The cozy rural town of Middleburg has just wrapped up its third annual film festival, running from October 22 - 25, and I can't think of any other event where I would rather have spent my weekend. It seems as though festival founder Sheila Johnson is constantly upping the ante from the previous year, and this year's fest was no exception. There were just as many locations as last year's, ranging from classic vintage venues such as the Hill School, National Sporting Library and Musem, and Buchanan Hall, as well as the elegant Salamander Resort and Spa. Each of these locations truly did a job to encapsulate the small town's homey heritage, and generally give off a very warm and inviting atmosphere.

The illustrious Salamander in particular played host to a myriad of exciting events, including an orchestra concert paying tribute to Fargo and Twilight composer Carter Burwell, as well as the world premiere of actress Meg Ryan's directorial debut feature, Ithaca. That means that not only was Ryan there in person to present her first film in the director's chair,but those who saw the film at the Middleburg festival were the first viewers in the world to see it. How were the films this year? It's a sign that the festival is clearly growing (boasting a body of 26 films as opposed to last year's 20), and the selection that was able to attend (including Macbeth, Louder Than Bombs, Spotlight, The Preppie Connection, and I Saw the Light) was one of the best that I've seen at any of the festivals. Not unlike the selections offered by previous years, each one offered a distinctive and unique experience that distinguished it from the others. While some were certainly more favorable than others, the overall collection proved to be one of the most memorable that I have seen since the festival's conception back in 2013.

Being a few weeks away from turning 20, I'm typically one of the few people in my age group who is excited to see a low-budget independent drama as opposed to a summer spectacle blockbuster film, so I was very excited not to experience a venue that showcased a variety of indie films, but also to see an audience who was just as excited as I was. A particularly fond experience I had was spent waiting in line for one of the films I attended, sharing a conversation with fellow moviegoers about the films that we had seen over the weekend. I hadn't known any of them before that evening, but they were very eager to share their thoughts and recommendations. It clearly showed that those who were at the festival were there to satisfy a deep love for cinema, and doing so in a rich location at the same time. One of the most exciting experiences that I had was the opportunity to shake hands and converse with actors after two Q&A sessions. Performers that I got to speak with included northern Virginia resident Tab Hunter and young actor Devin Druid, star of the festival's own gem Louder Than Bombs. In both experiences, the actors were extremely down to Earth, and generally enjoyable to talk to.

It should also be noted that one of my assignments for my Film Appreciation college course was to attend at least one of the films at the festival. Upon returning to class on Monday, I had heard stories from all of my fellow classmates who had also attended the festival about how this was their first year of going, and based on their experiences, they are strongly planning on attending next year as well. Each of them had not only enjoyed their films, but more importantly, had also said that they thought the scenic environment was the perfect location for such an event.

Being an avid attendant of the festival by this point, I was, of course, looking forward to it, but was very pleased to hear such positive feedback from my peers. Another aspect that simply cannot go unrecognized is the amazing volunteers who make the festival run. Not only do they perform their jobs with a great deal of dedication and commitment, but also with a warm and genuine smile on their faces. Each one that I encountered was overly kind and courteous, and seemed excited that I was there. The experience that they provide really does make the Middleburg festival stand out from the Toronto and Sundance festivals as one of the more personable cinematic experiences you'll have this season. Overall, the Middleburg Film Festival's third edition was a riveting follow-up that proves to up the ante in every aspect from the previous years. From the general quality of films to the myriad of esteemed celebrity events on display, the 2015 festival boasted all of the excitement of a more well-known festival like Toronto or Sundance, but also stands out by means of its personable community atmosphere and absorbing horse country backdrop, and it's an experience I'll certainly be partaking in again next year.