News Release:
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina 8/25/2015 – Wells Fargo will expand its relationship with the RiverRun International Film Festival by increasing its support of the Festival’s year-round Films With Class educational outreach program. Wells Fargo will provide $25,000 in direct support to RiverRun, and will serve as a presenting sponsor of the Festival’s Films With Class programs. This new level of support will enable RiverRun to utilize new digital tools to reach more Forsyth County classrooms over the coming months.
“This generous support from our long-time supporter Wells Fargo will help us enlarge RiverRun’s digital footprint and increase our free educational film offerings for classrooms outside our region, serving even more young minds,” said RiverRun Executive Director, Andrew Rodgers.
“The arts are a vital part of our communities and the development of our youth,” said Peggy Reingold, community affairs officer for Wells Fargo. “Film education strengthens critical thinking skills, stimulates imagination and promotes a creative and inclusive environment, and Wells Fargo is proud to support RiverRun in their efforts to teach these important concepts to children across Forsyth County.”
In addition to its regular programming during the Festival, RiverRun presents free public screenings to students and participating schools throughout the year as well as during the run of the annual Festival. Films with Class is the most active component of RiverRun’s year-round events, and unique among film festivals. Through these outreach efforts, RiverRun helps thousands of students understand the diversity of the human experience and the need for global understanding.
Films with Class works with K-12 educators and curriculum coordinators to find new ways of incorporating great films into the classroom. The program selects films from around the world and creates lesson plans that enhance established curriculum goals. RiverRun also holds complimentary student-audience screenings during the Festival that offer students the “festival experience.” Since 2009, Films with Class has visited dozens of schools and provided enlightening experiences through film to more than 23,000 students in Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools.
“RiverRun’s ‘Films with Class’ program introduces students to films they wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to see,” said Jane McKim, RiverRun’s Community Director. “These films not only enrich and enhance school curriculum, they provoke and spark insightful dialogue which in turn contributes significantly to the learning process.”
The 18th RiverRun International Film Festival will be held April 7-17, 2016, in downtown Winston-Salem.
About RiverRun International Film Festival
RiverRun International Film Festival is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to the role of cinema as a conduit of powerful ideas and diverse viewpoints. Founded in 1998, RiverRun is a competitive event that annually showcases new films from both established and emerging filmmakers around the world. Each spring, RiverRun screens new narrative, documentary, short, student and animated films, offering both audience and jury prizes in competition categories. The RiverRun International Film Festival’s operating budget for the 2015-2016 year is $790,000, which is comprised primarily of gifts from corporations, individual donors and grants. For more information visit riverrunfilm.com or call 336-724-1502.
