A New Perspective Shorts
When going through the hundreds of short documentary film submissions we received, a theme emerged, highlighting the incredible resilience of the human spirit even in the face of tragedy or difficulty. This documentary shorts block celebrates humanity and the need for us all to look at life with a new perspective.
Animated Shorts 2025: Program 1
RiverRun’s Academy Award®-qualifying Animated Shorts Program showcases a vibrant collection of imaginative storytelling and artistic innovation. From hand-drawn wonders to cutting-edge digital creations, these films push the boundaries of animation while delivering heartfelt, humorous, and thought-provoking narratives.
Animated Shorts 2025: Program 2
RiverRun’s Academy Award®-qualifying Animated Shorts Program showcases a vibrant collection of imaginative storytelling and artistic innovation. From hand-drawn wonders to cutting-edge digital creations, these films push the boundaries of animation while delivering heartfelt, humorous, and thought-provoking narratives.
Documentary Shorts 2025: Program 1
As an Academy Award®-qualifying festival, RiverRun is proud to present a powerful selection of documentary shorts that shine a light on untold stories, diverse perspectives, and impactful moments from around the globe.
Documentary Shorts 2025: Program 2
As an Academy Award®-qualifying festival, RiverRun is proud to present a powerful selection of documentary shorts that shine a light on untold stories, diverse perspectives, and impactful moments from around the globe.
Films With Class Shorts Program 2025 – Elementary School
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. Sponsored by Duke Energy and The Lovett Foundation.
Late Night Shorts 2025
RiverRun’s Late Night Shorts program is all about the weird, wild, and unexpected. Packed with dark humor, creepy vibes, and plenty of surprises, these films are perfect for anyone who loves stories that go off the rails — in the best way possible.
Narrative Shorts, Program 1: A Break for Laughter
Considering how many of us are feeling about the state of the world right now, a moment to take a breath to smile and laugh is necessary. These shorts are a welcome respite and opportunity to take that breather.
Narrative Shorts, Program 2: Time to Grieve
While program one is about taking the time to laugh, this shorts program is all about acknowledging the various forms of grief many of us often experience, be it the loss of a loved one, a loved place, or a period in your life.
Narrative Shorts, Program 3: Coming of Age
One thing that really stood out in this year’s submissions is just how tremendous young people really are. Whether they are saving a crush from a deadly bee sting, hunting griffins, or wrestling with the everyday challenges of being a teenager, they all learn to come of age in their own unique way.
North Carolina Shorts 2025: Program 1: Documentaries
Celebrating stories from our own backyard, this program showcases compelling documentary films made by North Carolina filmmakers or focused on subjects that make North Carolina unique.
North Carolina Shorts 2025: Program 2: Narratives
This collection of narrative shorts highlights the creativity and talent of North Carolina filmmakers. Featuring stories with local connections, these films showcase a diverse range of voices and perspectives, celebrating the rich storytelling tradition of our region.
North Carolina Shorts 2025: Program 3: A Student Perspective
Showcasing the talent and creativity of student filmmakers from across the state, this program offers a fresh take on storytelling through the eyes of North Carolina’s emerging artists.
Saturday Morning Cartoons 2025
Each year, RiverRun presents our own version of Saturday Morning Cartoons to our young audiences. We search high and low for the best new animated shorts that we think will appeal to both children andadults alike. This year, we have a wide array of films encompassing many different interesting animation techniques and stories. Our Saturday Morning Cartoons truly have a little something for all ages!
