It\u2019s finally back. After a year of uncertainty and a cancellation of last year\u2019s event, RiverRun is back with both in-person and virtual screenings of the kind of high-caliber, lesser-known films we\u2019ve come to associate with the festival. Among our picks are local filmmakers who shot in the Triad or highlighted one of our three cities in some way. We picked films that tackle transgender identity, immigration, the Black experience and more while working to ensure that both documentaries and feature films are included. So if like the rest of us, you\u2019ve missed watching films that haven\u2019t been targeted to you by Netflix, check out some of these flicks from this year\u2019s round-up.<\/p>\n
To find out where, when and how to watch the films, visit the RiverRun website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n by Brian Clarey, Sayaka Matsuoka, Michaela Ratfliff and Nicole Zelniker<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBecoming:\u201d<\/a><\/strong> A short documentary about immigration, the most impactful parts of this work aren\u2019t visual but auditory in nature. Shot by Alex Morelli or Durham, the story follow\u2019s Morelli\u2019s partner Barbara as she navigates the immigration process. Read our full review here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Bethesda: A Shelter\u2019s Story:<\/a><\/em><\/strong> This documentary film dives deep into the workings of Bethesda, a homeless shelter in Winston-Salem. Through intimate interviews and candid shots, the film casts the array of characters which include homeless individuals, volunteers and staff, as sympathetic human beings with complex and interesting backgrounds. For anyone interested in human stories, this one isn\u2019t to be missed. Read our full review here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe Black Baptism:\u201d<\/a><\/strong> This gorgeous short tackles so much in just 20 minutes. Another work with a NC tie, this film grapples with the complex realities that exist for Black women through gritty but beautiful imagery. Read our full review here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Desiring<\/strong><\/em>:<\/a> This work by Winston-Salem native Graham Pritz-Bennett takes an old story and adds nuance to make it new. A husband catches his wife cheating on him and gets caught in a journey of self-discover that tackles identity, love, marriage, friendship and desire. Parts of it are also shot in Winston-Salem. Read our full review here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cJust Over the Line:\u201d<\/a><\/strong> In a mere 11 minutes, this work is able to capture the unjust court system by breaking down the arrest charges of a single man. By comparing the sentences for the same charge in Yancey and Buncombe Counties, Director Adam J. Wood questions the subjective nature of justice. Read our full review here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>
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