New Media Film Festival® Launches New “Talent Award,” Spotlighting Human Performance Across All Formats at New Media Film Festival

New Media Film Festival® Launches New “Talent Award,” Spotlighting Human Performance Across All Formats

Los Angeles — New Media Film Festival®, long known for championing boundarypushing storytelling and emerging technologies, is expanding its awards lineup with a new Talent Award, debuting live in Los Angeles during the festival’s 18th edition. The category marks a bold acknowledgment of what has always been at the heart of innovation: the humans whose performances give every format its emotional pulse.

The Talent Award recognizes exceptional human performance across the full spectrum of media showcased at New Media Film Festival®. Eligible work includes onscreen acting, voice acting, hosting, narration, ensemble performance, and character creation — whether appearing in TV, pilots, web series, mobile vertical content, immersive experiences, animated projects, or any format accepted by the festival. True to the festival’s ethos: all ages, all cultures, in all media accepted. www.NewMediaFIlmFestival.com

Since launching in 2009 — announced in Second Life, fittingly — New Media Film Festival® has built a reputation for spotting the future early. The festival was among the first to feature AIgenerated films, AR international art exhibits, holographic digital content, and even to fund a feature from a 30second pitch. Its judges hail from Marvel, HBO®, PBS, BBC, Rolling Stone, and other major creative institutions.

“The New Media Film Festival® seemed like an outlier when it started in 2009, with their strange categories, web series, 3D storytelling, digital comics, now all of a sudden these phrases are the new normal. The NMFF is always looking to the future, challenging creators, the market and the audience to discover new storytelling. There are not many festivals pushing the limits.” - Oscar Winner Nicholas (Nick) Reed

Creators from around the world compete for awards across 28 classic and tech categories, and the festival’s ecosystem continues to expand: a distribution library of 200 titles, a builtin podcast network, student career programs, and a global audience that includes directors, producers, tech innovators, studio executives, and awardwinning talent.

The addition of the Talent Award underscores a shift in the industry — as formats evolve, platforms multiply, and technology accelerates, performance remains the connective tissue that makes storytelling resonate. Founder Director Susan Johnston notes that “while New Media Film Festival® has spent nearly two decades pushing the industry forward, the world has finally caught up. Now it’s time to honor the performers who elevate every frame, every voice, every moment.”

The first Talent Award will be presented live in Los Angeles during the 18th Annual New Media Film Festival® June 2-3 2027, joining the roster of honors that celebrate innovation, creativity, and the future of media.

Submissions are now open worldwide. www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com

ABOUT NEW MEDIA FILM FESTIVAL®

New Media Film Festival® is a Los Angeles–based showcase for boundarypushing storytelling across emerging formats, drawing an international roster of creators and industry leaders each year. Known for honoring stories worth telling since 2009 and its discerning curation and futurefacing perspective, the festival has become a hub for artists working at the intersection of technology and narrative craft. Its programming spans global premieres, creatordriven panels, distribution opportunities, and redcarpet events that attract studio executives, awardwinning talent, and innovators shaping the next wave of media. With a commitment to championing diverse voices and new creative frontiers, New Media Film Festival® continues to serve as a launchpad for work that challenges convention and expands the possibilities of modern storytelling.