James River Film Society

The annual James River Film Festival (JRFF) was established by JRFS co-founder Michael Jones, along with other Richmond area university faculty members, media professionals, and volunteers, in April 1994. The purpose of the festival is to celebrate and examine the history and continuing contributions of independently produced film and video. Each April the festival brings nationally and internationally known independent filmmakers to Richmond to screen and discuss their work. In 2011, the festival spun off its annual juried competition for short films (30 minutes or less) into its own festival, James River Shorts (Now the James River Short Film Showcase). We welcome submissions from around the globe! JRFF awards up to $2,000 in cash and prizes — another way the James River Film Society supports and stimulates independent filmmaking.