The Richwood Film Festival celebrates the heritage, ecology, and resilience of the Appalachian Forest region—the festival showcases films that explore the deep interconnections between people, place, culture, and the natural environment.

This film festival has been organized through a partnership of The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area, Bloomfield Gallery, The Milltown Foundation Richwood, and The Cranberry Basecamp.

The Jury to includes WVU Art faculty, local artists, business owners, and community enthisiasts, and other professionals in the field of film and video arts.

This year, the Richwood Film Festival seeks submissions from all genres of film and video art broadly exploring the theme of Forest Heritage & Abundance.

The Appalachian Mountains are home to some of the most biodiverse temperate forests in North America. This festival showcases the region’s mixed hardwood ecosystems, red spruce highlands, and unique mountain microclimates. Films will explore biodiversity, conservation, traditional ecological knowledge, and the natural abundance that has sustained generations.

Works will explore the deep, evolving relationship between people and the forest landscape. Films and programming will highlight how the Appalachian forests have shaped local culture, livelihoods, and identity—and how human history, in turn, has influenced the forest itself. Through this lens, the festival will celebrate the ongoing story of coexistence between nature and community.

We particularly invite films that explore the following themes.

Crucible of Isolation
Richwood and the broader region reflect a distinctive Appalachian culture formed through geographic isolation, rugged terrain, and the convergence of diverse cultural groups. Films may highlight stories of self-reliance, traditional folkways, music, crafts, and other living traditions that continue to enrich American culture today.

Logging Boom
At the turn of the 20th century, rail expansion opened the Appalachian Forest to intensive logging, fueling industrial growth across the eastern United States. We invite films that examine the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the logging boom—how it built communities, transformed landscapes, and reshaped local economies.

Resillient Forest
The revival of forest ecosystems following widespread harvest demonstrates the resilience of both the land and the people who depend on it. Programming may investivate forest recovery, ecological restoration, modern forest management, recreation and tourism, and sustainable forest product industries. These stories emphasize renewal and the opportunities ahead for mountain communities.

Awards & Prizes

first prize: $500
second prize: $300
third prize: $100

Rules & Terms

REQUIREMENTS/AGREEMENTS
• Works must broadly align with the festival theme.
• Separate entry form and fee required for each entry.
• Entry fees are non-refundable.
• Please include English subtitles with all non-English narrative entries.
• Deadline for entry: August 31, 2026.
• Notification of selection status: on or before October 5, 2026.
• The screening committee reserves the right to change the submission category of any selected work.
• Applicants agree to allow festival organizers use of accepted works for promotional materials and events, current and future.
• Accepted applicants agree to send high resolution screening copies of selected works and requested publicity materials – or to make them available for download – before October 23, 2026.