DOC5 Middleburg 2021
Five carefully curated documentaries in five nights
to encourage community and conversation.
2021 Films
FIVE INTRIGUING DOCUMENTARY FILMS IN FIVE DAYS
A diverse mix of this year's newest and best documentaries, will be shown one per evening, outside on the side lawn of the beautiful Middleburg Community Center.
Each film will be shown at dusk: 7:30 pm
Individual tickets are $20, and will go on sale Sunday, August 15. Space will be limited, and all Covid-19 precautions will be in place. A small number of tickets will also be on sale for the gala dinner to be held Saturday, September 18, where we will be among the first audiences to see the groundbreaking new film, Paper and Glue. Tickets for Saturday evening are $500 per person, which includes cocktails and gourmet dinner, followed by a private showing of the film and a post-viewing discussion.
Tuesday, 9/14 AFTER ANTARCTICA
Dir. Tasha Van Zandt. 104 min.
An epic journey across both poles, this enthralling film follows legendary polar explorer Will Steger’s lifelong journey as an eyewitness to the greatest changes to the polar regions of our planet. Now, thirty years after his historic coast-to-coast expedition across the coldest continent on Earth, Steger heads out on the ice once again, at a time when he is not only known for being the first in history to complete these historic feats - he is also the last. A winner at this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival, this beautifully photographed and “gripping” documentary is both a “psychological study on what propels people into taking on death-defying feats ... and an alarming look at what climate change is doing to the Earth” (Mercury News).
WE ARE HONORED THAT ELLEN STOFAN, PLANETARY GEOLOGIST AND CURRENT UNDERSECRETARY FOR SCIENCE AND RESEARCH AT THE SMITHSONIAN, WILL DISCUSS THIS FILM WITH US.
Wednesday, 9/15 AILEY
Dir. Jamila Wignot. 82 min.
Visionary Black choreographer Alvin Ailey was a pioneer of modern dance, infusing the art-form with the rich history of the African American experience and “a discourse on freedom… and soaring delights,” as author Zadie Smith once wrote. In this poetic documentary, director Jamila Wignot gracefully weaves together a tapestry of past and present, of archival footage from Ailey’s small-town Texas roots and rising career in New York City, along with a vast trove of his moving masterpieces. What emerges is a complex and impressionistic picture of a determined figure, whose rousing dance pieces revealed more about his personal struggles and triumphs than any words could describe. “A tour de force of archival assemblage” that “tells his life story with searing intimacy but also jubilant solidarity” (Filmmaker Magazine), Ailey is “tantalizing… poetic… [and] powerfully evocative” (Variety). Courtesy of Neon.
Thursday, 9/16 FAUCI
Dirs. John Hoffman and Janet Tobias. 104 min.
One of the the most significant and contentious cultural icons of the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci is the longest-serving public health leader in Washington, D.C., having served under six U.S. Presidents. With extraordinarily intimate access to Dr. Fauci and his signature blend of scientific acumen and candor, this revealing portrait follows the world-renowned infectious disease specialist on the frontlines, battling against 40 years of outbreaks, from HIV to Ebola to COVID-19. Directed by Emmy winning filmmakers John Hoffman and Janet Tobias and produced by the Oscar-winning team behind Icarus, Fauci is a compelling, timely, and high-stakes chronicle of one of America’s most dedicated public servants amid the biggest challenge of his lifetime. Courtesy of National Geographic Documentary Films.
Friday 9/17 THE CONDUCTOR
Dir. Bernadette Wegenstein. 90 min.
An inspirational story of denying naysayers and an overdue story of an internationally known artist, The Conductor shines a spotlight on award-winning maestra Marin Alsop--the first woman ever to lead a major American orchestra. A jubilant celebration of the power of music and how it brings joy and healing to people’s lives, the film gives us a backstage pass to the artistry and energy that rewards Alsop’s audiences and inspires her students, from the São Paulo and Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestras to her current work as music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. “A triumphant tale about overcoming discrimination and realizing one’s talent against all odds” (Tribeca Film Festival).
WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT DIRECTOR BERNADETTE WEGENSTEIN WILL BE JOINING US TO DISCUSS HER FILM!
Saturday, 9/18 GALA DINNER, PAPER AND GLUE
Dir. JR. 94 min.
Anonymous French artist JR crafts large-scale public art projects and transforms them into something political, personal, and intimate. Pulled from vast archives documenting 20 years in the life of the photographer, this stirring documentary chronicles some of his most memorable moments, collaborating with ordinary folks from such diverse places as a California supermax prison, along the U.S.-Mexico border wall, and a free film school in the urban outskirts of Paris. Through the course of the film, we come to understand both the inspiration behind his work, and the unexpected magic that happens when you democratize the power of expression and inspire everyone to find the best in the people around them. “A heartwarming manifesto... Paper & Glue hits like a warm hug” (Pajiba.com).
A small number of tickets will be available for a gala dinner in the Middleburg Community Center Ballroom on Saturday night, where we will be among the first audiences to see this ground-breaking new film, tickets are $500 per person, which includes cocktails and a gourmet dinner, followed by the film and post viewing discussion.
About Us
DOC5 Middleburg
The goal of Doc5 Middleburg, now in its second year, is to bring the community together to celebrate multiple points of view. We want differences of opinion to be respected and valued and for viewers to learn not only from the films, but also from each other.
While the 2020 and 2021 events are being held in the fall, starting in 2022, Doc5 Middleburg will become a Spring festival.
CMP
The Chicago Media Project (CMP), which works with and funds some of the best documentarians in the world, hosts the Doc10 all-documentary film festival in Chicago. They also sponsor various Doc5 events around the country, including Middleburg’s. Saturday evening features a special gala dinner and a special showing of Paper and Glue with CMP founders, Paula Froehle
and Steve Cohen.
MCC
The location for Doc5 Middleburg is the beautiful Middleburg Community Center (MCC), located on the Main Street of this historic town, often called the capital of horse country. Established in 1946, MCC is a true community center, offering venues for private events, as well as classes, meetings, fund raising and community events. DOC5 movies will take place outside on the side lawn of the MCC, weather permitting. Rain days will take place inside in the Ballroom, as will Saturday evening's gala dinner, with cocktails served in the newly renovated terrace room.
Address: 300 W, Washington Street, Middleburg, VA 20118
