As the major fall film festivals wind down, the Oscar race becomes regional

Regional festivals, such as the recently opened Middelburg Film Festival, attract top award contenders – and the experts who cover them.

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Autumn film festivals are not over. London is still underway and AFI FEST kicks off in Los Angeles on October 21st. And Thursday night kicked off this year's Middleburg Film Festival, a four-day festival held at BET co-founder Sheila Johnson's retreat in the Virginia hills outside Washington, D.C., that has grown into one of the biggest film festivals in the Virginia area. Jesse Eisenberg was the author of The Debut, covering baseball on my flight from New York. I filled him in on the virtues of a small awards-focused film festival.

Festival director Suzanne Koch attracts more Oscar contenders and top talent every year, as well as Oscar experts to cover them. For lucky attendees from the greater D.C. area, with only about 45 new features, nearly everyone is getting in. This year, sales include Telluride's Eisenberg's Debut (A24), Sundance's Wicker and TIFF's I Play Rocky (Amazon/MGM). If the press and guests are prone to a select few, there is more access to people roaming the halls. In fact, Eisenberg held court in the Salamander lobby before going to the show and screening Q&A related stories You Can See Everything, A24's Elizabeth Holmes documentary, sold an impressive $1.75 million Thursday previews Richard Gere's forgotten car from his prime is back in circulation.

On opening night, I made it to the two indoor festival parties because of the rain. Koch thanked Amazon/MGM production manager Scott Fundas for attracting "I'm Playing Rocky" talent to the festival. Searchlight distribution director Derval Whelan joins two writers, Martin McDonagh ("Wild Horse Nine") and Tony Gilroy ("Behemoth!"). THR's David Canfield and The Ankler's Katie Rich discuss the final five possibilities for the international competition (Rich roots for German longshot "Everytime"). Currently playing at the festival are the front-runners: Cannes Award winners Fatherland and Minotaur, which may be running for a fifth time, while Palme d'Or winner Abdereh, director winner Labula Negra, Cannes Actress, Cannes Actress, Sudden Love and Sudden Love are the top picks.

Friday brings Oscar contender Seth Rogen's "Invitation" to the annual Women's Conversation and Luncheon. Olivia Colman, who stars in both "The Mat" and "Elsinore," and Best Actress winner Julianne Moore — who emerged from the elevator Friday night looking stunning and introduced herself to me as "Julie" — are expected, as are actress Léa Seydoux and director Netfl Kreutzernes.

Saturday, Manhietti directs with Ron Yerkha and Albert Berger ("Little Miss Sunshine") and Bill Pullman, who plays the title role in the Berlin-winning director's All Bill Evans (Cohen Media). My colleague Marcus Jones will moderate a musical panel, including Eisenberg and Daniel Pemberton, who will perform along with "La Bola Negra" star Guitarricadelafuente, plus perennial Middleburg songwriter Diane Warren (17 Oscar nominations, no wins).

My Big Disappointment: At one point, I was going to do an interview at the stallion barn (the community is particularly obsessed with horses). This was for the first time.