News

• The Curtain's Going Up On RiverRun 2021!

  April 7, 2021
  

  The 23rd RiverRun International Film Festival is pleased to announce its complete 2021 lineup tonight, April 7th, with a virtual launch video spotlighting some of the 134 films representing 24 countries in this year’s Festival!  The lineup was selected from over 1,500 films under consideration. While the actual Festival will take place May 6-16 with safe outdoor and drive-in screenings and a host of virtual screenings, tonight’s launch event will preview some of the films selected for this year’s Fest and will include the popular clip reel.

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• Philly D.A. -- FREE Indie Lens Pop-up virtual screening 4/6

  March 17, 2021
  

  Join us on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at 7:00pm for another free Indie Lens Pop-Up event: a virtual screening of Philly D.A., followed by a moderated panel discussion! In this upcoming special eight-part docuseries from the acclaimed PBS documentary anthology series, Independent Lens, filmmakers Ted Passon and Yoni Brook bring you an incredible inside look at the criminal justice system and one man’s journey to transform it. You must register in advance for access to this screening.

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• Drought--exclusive virtual screening on 3/26/21 (one night only!)

  March 9, 2021
  

  In anticipation of National Autism Awareness Day, we present this exclusive opportunity to see the film Drought, a homegrown, NC-based film originally selected to screen as part of RiverRun 2020! Tickets are available for pre-sale now, and the film screens one day only on March 26th. Join us and get a sneak-peek under the hood of the virtual screening system that will be part of our upcoming 2021 festival experience!

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• RiverRun's Virtual Theater is always open for business!

  March 1, 2021
  

  Our Virtual Theater is now live as we monitor guidelines for when it is safe to host indoor theatrical screenings once again. Now playing: Coup 53, Philly D.A.

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• Coded Bias -- FREE Indie Lens Pop-up Virtual Screening 3/2/21!

  February 11, 2021
  

  Join us on Tuesday, March 2 at 7:00pm for another free Indie Lens Pop-Up event: a virtual screening of Coded Bias, followed by a moderated panel discussion! PBS North Carolina, together with RiverRun and the State Library North Carolina, proudly present this exclusive screening opportunity. The film follows MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini on her journey after she discovers that most facial-recognition software does not accurately identify darker-skinned faces.

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• Mr. SOUL! -- FREE Virtual Indie Lens Pop-Up Screening 2/2/21!

  January 13, 2021
  

  Join us on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 7:00pm for our next free Indie Lens Pop-Up event: a virtual screening of Mr. SOUL! PBS North Carolina, together with RiverRun and the State Library North Carolina, proudly present this exclusive screening opportunity, to be accompanied by a post-film panel discussion. Before Oprah, before Arsenio, there was Ellis Haizlip—Mr. SOUL! On the heels of the civil rights movement, the public television variety show SOUL!, offered an unfiltered, uncompromising celebration of Black literature, poetry, music, and politics—voices that had few other options for national television exposure.

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• 9to5: The Story of a Movement — FREE Virtual Indie Lens Pop-Up Screening 1/5/21!

  December 17, 2020
  

  Join us on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 7:00pm for a virtual screening of 9to5: The Story of a Movement. UNC-TV PBS North Carolina, together with RiverRun and the State Library North Carolina, proudly present this exclusive screening opportunity, to be accompanied by a post-film panel discussion. The film follows a group of Boston secretaries in the early 1970s who organized and formed 9to5 in order to fight for better pay, more advancement opportunities, and an end to sexual harassment. 9to5 tells the story of the fight that inspired a hit song and changed the American workplace.

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• The Lincoln Smartphone Short Film Contest is open for entries!

  December 11, 2020
  

  In partnership with Parkway Lincoln, RiverRun is hosting a smartphone short film contest! The film content/story must be centered around a Lincoln vehicle(s). Participants may interpret this however they choose and will be judged on creativity and originality. The films will be screened for free to the community in our Virtual Theater December 24-31. Deadline for entries is December 19th!

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• RiverRun 2020 merch and ticket samplers for the holidays!

  November 15, 2020
  

  For those of you still looking for ways to support RiverRun during these uncertain and unprecedented times–or for those of you who are believers in the multi-verse and want to represent the festival that only happened in the Bizarro World–we are making our 2020 merchandise available at the prices listed below! We are also running a special deal for multiple apparel items. Purchase two or more shirts and we’ll throw in a 2020 totebag as a free gift!

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• After-Dark Fun with RiverRun at the Marketplace Cinemas Drive-In!

  October 20, 2020
  

  RiverRun and Marketplace Cinemas Winston-Salem are pleased to be teaming up on a series of exclusive drive-in movies throughout summer and early fall! Next up, join us on Sunday, November 22nd for a screening of the new documentary On Broadway, sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union and Ernest & Martha Clayton Logemann! All RiverRun at the Marketplace Drive-In screenings are sponsored by Parkway Lincoln.

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• Jonathan Scott's Power Trip -- FREE Virtual Indie Lens Pop-Up Screening 10/27!

  October 16, 2020
  

  Join us on Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 7:00pm for the first Indie Lens Pop-Up title of the 2020-2021 season: a virtual screening of Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip. Most famous for his role on HGTV’s popular show Property Brothers, TV personality Jonathan Scott journeys across the United States in the film to uncover the obstacles and opportunities to achieving clean, renewable energy.

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• Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project -- FREE Virtual Indie Lens Pop-Up Screening 6/16

  June 9, 2020
  

  Join us on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at 7:30pm for a special Indie Lens Pop-Up online screening of Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project featuring a talkback with director Matt Wolf, producer Kyle Martin, film subject Michael Metelits, and Roger Macdonald, Television Archive Fellow at the Internet Archive.

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• Eating Up Easter -- FREE Virtual Screening and Talkback 5/26!

  May 21, 2020
  

  Join us on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 8pm for a special Indie Lens Pop-Up online screening of Eating Up Easter featuring a talkback with filmmakers Sergio Mata’u Rapu and Elena Rapu, film subject and classical pianist Mahani Teave, and United Nations Association of the USA Executive Director Rachel Bowen Pittman. Afterwards, join community-led breakout discussions on topics such as responsible tourism and our National Parks, environmental sustainability in New Jersey, and more.

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• 2020 Pitch Fest winners announced!

  May 11, 2020
  

  The 9th annual Pitch Fest & Panel went virtual this year! We adapted the traditional Pitch Fest competition to an online format to continue to serve and support our student filmmakers. Six North Carolina schools participated by recording 5 minute video pitches from home for our panel of expert judges to review.

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• NC Shorts 1 & 2–free online screenings!

  April 22, 2020
  

  Beginning on Friday, April 24, we will be offering our popular selection of North Carolina Shorts—short works directed by supremely talented filmmakers working here in our own state—free online for two weeks. During this two week period, many of the shorts filmmakers (several of whom are based right here in Winston-Salem and Greensboro!) will also be offering additional bonus content through RiverRun’s social media channels, to provide further context for the films.

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• Bedlam -- online Indie Lens Pop-Up screening on 4/14!

  April 9, 2020
  

  Although the remainder of this season’s Films With Class community screenings has been cancelled, we will resume with virtual screenings of the films beginning next week with the documentary, Bedlam. We hope you will join us from the comfort and safety of your own home on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 7:30 pm for the national screening and virtual chat with film producer Peter Miller and mental health experts from NAMI.

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• RiverRun Recommends

  March 24, 2020
  

  In light of the cancellation of the 2020 festival due to COVID-19, RiverRun will be offering suggestions for film and film books over the course of what would have been the festival dates this year, March 26-April 5. To receive these recommendations via email, please sign up for our newsletter using the signup form at the bottom of this page.

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• UPDATE: COVID-19 and RiverRun

  March 13, 2020
  

  RiverRun International Film Festival is committed to the health and safety of our attendees, volunteers, staff, and community. The widespread health concern about COVID-19 is a reminder of the global nature of our daily lives and interactions. Given the latest news and the request to not convene groups over 100, we must announce the cancellation of the 2020 RiverRun International Film Festival. While we will greatly miss seeing everyone come together to celebrate the diverse global stories reflected in our films, we place a greater priority on the wellbeing of our constituents.

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• Advance Tickets Gone or Selling Fast (UPDATED 3/10/20)!

  March 10, 2020
  

  Check this page for updates on films that are selling fast–and don’t forget that you can try the wait list when advance tickets are gone!

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• RiverRun and COVID-19

  March 6, 2020
  

  Every year at RiverRun we prioritize the health and safety of our attendees, volunteers, and staff.  This year is no different, though we are being more vigilant as we monitor the Coronavirus situation.  We are monitoring the recommendations from local, state, and national health authorities and working with our venues to insure recommended sanitation practices are followed. 

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• Bedlam–FREE Indie Lens Pop-up screening in Yadkinville on 3/12!

  March 4, 2020
  

  The next installment in our Indie Lens Pop-up series of free community screenings takes us to the Willingham Theater in Yadkinville on Thursday, March 12 for a showing of the film Bedlam. The screening starts at 7:00 pm and will be followed by a panel discussion. No tickets or reservations are required.

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• Check out our 2020 trailer courtesy of Shift Creative Agency!

  March 2, 2020
  

  Take a look at a 60 second preview of all the exciting films, panels and events we have planned for you during this year’s festival! Share and post far and wide, and special thanks to Shannon Rosato of Shift Creative Agency for all of her hard work on this superb editing job!

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• Full 2020 lineup to be announced on 2/28!

  February 24, 2020
  

  Please pardon our dust on the site this week as we prepare to launch our 2020 festival site! Check back Friday evening (approximately 7:00pm), February 28, following our exclusive lineup announcement launch party for the 2020 schedule and list of films.

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• Always In Season--FREE Indie Lens Pop-up screening 2/18!

  February 7, 2020
  

  The next installment in our Indie Lens Pop-up series of free community screenings is fast approaching! The film is an encore presentation of a selection from the 2019 Festival, Always In Season. The screening will be Tuesday, February 18 at the Forsyth County Central Public Library in downtown Winston-Salem, with a 6:00 pm start time.

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• RiverRun Retro presents Invasion of the Body Snatchers with special guest Veronica Cartwright!

  December 11, 2019
  

  RiverRun Retro welcomes actress Veronica Cartwright for two screenings of a true January chiller, the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, dubbed by Pauline Kael in The New Yorker as a picture that “may be the best film of its kind ever made.” Cartwright joins us to discuss her career and the film at screenings on January 10 at 7:00 PM at Hanesbrands Theatre in Winston-Salem and January 11 at 5:00 PM at RED Cinemas in Greensboro.

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• Why Give Fruitcake When You Can Give Film?

  November 27, 2019
  

  RiverRun ticket vouchers make the perfect holiday gift for that special film lover or for yourself! A RiverRun Sampler gives you 10 film tickets for the price of 9 with none of those pesky ticket fees. The sampler is redeemable toward 2020 Festival film or gala tickets, and you’ll receive a FREE RiverRun Merchandise Voucher, good for $10 toward merchandise purchases during RiverRun 2020.  

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• Hoops Africa screening 12/5 at Marketplace Cinemas

  November 20, 2019
  

  North Carolina filmmaker Taylor Sharp joins us for a screening of his documentary Hoops Africa, a collection of stories that celebrates the past, present, and future of basketball in Africa, spotlighting the sport’s impact on society and its development on the continent. From the dreams of a young Zimbabwean player to honoring the NBA legends who paved the way before him, this film journeys through the growth of the game in Africa.

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