Movie critic

Harvey Weinstein will not be a presence, symbolically or otherwise, at this year's Middleburg Film Festival.

No Weinstein films will be shown at this year's edition of Middleburg, which got underway Thursday with the opening-night film "Darkest Hour." In fact, Middleburg, which in a short time has earned respect on the festival circuit for its relaxed, elegant vibe, sharp programming and subtle star power, offers a gentle rebuke and aspirational example in contrast to the nasty and brutish values Weinstein has come to personify in recent weeks. "It's one of the nicest film festivals I've ever been to," noted producer Cassian Elwes in a recent telephone conversation. "Sheila Johnson obviously loves cinema. And she's a voice for women, which is so important right now for so many reasons that are obvious."

Johnson, a co-founder of the Black Entertainment Television and a former board member of the Sundance Institute, had long wanted to bring a film festival to Virginia's Middleburg, where she makes her home.

When she completed the 340-acre Salamander Resort and Spa in 2013, she finally had a hub, and a place for visiting filmmakers and cine-tourists to stay. In less than six months, Johnson, executive director Susan Koch and programming director Connie White had booked the art-house hit "Nebraska" as the festival's opening-night film, with star Bruce Dern in attendance. There might have been backstage logistical hiccups getting talent to dinners and events on time, but viewers were treated to a buzzy slate of films that included "Philomena" and "The Butler," with director Lee Daniels on hand at the screening (Johnson was an executive producer of the film).

From the beginning, Johnson and her team intended Middleburg to be a stop along the "road to the Oscars," so that the local filmgoers and weekend tourists could get early glimpses of the kinds of smart, attractively produced, occasionally provocative films that become awards front-runners. True to that aim, the festival has booked an impressive number of movies that became serious contenders and winners, including "The Imitation Game," "Spotlight," "Carol," "Manchester by the Sea" and "Moonlight."

Meg Ryan brought her directorial debut "Ithaca" to Middleburg. "Twilight" director and outspoken Hollywood feminist Catherine Hardwicke conducted a lively conversation at the nearby Boxwood Winery. Bo Derek and Beverly Johnson are regulars. In 2016, Emma Stone presented the musical "La La Land" in a packed Salamander ballroom, where Motion Picture Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs watched from the back. Forty-four Oscar nominations accrued to last year's slate — which, with 25 films, represents a startling rate of return.

"We're always saying, 'Can we top what we did last year?' " Johnson said over lunch recently. "And think that we have. I think it's just as strong."

[Emma Stone glitzed up the Middleburg Film Fest. But that’s not why people came.]

This weekend, Middleburg will once again bring some of the strongest films of the year to play over a meticulously curated weekend: Director Dee Rees will appear with her new film "Mudbound." Greta Gerwig will present her solo directorial debut "Lady Bird." Griffin Dunne will present "Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold," a documentary he made about his aunt. Such festival-circuit talkers as "I, Tonya," "Last Flag Flying" and "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" will make local debuts. Venerable writer-director James Ivory will hold court in the Salamander's wood-paneled library.

In the festival world, these are big "gets" — all the more notable for the fact that they're all flocking to a town of about 800 people, in the middle of horse country, with no proper movie theater to speak of.

Middleburg's success rests on the crucial fact that Johnson, Koch and White understand that every great festival must cater to two populations above all else: artists and audiences.

Koch, a documentary filmmaker herself, notes that beyond such market-driven festivals as Sundance, Cannes and Toronto, the deciding factor in filmmakers choosing to come to one small festival rather than another comes down to one simple question: Are they treated well? Johnson, well schooled in the arts of wining, dining and making guests feel at home, provides a safe space for the talent. For their part, the writers, directors, actors and producers who come to Middleburg appreciate rubbing shoulders with the political figures they're likely to encounter, whether it's Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) or former attorney general Eric Holder. Koch recalls a director telling her Middleburg is his favorite festival. "I asked him why, and he said, 'Because you have the most interesting and intelligent people.' "

But perhaps Middleburg's most meaningful achievement is how it has identified, understood and connected to its audience, which extends from the locals — who were initially skeptical of how a film festival would affect their town's traffic patterns and atmosphere — to day-trippers from suburban Virginia and Washington and even annual regulars from Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Boston. (Johnson is expecting about 4,000 visitors this year.) Since the beginning, Johnson says, she's taken pains to make sure that Middleburg's program fits the tastes and sensibilities of her neighbors, even while it brings the wider world into a community that could easily fall prey to insularity. She wants the festival to push the envelope, but carefully. "I don't want to offend anybody in the community," she says. "I want to get them from the inside out."

That said, Middleburg doesn't always play it safe: "Jackie," a sometimes jarring portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy in the aftermath of her husband's murder, was enthusiastically embraced by last year's audience, which included Lynda Bird Johnson Robb. This year's program includes "A Fantastic Woman," starring the transgender actress Daniela Vega, who will be at the screening. And Johnson has made a point of putting women front and center as filmmakers, participants and on her own team, which is entirely female, save for the technical staff hired every year to help with audio and projection.

The fact that Middleburg has emerged as a woman-led festival is something of a coincidence, as is the fact that this year no films from the Weinstein Company will be on the slate. But its organically inclusive sensibility helps to make Middleburg feel vibrant and forward-looking at a time when such vision is sorely needed. As Johnson looks ahead, she sees careful growth, between-the-festivals programming and a dedicated theatrical space in Middleburg's future. For now, though, the festival feels like it's precisely where we need it to be.

The Middleburg Film Festival runs through Sunday. Individual tickets to some screenings are still available. Visit www.middleburgfilm.org.