winner “Green Book” also won at Toronto and Mill Valley.
“Congratulations to our remarkable Audience Award winners,” said Susan Koch, executive director for MFF. “We couldn’t be prouder of this year’s lineup and were honored to present so many exceptional films and welcome leading filmmakers to engage in thoughtful conversations.” Middleburg also bestows prizes for documentaries and international features chosen by its festival
.