About RIFF:

Visit RIFF's Film Freeway page or the festival website at www.rvafilmfestival.com to enter, new season now open.

In its 15th year, RIFF is now one of the largest international competitive festivals on the east coast and recognized by more than 30 countries.  There is something for all ages every year over the six day festival. 

RIFF offers a rich, collaborative environment with more than 160 local, national and international films selected for their Richmond, Virginia premiere, plus community engagement events, industry panels, filmmaker and music Q & As, more than 25 live music performances, the Global Visionary Summit, educational workshops, mixers and red-carpet awards all of which usher the spirit of Hollywood and hospitality into more than 10 venues across the city. If looking for a weekend get-away, or simply want to come out and enjoy great entertainment with friends and colleagues, the festival has a range of options to enjoy.  

Festival attendees also benefit from the FLOW Collective Creative Conference during festival week, which includes panel discussions on topics such as content development, cinematography, screenwriting, branding, distribution, financing, audience engagement, writing and directing pitch sessions and music + film labs.

The festival expanded its annual music showcase ten years ago to include a model similar to SXSW where local, national, and international bands visit Richmond to perform at various venues around RVA and compete for top awards with the Grand Jury. RIFF invites the musicians, filmmakers, and artists back to Richmond to encourage production in the state for future projects. On top of providing great entertainment for the public from some of the film and music industry’s top talent, RIFF has a unique focus of connecting filmmakers and musicians and creates platforms that assist the artists in forging new working relationships.