MIDDLEBURY — Late August is still two months away, but the county’s shire town is already being readied for its annual role as host of the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival (MNFF), a five-day showcase of some of the most exciting and thought-provoking work of both aspiring — and already established — movie makers.

With a decade under its belt, MNFF11 will burst onto big screens at five local venues Aug. 20-24 with 108 narrative and documentary features and shorts, all under the stewardship of a new executive director (Caitlin Boyle), Artistic Director and renowned filmmaker Jay Craven, and their supporting cast.

The festival will also offer a menu of curated films.

“I’m really excited about the program,” Boyle said during a recent interview. “A number of our films are going to be released this summer commercially, and this will be their only Vermont stop.”

The Independent will provide more info on specific film offerings, festival honorees, panel discussions and other MNFF11 features when those details become available. See accompanying sidebar for a sneak peek, courtesy of Craven.

What follows here is a report on how the festival — a massive undertaking — is coming together under new leadership with some new venues added to the mix.

Organizers this year made efforts to slightly streamline the festival program, emphasizing “the cream of the crop” and themes/genres that audiences have historically enjoyed. It’s a strategy that wouldn’t have been possible without the solid MNFF foundation built by former festival Producer (and founder) Lloyd Komesar and Craven, according to Boyle.

“When a festival or any kind of exhibition entity starts out, you’re developing your reputation as an exhibitor. You’re testing what your audience responds to,” Boyle said. “I think this year we’re delivering a program that’s informed and educated by 10 years of exhibition. We’ve really tried to create a program that speaks to what we know the audience will respond to.”

That doesn’t mean the lineup will be predictable or cookie-cutter.

“At the same time, we also want to challenge our audience to go beyond their comfort zones,” Boyle said. “We want to sneak in stuff they might not have found on their own.”

The festival’s pivot to a more quality-driven lineup has actually been brewing for a while.

Craven and Boyle selected around 14% of the total 464 films entered into this year’s festival. Last year, MNFF10 accepted and screened around 17% of 585 submitted films; and in 2023, around 19% of the entries made the cut for MNFF9, according to Boyle.

This year, organizers took the added step of narrowing the festival’s submission stream. The festival didn’t advertise for film entries, a departure from the past.

“I wanted to see our baseline, if we weren’t advertising. I was interested in seeing what happens with what comes in just through our outreach and connections, the general word of mouth and our connections and reputation,” Boyle said.

For example, MNFF officials reached out to around 60 independent film organizations inviting their members, grantees, fellows, or mentees to submit their work.

In all, MNFF11 drew 464 submissions. That’s 121 fewer than last year, but “it’s still a very robust number,” according to Boyle.

While MNF11 is tightening its porthole for film submissions, it’s taking steps to broaden its audience and filmmaker participation.

Thanks to the MNFF Travel Fund, Boyle said “It’s looking like we’re going to be able to support every filmmaker who has travel needs, and this is 100% thanks to the community.”

Tickets will go on sale after the July 4 weekend, though MNFF11 passes are already available for purchase. And there’s really good news this year if you’re a student and/or Vermonter. Show your Vermont ID and you’ll get a festival pass for $130 — a $30 discount. Show your (college or high school) student ID and get a free pass.

The new free-student-pass policy is in part designed to help MNFF curate its next generation of festival goers. And student filmmakers are well represented among this year’s crop of entries.

“Our patronage skews older; we have a strong boomer contingent,” Boyle noted. “We love that, but we also want to diversify our age base.”

Will offering free student passes cost the non-profit MNFF important revenue?

It depends on how you look at it.

Boyle is looking beyond MNFF11, to a future where this year’s students will hopefully be regular patrons, donors and spectators at future festivals.

“I see it as a low-risk investment in our future,” she said.

And tickets/passes aside, MNFF officials are deeply reliant — and appreciative of — the annual support from festival donors, sponsors and the screening locations: Town Hall Theater (THT); the Marquis Theater; and Middlebury College’s Axinn Center at Starr Library, Twilight Hall and Dana Auditorium.

THT just capped an $8.5M renovation and expansion project (see related story) that will greatly advance the facility’s ability to co-host MNFF11. In addition to its main stage venue, the larger THT now boasts the new Doug & Debbie Anderson studio, which has been brought into MNFF11’s screening rotation.

Plans also call for the festival to screen a family friendly film in THT’s new Maloney Public Performance Plaza fronting Merchants Row. Stay tuned for details.

Be advised MNFF11 festival passes will get you into any of the films shown Aug. 21-24, consistently from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day. The opening night soiree (always a sell-out, this year to be held at THT) on Wednesday, Aug. 20, will as usual be a separate admission. Festival officials weren’t ready to disclose the name of the opening night film as the Independent went to press.

MNFF11 will draw to a close on Sunday evening, Aug. 24, with the VTeddy awards at THT.

John Flowers is at [email protected].