Alexandria Film Festival's Best In Fest Winner Named As Virtual Event Continues

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Nearly 1,100 attended the in-person Alexandria Film Festival over three days from Friday through Sunday, and the virtual event continues through Sunday, Nov. 27. On Saturday, the festival's executive committee announced award winners.

Documentary "Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power" won the Best in Fest Award. The documentary by director Nina Menkes and producer Maria Giese explores how filmmaking relates to how women face sexual abuse, sexual assault and employment discrimination. This was the DC premiere of the film, which shows 175 clips from acclaimed films. This was Geise's second Alexandria Film Festival appearance, following the 2019 film "This Changes Everything" about employment discrimination and gender disparity affecting women in Hollywood.

"Bringing 'Brainwashed' to the AFF this year and to a D.C. audience was an outstanding and inspiring experience," said Geise in a statement. "And it wasn't just the thrill of winning the award — it was joining a festival team that so understood the film and its transformative potential to bring about social change."

Locally-made documentary "Guest House" won the Joe Cantwell Prize for Documentary Excellence. The film by director Hannah Dweck and Yael Luttwak follows three women in Alexandria's Guest House after incarceration amid struggles with addiction.

"Her Magnum Opus" by Marta Renzi won the Special Jury Award for its creative look at friendship through dance, and Best Foreign Language Film Award went to "Just Let Me Go" a documentary on relationships focused on couple Ana and Ricardo by Portugal's Luis Diogo.

The Audience Award, voted on by attendees at the festival, was claimed by documentary "Be Moved" by local filmmaker Jane Pitman. The film focuses on Choreographers Collaboration Project, a modern dance company in Alexandria that builds community. Another Audience Award will be given to a film chosen by virtual attendees.

In-person events were held at AMC Hoffman Center 22 on Nov. 11 and 12, as well as free programs at The Lyceum on Nov. 13.

The remainder of the Alexandria Film Festival will be held online through Nov. 27. Attendees can purchase films and have two weeks to view them. A directory of offerings is available here.

The Alexandria Film Festival is in its 16th year and is supported by donors, sponsors and grant providers, including the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, City of Alexandria, Alexandria Gazette Packet, Alexandria Hyundai, Alexandria Living Magazine, Alexandria Times, Burke & Herbert Bank, Cheesetique, Jack Taylor’s Alexandria Toyota/Scion, Jim Connolly/Long & Foster Real Estate, Old Town Crier, Old Town Hilton, Ted’s Montana Grill, West End Business Association and Zebra.

For more information, visit alexfilmfest.com.