MNFF12 was a smashing success. Downtown Middlebury was full of pedestrians all five days, from Wednesday through Sunday, and many of the more than 120 films shown at five venues were sold-out affairs.

Over 1,300 individuals were in attendance over the five days, with the majority of ticketholders attending three-to-four days, said incoming MNFF executive director Andy Mitchell. “We broke all previous attendance records for pass sales, individual ticket sales and cumulative attendance,” Mitchell said, adding that the majority of attendees came from outside Addison County.

The geographic breakdown for unique customers, he said, was 22% for Addison County, 41% for the rest of Vermont, 35% other U.S. states, and 2% international, including Norway, Colombia, Austria, South Africa, Australia, the Netherlands, Türkiye, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, the UK, and Canada.

While Mitchell didn’t yet have a guestimate on the economic impact of the event, according to data from the Americans for the Arts, event attendees on the arts spent a total of $55.4 million beyond the cost of admission in Vermont in 2025.

Beyond the economic boost MNFF12 gave Middlebury, the event proved to be the social event of the year.

The film “Hadestown: The Musical,” by Anais Mitchell (who was raised on a farm in Addison County) sold out its Wednesday opening night showing at Dana Auditorium, plus sold out two other venues where it was shown remotely. The after party at Middlebury College’s Axinn Center was packed with a wide diversity of attendees and, as were most of the evening events through Saturday, went well past 11 p.m.

Jane Fonda added her star-power to the festival with personal appearances at several events, including an exclusive meet-and-greet at a Swift House garden party, on-stage interviews with MNFF co-founder Jay Craven and Ripton author and activist Bill McKibben after Fonda’s powerful documentary, Gaslit.

The 88-year-old star of such film classics as “On Golden Pond,” “9 to 5” with Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin, “Klute,” “Coming Home,” “Barefoot in the Park,” and many others, not only sparkled when talking about her movies, but electrified the audience with her environmental and political activism.

Throughout the festival the films and documentaries touched hearts and sparked lively discussion, entertained with shorts and full-length features, provided insight through filmmaker Q&As, and provided daily happy hours and nightly parties. In short, audiences were thrilled and filmmakers were delighted.

In a conversation with master film composer Mason Daring, who starred in the delightful film “Marblehead” along with his singing partner Jeanie Stahl, told me the festival was a community treasure. “I was unprepared for the experience at the MNFFestival — we all thought we would enjoy the experience, but we came away absolutely gobsmacked by the films, the community at large, and above all else, the audiences! What a special, special time — I will never forget it! Thank you to Jay, Lloyd, and the festival audience, who were above all, charming, smart, gracious, and a joy to be around!”

It’s a pleasure to honor those who worked tirelessly to host another successful festival and easy to share in the excitement of the filmmakers as audiences responded to their work, but the MNFF also has a secret sauce: the community. What Mr. Daring said is repeated time and again by the filmmakers who come here, and by the first-time audiences who visit.

It’s also a testament to the larger Middlebury community. It’s seen not just with the MNFF, but with the Opera Company of Middlebury, the hundreds of annual events at the Town Hall Theater, the newly renovated Ilsley Library, events at the college, the Kelly Brush Ride, the TAM Trek, the Middlebury Maple Run and hundreds of other events sponsored by the Better Middlebury Partnership, the Addison County Chamber, Rotary, Lions, MALT, the Middlebury Community Music Center, Sheldon Museum, ACORN, bike clubs, the town’s recreation department, 4-H and so much more.

But here’s the take-away: none of it happens without active volunteers, dedicated employees, and committed board members. It doesn’t just take a village, it takes a committed village whose members know whatever effort they give, they’re rewarded many times over. Kudos, then, to those putting in the effort, and to the next generation who will stand on their shoulders and raise the bar.

Angelo Lynn