Blu’s
Growing up freely in harmony with nature, witnessing her beautiful environment being swallowed up by industrialisation, Blu decides to fight for the wildlife, meadows, rivers, and trees before they disappear completely.
Densho
Electronic artist Shigeto explores his family’s history and the lasting effects of WWII internment, weaving together personal reflections, archival footage, and music. Through conversations with his mother and grandmother, he uncovers how their shared past and cultural heritage have shaped his identity, resilience, and artistry.
Films With Class Shorts Program – Elementary School 2026
Teaching through film. RiverRun recognizes the unique and critical role arts education plays in reaching students both inside and outside the classroom. Through our free education program, Films With Class, we present free screenings of carefully curated films for area students at the Festival each spring.
Films With Class Shorts Program – Middle/High School 2026
Teaching through film. RiverRun recognizes the unique and critical role arts education plays in reaching students both inside and outside the classroom. Through our free education program, Films With Class, we present free screenings of carefully curated films for area students at the Festival each spring.
Grounded
In this meta-documentary, a group of high school students at a boarding school in Northern Michigan set out to make a film about regenerative farming, only to get tangled in the contradictions between what they learn and the system that feeds them.
Like Father
A poignant look at the work of renowned children’s author Richard Scarry as his son carries on the family legacy.
Si la Isla Quiere
On Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island—home to more endemic species per square kilometer than the Galápagos—the community defends its culture of stewardship against outside pressures, with the Island as setting and protagonist.
Sunspark
While scavenging for spare parts, a lonely robot discovers someone who desperately needs his help.
The Book of George
George McKenzie Jr. traded the hard streets and violence of New York City for a life photographing some of the most elusive animals in North America for National Geographic. His next mission? Empower kids of color to access their own dreams and to protect the natural world.
The City of Silence
In a world where breaking the silence will get you killed, Ethan will discover the healing power of music.
The Cloud Herder
An aging herder protects her flock of clouds from an oncoming storm.
The Nest
Inside Bronx International High School, a sanctuary for New York’s most vulnerable youth, an immigrant community bands together to create a better future through mentorship, perseverance, and the power of hope.
Us Being Epic
Enmeshed within the panoramic history of photography, an epic memoir unfolds, pictorializing the cultural and political imprint of an American Chinese family and tracing their diasporic journey through time.