About the River Bend Film Festival
For the first seven years, the festival was located on the campus of Indiana University-South Bend and was originally named the IU-South Bend Independent Video & Filmmakers Festival. For its first year, the festival was a one-day event but grew into two days in the second year.
River Bend has screened hundreds of student, regional, and international films, averaging 50-70 per year. It has also offered workshops on lighting, acting, editing, screenwriting, visual effects, crowdfunding, and more.
The festival accepts all genres: narrative, documentary, experimental, music video, animation, student, features, and shorts. River Bend makes it a priority to highlight the work of local and regional filmmakers, and many of the films come from across the country and around the world.
Festival Facts
- The festival was founded in 2002 out of South Bend, Indiana.
- The festival moved to Goshen, Indiana in 2016. The inaugural season in Goshen shattered all previous attendance
records, and has been growing ever since. - An average of 50 to 75 films
are screened at the festival per year. - Previous special guests include Academy Award®-winning writer and actress Rachel Shenton (The Silent Child), Academy Award®-winning director Chris Overton (The Silent Child), actress Beth Grant (The Artist, No Country for Old Men, Donnie Darko), screenwriter Wes Jones (Billions, The Brink), writer/director Jim Strouse (The Incredible Jessica James, People Places Things), producer/director Leila Djansi (Like Cotton Twines), and many more.
2019 FESTIVAL PRESS RELEASES
Film Festival Gets ‘Taste of Goshen’
Festival To Feature Music, Movies, and More!
Early Bird Submission Deadline Approaching August 31
2019 Festival Schedule Announced
– IN THE PRESS –
River Bend Film Festival focuses on Indiana filmmakers and documentary films
South Bend Tribune, May 2, 2019
18th annual River Bend Film Festival to kick off Thursday in Goshen
WNDU, May 1, 2019
Acclaimed director-producer-screenwriter John D. Hancock to delve into art of filmmaking
The Goshen News, April 30, 2019
River Bend to feature Indiana filmmakers
The Elkhart Truth, April 4, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT
Photo Archive
2019 River Bend Film Festival Sponsors




Allen Brenneman • Celtx • Common Spirits • Flowers By Phoebe • Goshen Motors • Greensweep Cleaning Services • Lesson.ly • The Local • Salon J • Vinyl Wagon Crew • Weston Fribley • Woodstar Photography • Yoder Culp Funeral Home
This project is made possible by the support of the Indiana Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
And a special thanks to our 2019 Festival hosts
