Doug Jones headlines the three-day cinematic celebration, featuring The Shape of Water and Richard Fallin’s Crystal Cross, more than 70 independent films, and special screenings across Goshen
The wait is almost over!
This week, filmmakers, movie lovers, and some seriously creative people from around the world converge on Goshen as the 2026 River Bend Film Festival returns Sept. 3–5 for three days of independent film, special guests, filmmaker Q&As, free community programming, and one-of-a-kind cinematic experiences.
And if you haven’t made your plans yet, NOW is the time.
More than 70 independent films are part of this year’s festival, with stories and filmmakers representing Indiana, the United States, and countries around the world. From narrative and documentary shorts to student films, experimental work, family programming, and feature films, River Bend gives audiences an opportunity to discover something they might never encounter at the multiplex.
Headlining the weekend is internationally acclaimed actor and Indiana native Doug Jones, whose remarkable career includes unforgettable performances in The Shape of Water, Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, Hocus Pocus, and Star Trek: Discovery. On Saturday, Sept. 5, audiences can experience the Academy Award-winning Best Picture The Shape of Water on the big screen at Goshen Theater beginning at 6:10 p.m., followed by a live Q&A with Jones.
Friday night brings another festival highlight with a 9 p.m. screening of Crystal Cross, the comedy from director Richard Fallin that made its world premiere at the 2025 Austin Film Festival and earned the Audience Award for Comedy Vanguard.
Tickets and event passes are still available. Get yours TODAY and experience all the excitement of the 2026 River Bend Film Festival!
RBFF Offers Free Community Programming
Everyone can experience and enjoy RBFF 2026, which kicks off Thursday with free community programming at Greencroft Goshen before moving to Goshen Theater for Goshen College & Beyond from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Presented in partnership with the Goshen College Communications Department and the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Goshen College & Beyond is a free student and youth showcase that celebrates emerging filmmakers and concludes with a filmmaker Q&A.
The 2026 Sizzle Reel
Then, on Friday, River Bend joins the September First Fridays Bexbach Bash with a FREE Family-Friendly Shorts Block from 5:30 to 7:10 p.m. at Goshen Theater. Families can add independent film to an evening already packed with live music, German-inspired food and drink, puppetry, games and activities throughout downtown Goshen.
Saturday morning offers another free opportunity to experience River Bend with the Coffee Talk: Filmmakers Panel from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Goshen Brewing Company, before ticketed screenings resume at Goshen Theater.
Global Stories. Hoosier Talent. One Big Weekend.
River Bend’s 2026 lineup puts a special spotlight on Indiana filmmaking, including work from creators connected to Goshen, Indianapolis, Carmel, Fort Wayne, Crawfordsville, Lawrenceburg, Syracuse, New Carlisle, Hartford City, North Vernon, Upland, and other Hoosier communities.
But River Bend is about more than sitting in a theater and watching movies. Many screenings are followed by filmmaker Q&As, giving audiences the rare opportunity to hear directly from the people behind the films. Add special events, industry conversations, and opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to connect, and Downtown Goshen becomes a meeting place for people who love great stories—and the people who make them.
It all happens THIS WEEK.
Whether you’re a dedicated film fan, an aspiring filmmaker, looking for something different to do with the family, or simply curious about what happens when independent filmmakers from around the world bring their work to Downtown Goshen, this is your invitation.
Sept. 3–5. More than 100 films. Three days. One incredible celebration of independent filmmaking.
Heralded American actor Doug Jones, known for performances in ‘The Shape of Water’, ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, ‘Hellboy’, ‘Hocus Pocus’, ‘Star Trek: Discovery’, and dozens of other film and television productions, is a featured guest at the 2026 River Bend Film Festival in Goshen.
Don’t miss the 2026 River Bend Film Festival!
Tickets and passes range from individual screening tickets to All-Access Passes. All screenings are at Goshen Theater unless otherwise noted.
Goshen College & Beyond Screenings
- The Display by the Film Production LA May Term Class
- Burning by Isabel Massud, a senior film production major from São Paulo, Brazil
- I See Color by Ryan Carrillo, a senior film production major from Goshen, Indiana
- A Thousand Suns by Matija Margetic, a senior film production major from Zagreb, Croatia
- Qui Est Là? by Jonam Sapkots, a senior film production major from Kathmandu, Nepal
- The Empty Chair by Lindsey Daniels, a senior film production major from Goshen, Indiana
All tickets and passes purchased online will be available for pickup during the festival at Goshen Theater Box Office, located at 216 South Main Street in downtown Goshen. Attendees should bring a valid photo ID when picking up their credentials.