The River Bend Film Festival, Goshen, Indiana
Thursday, October 1 – Saturday, October 3, 2020
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Pricing
You choose how you want to see the Festival this year! Each day is divided into blocks of film, workshops, and other events. You can purchase passes for individual blocks, a pass for all the short film blocks, or a pass for the entire Festival.
Block Passes | $8
Get passes for individual film blocks by clicking on the links below in the Festival Schedule.
Each Festival block is $8.
Click the ‘Get Block Pass / Login’ button to see further details for each block.
Short Films Pass | $35
Get access to all 7 short film blocks. The short film blocks pass is $35. This pass does not include our Feature Films or other events.
Festival Pass | $50
Get a River Bend Film Festival Pass and gain access to everything! This pass covers all the short film blocks, our feature films, panels, workshops, and special events! This is the best option for experiencing all River Bend has to offer.
Get Festival Gear!
Even though we can’t meet in person you don’t want to miss this yearly tradition.
RBFF 2020 Schedule
Thursday, October 1
Welcome!
6:30 p.m. | Free
The RBFF team welcomes you to the 19th Annual Festival!
Shorts Block: Love Hurts
7 p.m. | $8
Ah, the keen sting of love. These 10 short films explore love and all its ups and downs.
Shorts Block: A Walk on the Dark Side
9 p.m. | $8
Explore the darker side of things in this block of 7 short films.
Not suitable for young audiences.
Friday, October 2
Shorts Block: Documentary
11 a.m. | $8
Documentaries bring insight into so many aspects of life. Learn and grow with us during this block of 6 documentary shorts.
Workshop: Actors Workshop
1 p.m. | $8
What you need to know about professional acting. This seminar will give you ideas for finding an agent, headshots, and answer questions such as: What should I have on my resume? What should I expect of an agent? What should an agent expect from me? Do I need to spend $2500 on classes in order to get an agent? What do I need to do to join SAG-AFTRA? What does my career need to look like prior to joining?
Bring your questions to this interactive conversation with SAG-AFTRA Chicago Director of TV/Theatrical, Kathy Byrne.
Shorts Block: Student Films
3 p.m. | $8
9 inspiring short films created by student filmmakers.
Shorts Block: Facing the World
6 p.m. | $8
Take a deep breath, muster some courage, and jump into this block of 10 short films.
Panel: Angelo Pizzo reflects on Rudy
8 p.m. | $8
Originally released in 1993, Rudy tells the story of an underdog striving to accomplish his goal of playing football for Notre Dame University. Writer and producer Angelo Pizzo joins festival Moderator David Kendall to talk about his creative process for this film as well as the legacy and connection this region has to the film.
Feature Film: Let’s Scare Jessica to Death
10 p.m. | $8
Director: John D. Hancock (1971)
Newly released from a mental ward, Jessica (Zohra Lampert) hopes to return to life the way it was before her nervous breakdown. But when Jessica moves to a country house with her husband (Barton Heyman) and a close friend (Kevin O’Connor), she finds a mysterious girl living in there who may or may not be a vampire. Jessica’s terror and paranoia resurface as evil forces surround her, making her wonder: Are the visions real or is she slipping back into madness?
Retrospective with Director John D. Hancock before the film.
Saturday, October 3
Coffee Talk: Hosted by Jordon Hodges
10 a.m. | Free
Bring your own coffee and join us on Zoom to network and talk film!
Link to come
Shorts Block: Variety Town
12 p.m. | $8
A little bit of this and a little bit of that. Surely there’s something for you in this block of 10 short films!
Workshop: Make-up for Zoom
2 p.m. | $8
Join professional film make-up artist Sarah Elizabeth as she shows you the best techniques for presenting yourself on Zoom. The workshop will take a fun turn as she creates “Zoombie” looks for Halloween.
Shorts Block: Indiana Filmmakers
3:30 p.m. | $8
This shorts block of 10 films keeps things Hoosier-based, featuring all Indiana filmmakers.
Panel: The Shade Shepherd Team
4:30 p.m. | $8
Join writer and actor Jordon Hodges, writer and director Chris Faulisi, actor Randy Pence, and actor and producer Brett Baker as they talk with festival Director Adrienne Nesbitt about their film The Shade Shephard (2019). They will discuss the process of conceptualizing, writing, and creating a film as well as their experience shooting a film in the Michiana area.
Feature Film: Girls of Summer
6 p.m. | $8
Director: John D. Hancock (2020)
After her two younger sisters leave home, Maren — Midwest sod farmer by day, drummer by night — is left alone to take care of her depressed, narcotic-abusing father. Eventually recognizing her unhappiness, Maren’s father insists she pursue her dreams of becoming an Americana musician. This realization encourages Maren to join the band of legendary country star, Luke Thomas. While on tour with Luke’s band, Maren falls in love with him. During a show, Maren performs a love song she has written specifically for Luke. His shocking response to her declaration of love sets unforeseeable events into motion. When the dream is bigger than you, will you rise to meet it? When the past wants to own your future, will you let it? When life sends you in another direction, will you choose to accept your fate? While staying true to herself and holding her family together, Maren must face the past in order to move forward.
River Bend Film Festival Awards
8 p.m. | Free
Join us as we present 8 special awards to this year’s filmmakers to close out the Festival.
2019 RBFF Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Film & Friend of the Fest
John D. Hancock, Director, Writer
Best Documentary
This Is Love | Executive Producer, Shawn Rhodes, Crook and Nanny Productions
Best Director
Max Powers | Don’t Be Nice | Bowery Poetry Studios, Radio Drama Network, Bowery Arts and Science, Flatbush Pictures, Juno Films
Upstream Spotlight
Cole Sibus | Spare Room | Director Jenica Bergere, 285 Pictures, Glade Production, Lesson 1 Entertainment
Best Actress
Piercey Dalton | Duke
Best Actor
David Sterne | Granbad | Director Annabel Vine, Mordue Pictures, Wax Films
Best Short Documentary
My Indiana Muse | Directors Jen Serena, Ric Serena
Best Short Film | Live Action
ASIA A | Director Andrew Reid
Best Animation
My Grandfather’s Memory Book | Director Colin Levy
Best Studio Screenplay
Perry | R. J. Watson
Best Independent Screenplay
The Lease of Nature | Anderson “Drew” Boyd
RBFF Interviews
Chris Overton
Shubhashish Bhutiani
Rachel Shenton
Stephen Susco
Zachary Spicer
Sam Miro
Beth Grant
Official 2020 Film Fest Countdown
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2020 River Bend Film Festival Sponsors
This project is made possible by the support of the Indiana Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.