Founded in 1998, RiverRun was inspired by the French Broad River near Brevard, North Carolina, where the festival was originally held. Each year since its inception, RiverRun has grown substantially. For the 2013 Festival, more than 18,000 tickets were issued to the 140+ films from 35 countries that were shown. Increasingly, RiverRun has been able to present high-profile, critically-acclaimed films to its passionate audiences. Some of the Festival's landmark films from the past few years include: Mud, Win Win, Meek's Cutoff, Wuthering Heights, Mao's Last Dancer, 500 Days of Summer, Paris, je T'aime and The Notebook. The Festival has also showcased an eclectic mix of substantial Documentary Features over the years, including Chasing Ice, Twenty Feet From Stardom, Food, Inc., Chimpanzee, Up the Yangtze, Manufactured Landscapes and Last Train Home. In addition, the Festival regularly presents filmmakers or performers with special awards for overall artistic achievement. Recent recipients of RiverRun's Master of Cinema Award, a career award recognizing an outstanding body of work, include Stanley Nelson (2015), Kartemquin Films (2014), Peter Bogdanovich (2010), Bill Pullman (2008), Pam Grier (2008), Ned Beatty (2006) and Cliff Robertson (2005). Recent recipients of RiverRun's Emerging Master Award, recognizing exciting and visionary new talents in cinema, include Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady of Loki Films (2015), Melanie Lynskey (2014), Debra Granik (2014), Jeff Nichols (2013), Paul Schneider (2012), Michael Shannon (2011), David Gordon Green (2010), and Ramin Bahrani (2009). Other notable special guests have also included Andie MacDowell, Sissy Spacek, Will Patton, Colin Hanks and Rosemary Harris.

During the run of the Festival, RiverRun creates an inspired environment in downtown Winston-Salem featuring a dynamic combination of talent, film-loving audiences and industry heavyweights. A hotbed of discovery and interactivity, this cultural event offers screenings of yet-to-be released films, opportunities to interact with artists and immersion into the art and business of the independent film world.

RiverRun is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to the role of cinema as a conduit of powerful ideas and diverse viewpoints. Our mission is to foster a greater appreciation of cinema and a deeper understanding of the many people, cultures and perspectives of our world through regular interaction with great films and filmmakers. In addition to the Festival's annual line-up of 150+ films, RiverRun also presents a broad range of special events, celebrity tributes, family programs, panel discussions and parties.