8 AM
Many people find their greatest talent cast aside in the face of life’s daily pressures and discover there’s rarely an easy answer forward. 8 AM explores life’s choices, dreams, and sacrifices.
A Mystical Ornithology
On his South Carolina farm, ornithologist and poet Drew Lanham tends land as sanctuary for birds—reckoning with loss while nurturing a fragile, wild hope.
Angelique
A narcissistic Broadway actress returns to her hometown under mysterious circumstances. She runs into a childhood friend and, much to her annoyance, they spend an afternoon together.
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.
Braid Crowns
Two teens, separated by the rivalry of their family’s barbershop and salon, must navigate a way to do each other’s hair before prom.
Creede U.S.A.
Welcome to Creede: a remote mining town with no stoplight, a theater company, and 300+ folks at 9,000 feet. This unlikely setting—with its miners, ranchers, and theater people—offers an unexpected lens on divisions felt by Americans everywhere.
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.
Free Joan Little
Free Joan Little tells the story of the 1975 groundbreaking case of Joan Little, who was the first woman in U.S. history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault.
Honeyjoon
In this light-and-dark comedy, June and her mom Lela travel to the Azores islands for a grief anniversary, with contrasting ways of coping. A charming surfer brings balance as they (and we) surf the waves of life, loss, flirting… an unforgettable ride.
In Transit
When a complacent young bartender living in small-town Maine agrees to model for an existentially floundering painter on an artist’s retreat, both women must confront their preconceptions of what makes a good life. Featuring Heated Rivalry fan favorite Francois Arnaud and Winston-Salem’s own Jennifer Ehle.
Kikuyu Land
In Kenya’s tea highlands, one man’s claim to his family’s stolen land sets Mr. Mungai against a multinational giant. His fight draws a local news producer into a battle that exposes buried histories, her family secrets, and the unfinished business of colonial power.
Krizalit
Set against the backdrop of a country in flux, Krizalit delicately portrays the healing journey of existing within a city so capable of profound love, yet at times challenged to extend that love to others.
Last Living Bird
In a dystopian Antarctica, a young bird enthusiast is tasked with a highly important avian quest.