We're always happy to hear of film festivals that change and adapt to the times, and the RiverRun International Film Festival is embarking with a bold new vision for its 29th annual edition.
We're also very glad to hear the news of the new director of programming, announced below, since they have graced our pages as an editor and writer in the past. Read on for all the exciting developments, with all verbiage provided by the festival.
RiverRun International Film Festival is launching several new initiatives as it embarks on its 29th film festival slated to take place April 16 to 24, 2027. The initiatives include a bold new vision for programming utilizing filmmakers, community leaders, and partners; a student-focused kick-off for September with acclaimed filmmaker Boots Riley; new accessible entry pricing; and the opportunity to submit films earlier.
"We're helping build a creative ecosystem in Winston-Salem," said Michael Morin, RiverRun's executive director. "All of our new initiatives reflect our core mission of better serving and including our communities in the creation of the festival."
RiverRun also recently welcomed two new team members: Ben Umstead as director of programming and artist relations and Katherine White as director of development and operations.
Umstead has worked for the Slamdance film festival for the last 10 years as a programmer and co-founding and managing the Indie Awards. In addition, they have produced a number of award-winning micro-budget films.
"Ben Umstead is a trusted friend and colleague whose guidance has been invaluable since I joined RiverRun last December, said Morin. "Ben stepped in on short notice as RiverRun's Films With Class programmer and coordinator last year, further demonstrating their deep commitment to the festival and its mission. Ben brings an incredible depth of experience, sharp instincts, and a real love for independent film, but just as importantly, they bring thoughtfulness and joy to the work," said Morin.
Katherine White has more than 30 years' experience in nonprofit administration including serving as director of operations and fundraising for the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), founding executive director for the New Winston Museum (now MUSE), and president of AIDS Care Service. She also worked with arts organizations such as the Oakland Symphony, the Monterey Museum of Art, and the Oakland Ballet Company.
"Ben and Katherine bring a wealth of experience to RiverRun," said Morin. "I am thrilled to have them here in the sandbox alongside me as we build a bolder, more sustainable RiverRun for the years ahead."
As part of its new approach to film selection, RiverRun has created three new programming tracts leading up to its 2027 festival: a Curatorial Filmmaker Fellowship; a Community Programming initiative focused on regional arts leaders, local filmmakers, and cultural and community partners; and a program called Youth SELECT, which stands for Shaping Emerging Leaders in Exhibition and Curatorial Talent. Under Umstead's leadership these three tracts will cover the entirety of programming, from feature films to shorts.
"Our new programming initiatives will pull back the curtain on the festival experience, offering filmmakers and audiences a clearer look at who watches submitted films, how programming decisions are made, and the values guiding RiverRun's selections," said Morin. "This next chapter strengthens RiverRun's commitment to discovering exceptional work, championing artists, and creating meaningful access to cinema for the communities of the Piedmont Triad and beyond."
The Curatorial Filmmaker Fellowship will be comprised of six filmmakers from both documentary and narrative cinema. These filmmakers will bring their dynamic experiences as storytellers into the festival's programming process and help provide unique workshops, talks, and events during the festival next April. In return, Fellows will receive a financial honorarium to support future filmmaking endeavors and living expenses.
"The Curatorial Filmmaker Fellowship represents connections with audiences, students, and filmmakers in a way that really nurtures the whole ecosystem," said Morin. "These are the kinds of artists who remind us why independent cinema matters--and why authentic human storytelling will always prevail. The response from filmmakers to the fellowship has been so overwhelmingly positive that I'm hoping to gain additional funding to include another selection of filmmaker fellows later this year."
The initial group of filmmakers participating in the Curatorial Filmmaker Fellowship for 2027--along with their selected programming focus--are:
-- Christalyn Hampton--director/producer with a focus in documentary shorts.
Hampton received an Oscar nomination for "The Devil is Busy" in 2026 and earned a Peabody Award for producing "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks" (Peacock /Soledad O'Brien Productions). A former professional dancer and choreographer, Hampton's films, including "Free Joan Little," bridge history and the present, centering character driven storytelling and social impact.
-- Merawi Gerima--writer/director/activist with a focus on narrative features.
Merawi Gerima's work examines memory, displacement and the evolving identity of Black communities. His debut feature "Residue," premiered at Slamdance where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, screened at the Venice International Film Festival, and was the 2021 Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award Winner.
-- Steve Way--actor/writer/producer with a focus in narrative features and LIMITLESS: Stories Without Restraint, presented by Easterseals PORT Health.
Steve Way's work combines humor and advocacy to expand opportunities for disabled artists. This includes the co-founding of Slamdance's UNSTOPPABLE program. His performances in Hulu's "Ramy" and "Good Bad Things" have helped redefine authentic disability representation in film and television.
-- Kristian Mercado--writer/director with a focus in narrative shorts
Kristian Mercado's work centers the Puerto Rican diaspora, working class life, and the gaps between love and loss. His debut feature "If You Were the Last" (2023) premiered at SXSW. His shorts have won the SXSW Grand Jury Prize ("Pa'lante"), SXSW Best Animated Short ("Nuevo Rico"), and screened at Slamdance ("Mela"). He has directed comedy specials for Taylor Tomlinson, Michael Che, Sam Jay, Ilana Glazer, and Hannibal Buress, plus music videos for Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, and Black Pumas.
-- Avalon Fast--writer/director/actor, with a focus in queer cinema.
Avalon Fast's work centers on what she describes as "girl horror." Her debut feature, "Honeycomb," premiered at the 2022 Slamdance and went on to screen at Boston Underground and Fantasia. Her second feature, "CAMP," premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2025, before playing Outfest, TIFF next wave and Sitges. She recently co-starred in Alice Maio Mackay's sapphic horror "The Serpent's Egg" and appeared in Jane Schoenbrun's "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma."
-- Liz Sargent--writer/director with a focus in narrative and festival events
Liz Sargent won the 2026 Sundance Film Festival Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for her debut feature "Take Me Home," before screening internationally at the Berlin International Film Festival. A graduate of the UNCSA, where she studied modern dance, Sargent continues to redefine disability representation through bold and emotionally resonant storytelling.
The Community Programming panel will utilize the talent and experience of leaders and partners in the local community. Community Programmers for the 2027 festival include Brittany K. Giles-Jones, MPA, AEA, CEM (arts consultant), Jake Laystrom (a/perture cinema curator), Christopher Everett (artistic director of the Southern Documentary Fund), Max Cullen (director of operations & development of OUT at the movies), Taja Seafus (president of D.O.S.E Artist Collective and co-chair of Arts District Winston-Salem), and Tiffany Albright (founder and director of Queer Fear Film Festival).
"People are often surprised by the depth of artistic talent and the remarkable people who have chosen to make this region home. Winston-Salem is a modest city with an extraordinary cultural pulse," Morin said. "The Piedmont Triad is full of creative energy and meaningful partnerships, and we are excited to bring together a range of demographics and interests to help with the programming for RiverRun."
The third programming initiative is Youth SELECT, which stands for Shaping Emerging Leaders in Exhibition and Curatorial Talent. RiverRun will be working with recent UNCSA film grads Emily McCann and M-Alain Bertoni on recruiting students and local filmmakers, ages 18-26. Each Youth SELECT programmer will be eligible for a stipend or course credit for their time spent helping to program RiverRun.
"So often, young adults merely screen films for festivals and don't have any final input in the selection of films," said Umstead. "SELECT is unique in that our youth programmers will get to experience the full process of watching, reviewing, and deciding on a section of films collaboratively. The goal is to grow this endeavor to include more schools and cities in North Carolina. But for our inaugural year, we are focused on the community here in the Piedmont Triad. With time, we hope to become a go-to place for young filmmakers to learn and study the art of programming, curation, and film exhibition."
Those interested in applying for Youth SELECT, should email youthselect@riverrunfilm.com.
New film submission deadlines have been established for the 29th RiverRun International Film Festival. "Starting submissions in August versus September is about easing the stress filmmakers are likely feeling in not only finishing their films but committing to expensive submission fees," said Umstead.
Submissions open today with accessible entry pricing of $33 for shorts and $44 for features.
-- Opening Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2026
-- Early Bird Deadline: Monday, August 31, 2026
-- Regular Deadline: Monday, September 28, 2026
-- Late: Monday, November 2, 2026
-- Final: Monday, December 7, 2026
-- Notification: Week of February 15, 2027
-- Festival Dates: April 16-24, 2027
To submit a film, please visit FilmFreeway.com/riverrun
With RiverRun's core mission of helping to nurture a creative ecosystem in Winston-Salem, the festival is excited to announce a new annual fall event "Scene & Heard." Co-founded with UNCSA and a/perture cinema, the inaugural "Scene & Heard" kicks-off September 18 with a screening of Boots Riley's radical and uproarious "I Love Boosters," followed by a conversation with Riley and Abrea Armstrong from Triad Cultural Arts.
Scene & Heard: with Boots Riley
Friday September 18 at 7:30 p.m. | ACE Exhibition Complex, UNCSA
1533 South Main St., Winston-Salem, NC 27127-2738
Tickets: $25.00 general admission | $5.00 students with valid ID
Tickets will be available at riverrunfilm.com on August 18th
ABOUT RIVERRUN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The 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.
If you are interested in supporting RiverRun's new community-first direction or 2027 festival sponsorship opportunities, please contact: katherine@riverrunfilm.com.