MNFF7: August 25-29, 2021

Screenings & Events

The 7th Annual Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival

Presenting Sponsor

MNFF7 has concluded but feel free to peruse the films we screened and the schedule of all the films and events we presented.

See you at the 8th Annual Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival, August 24-28, 2022. Mark your calendars!

Check out our MNFF7 Festival Trailer.

After a spectacular five days of films, festivities and fun, MNFF7, the “comeback” Festival, is now in the books. We were thrilled with all the filmmakers who came to Middlebury to represent their beautiful films and mingle with our wonderful audiences. We were delighted to see so many community members thoroughly enjoying themselves despite the many challenges we all faced.  So, thank you to everyone, from our sponsors, led by our Presenting Sponsor IPJ Real Estate, to our donors, our venue, hospitality and Merch Store partners, our volunteers, our host families, our superb MNFF team and, above all, to our cherished filmmakers whose courage, perseverance and vision we will forever salute. And if you couldn’t make it this year, we do hope to see you here in lovely Middlebury for the 8th Annual Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival, August 24-28, 2022!

And the VTeddy Winners Are…!

The 7th Annual Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival was thrilled to present its wonderful VTeddy Awards at a rousing Closing Ceremony on Sunday, August 29 at Town Hall Theater. With new awards and prizes in the mix this year, the event had a decidedly celebratory feel that created a lot of memories for those who attended. Congratulations to all our winners!

  • Best Documentary Short Award  | Tanagokoro: A Culinary Portrait  |  Directors: Victoria Fistes, Masashi Nozaki
  • Best Documentary Feature Award Alaskan Nets  | Director: Jeff Harasimowicz
  • Best Narrative Feature Award  |  Poser  | Directors: Ori Segev, Noah Dixon
  • Best Narrative Short Award  | The Other Side  |  Director: Josh Leong
  • Audience Award – Short   |  The Cho Stories  |  Director:  Anna Sang Park
  • Audience Award – Feature  |   Cirque du Cambodia  |  Director:  Joel Gershon
  • Hernandez/Bayliss Prize for the Feature Film that Best Captures the Triumph of the Human Spirit  |  Forget Me Not  |  Director: Olivier Bernier
  • Clio Visualizing History Prize for the Advancement of Women in Film  |  End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock  |  Director: Shannon Kring
  • Gaia Prize for Environmental Filmmaking  |  The Ants and The Grasshopper  |  Directors: Raj Patel, Zak Piper
  • Shouldice Family Prize for Best Vermont-Made Film  |  Just Being Here  |  Director: Matteo Moretti  
  • VSO Award for the Best Integration of Music into Film  |  Mate  |   Director: Rusty Eveland
  • AICEF Prize for Cross-Cultural Filmmaking  |  Nomad Meets the City  |  Director: Anji Clubb
  • Thaddeus Stevens Prize for Social Engagement  |  How the Monuments Came Down  |   Directors: Lance Warren and Hannah Ayers
  • Ralph Steiner Prize for Poetic Cinema  |  Me To Play  |   Director: Jim Bernfield 
  • Honoree for Sustained Vision, Courage and Excellence in Filmmaking  |  Sam Pollard
  • Honoree for Sustained Excellence and Imagination in Casting  |  Heidi Levitt
  • Honoree for Sustained Excellence in Acting  |  Karen Allen

MNFF7: ONLINE Update

We appreciate all the inquiries from our audience members who have expressed interest in an online version of MNFF7. After much discussion, we have decided that, for the time being, the Festival will focus its energy solely on creating in-person events, including our upcoming MNFF Selects series at the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. Should we choose to mount an MNFF7: ONLINE, we will of course let everyone know.