For over 30 years his documentary films have focused on social issues and politics including: Native American histories and struggles (Ishi, the Last Yahi, California's "Lost" Tribes, Who Owns the Past?,) and agriculture, food and sustainability issues (Ripe for Change).
In 1968, he published The Good Life magazine and soon became politically involved in the civil rights and anti-war movements in Texas.
Riffe's best known film, Ishi, the Last Yahi was released theatrically and aired on the PBS series The American Experience.
Riffe and his team designed, programmed, built and installed four interactive media kiosks with 160 minutes of content from the California and the American Dream series.
In 1990, Riffe produced 86 minutes of video for three interactive History Information Stations, at the Oakland Museum of California.