Ambassador Zappia presents the International Spotlight 2021 Award to Paolo Sorrentino for “The Hand of God” at the Middleburg Film Festival

The Middleburg Film Festival (October 14-17, 2021) has selected two first-rate Italian films again this year. "The Hand of God" by Oscar-winner Paolo Sorrentino is scheduled for Friday, October 15, at 5:30pm in the presence of the director and leading actor Filippo Scotti. After the screening, John Horn, longtime Los Angeles Times film reporter and now host of "The Frame" on KPCC radio, will be in conversation with Director Sorrentino and, afterwards, the Italian Ambassador Mariangela Zappia will present him with the International Spotlight Award 2021.

The other Italian film selected is "A Chiara" by director Jonas Carpignano, which premiered at Cannes and won the Directors' Fortnight Award and the Europa Labels Award as best European film.

The Middleburg Film Festival takes place throughout the town of Middleburg, set at the foot of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains and known for local art, cooking, horseback riding and wineries. The festival draws international filmgoers and is recognized as one of the "stops on the road to the Oscars".

The ninth edition of the Middleburg Film Festival will be back in-presence with four days of screenings of selected movies from Oscar-nominated films, foreign language films, and independent documentaries with a strong focus on diversity. Other honorees include writer and director Kenneth Branagh ("Belfast"), actors Ann Dowd ("Mass"), Dakota Johnson ("The Lost Daughter"), the ensemble cast of A24's "Red Rocket," cinematographer Ari Wegner ("The Power of the Dog") and legendary composer and songwriter Charles Fox.