Mark your calendars, full program coming soon…
32nd Short Film Showcase Award Winners
Congrats to all of this year’s winners! We had an amazing turnout and look forward to the next!
First Place $600
Monument
J.J.
Second Place $400
Computer Blue
Work from Home
Third Place $200
Jane Brinton | Water Bearers to Indigenous Tribes of Ecuador
As You Liked It! A Reflection on Waste Culture and Community Action
Bird Movie
The Kennel
Texas Strange
People’s Choice
J.J
VA Filmmaker Award
Monument
32nd Annual James River Short Film Showcase
Jane Brinton: Water Bearers to Indigenous Tribes of Ecuador,
Dir. Hernán Salcedo, Ecuador, EP. Albert H. Crane, Virginia 10:00
Monument, Jeremy Drummond, 16:45, Richmond, VA
Bird Movie, Lauryn Lingenfelter, 5:30, VA
Computer Blue, Nathan Conrad Piskator, 13:38, Richmond, VA
The Kennel, Julian Banks, 11:28, Newport News, VA
Intermission
J. J., Adam Dietrich and Elliott Gilbert, 17:00, Corsicana, TX
Work From Home, Justin Lamb, 5:38, Washington, D.C.
Texas Strange, Justin Eugene Evans, 9:23, Taipei, Taiwan
As You Liked It! A Reflection on Waste Culture,
Emmy Weldon, Cat McCarthy, 13:00, Richmond, VA
Come Join US!
Friday, January 16, 6:30–9:00 PM
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Leslie Cheek Theatre
Tickets can be found: HERE
AWARDS PRESENTATION: $3,000 in prizes! Plus, the Kathryn Stephens VA Filmmaker, & People's Choice Awards TBA at the screening's conclusion.
2026 James River Showcase Judge:
Don Harrison as a journalist and critic has been covering music, art and film for over three decades. A multiple VA Press Association winner, Mr. Harrison's writ-ing has been featured in Style Weekly, Richmond Magazine, 64 Magazine, The Washington Post, Virginia Pilot among others; he also hosts a popular interview program at WRIR, “Open Source.”
2026 JAMES RIVER SHOWCASE JURORS:
Caryl Burtner is an award winning conceptual artist who saw her first movie—The Snow Queen—at age two at the behest of her mother. Thousands of films later, and despite a growing collection of ticket stubs, she still screens avidly.
Tom Campagnoli watched Moby Dick and Hitchcock with his father as a boy, and later managed and projected films at Richmond's Biograph Theatre. He also starred as Kosmo in the RVA animated epic, Futuropolis.
Raasa Leela De Montebello is an award-winning filmmaker and actress who divides her time between NYC and Ashland, VA. An NYU film grad, her film have won numerous awards in Richmond's 48 Hour Film Projects.
Kevin Downs is a screenwriter and producer/director of numerous music videos. Edu-cated at VCU and NYU, he currently teaches screenwriting at Georgetown University.
Mine Eren is Chair of Modern Languages and Director of Film Studies at R-MC, holds a PhD from Brown U., and has organized several festivals to introduce German & Turkish filmmakers to new audiences.
Ken Hopson oversees The Workshop at VCU Libraries, which collaborates with academic research and design via emerging media technologies. His own narrative is a loose adaptation of an unscripted true story..
Jere Kittle is an RVA award-winning photographer, artist and filmmaker. Her work was a finalist in the London Int'l. Super-8 Fest: Straight 8, and also the Phillips Collection“American Moments” in DC in 2015.
Jeff Roll has a BFA in graphic design/photography, has served as Volunteer Co-ordinator and Vice-President of the JRFS, and for eight years curated/hosted the James River Filmmakers Forum; in 2019 he founded Cinema Niche at Studio Two Three.
Janet Scagnelli worked in commercial animation in NYC producing spots for Sesame St. and later with Nickelodeon. In Richmond she co-produced/edited the documentary Gentle Woman of a Dangerous Kind on peace activist Marii Hasegawa.
Todd Starkweather has PhD. in English, Univ. of Illinois-Chicago, where he also studied film theory. Having taught literature, writing, and film studies at various colleges the past twenty years, he currently teaches English in middle school.
Special thanks: Don Harrison, the jurors, & VMFA. The JR Short Film Showcase is sponsored annually by the VA Film Office, and JRFS. More info @ jamesriverfilm.org
Deadline Extended to November 24th!
Deadline Extended to Monday November 24th
We are pleased to announce that submissions for our 32nd Annual James River Short Film Showcase are now open. WE implore to share your work with the world! 20mins Max all, all Genres accepted, $3000 in total prizes!
Check out the details and submit your film via our FilmFreeway Page
Experience cinema the way it all began! On Sunday, Oct. 26th 8PM at Dogwood Dell, The James River Film Society bringing back the magic of the Silent Movie era with the Silent Music Revival showing of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" with a live score by Miramar.
Bring a blanket, pack some snacks, and settle in for a cozy fall evening filled with nostalgia, laughter, and the timeless charm of classic film.
Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind RVA tradition!
SILENT MUSIC REVIVAL
(Richmond’s enduring live music silent cinema series)
silent era films based on the works of:
Edgar Allan Poe
at the POE MUSEUM!
@poemuseum
1914 E Main St
w/ live score by: GULL!
@gull_face
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th
$5-20 (suggested donation) •7PM doors •7:30 film
Now Accepting Submissions! 32nd JRSFS
We are pleased to announce that submissions for our 32nd Annual James River Short Film Showcase are now open. WE implore to share your work with the world! 20mins Max all, all Genres accepted, $3000 in total prizes!
Check out the details and submit your film via our FilmFreeway Page
SMR @ Fringe Fest!
Silent Music Revival is STOKED to be a part of Richmond Fringe Festival closing ceremony!
Silent Music Revival (Richmond’s enduring live music silent cinema series)
Presents:
“ALICE IN WONDERLAND” (1915)
w/ live music score by:
DAVE WATKINS (@dwatkinsmusic)
MONDAY, APRIL 14th
Révéler (@revelerexperiences) 3108 W Cary St.
9-10PM film time
Whole closing ceremony begins at 5PM, Free for festival pass holders OR $15 at the door for the whole closing program
Thank You All!
Another one for the books! We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making this year’s festival as exceptional and memorable as the past 30. This includes our dedicated volunteers, esteemed guests, and of course, every single attendee. Over the last three decades, we have come to truly cherish the unique and special connections we have formed with each and every one of you. We eagerly look forward to bringing you more fantastic programming and experiences in the foreseeable future!
<3 JRFS
The 31st James River Film Festival!
Renowned guitarist/composer Gary Lucas is back with a world premiere score to FREAKS (dir: Tod Browning, '32)