The Alza Microdrama Festival will debut in New York City from October 16 to October 18, 2026, in partnership with the NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.
Festival Highlights
The event will feature premieres, screenings of microdramas, industry conversations, networking events, masterclasses, and brand activations. As part of its collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, the festival will introduce the Created in NY program. This initiative will present educational panels, workshops, and a Created in NY showcase, offering finalists the chance to win a Made in NY Award—an inaugural honor for a content creator.
Supporting Emerging Creators
“New York has always defined what’s next in media, and vertical storytelling is no exception,” stated Rafael Espinal, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. He emphasized the motivation behind launching the Created in NY program alongside Alza Festival: “The next generation of filmmakers and creators is already here. Our job is to help open doors, develop talent, and ensure New York remains the best place in the world to build a creative career.”
Founders and Vision
Alza Festival was co-founded by Pete Torres, former COO of Tribeca Festival, Rita Vinnik, a former TikTok executive, and Katie Korfhage, previously Tribeca Festival’s Vice President of Development. The founders have issued an open call for submissions, inviting creators to participate in this groundbreaking event.
“Vertical storytelling has evolved into one of the fastest-growing forms of entertainment in the world, yet until now it hasn’t had a dedicated cultural home – so we created ALZA to change that,” said Pete Torres, Founder and CEO of Alza Festival. Torres highlighted the goal of uniting creators, platforms, studios, brands, and audiences in celebrating this medium while shaping its future, asserting, “There is no better place than New York City to launch that conversation, and we’re proud to work with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment to spotlight the city’s next generation of storytellers.”
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/alza-microdrama-festival-partners-with-nyc-mayors-office-for-october-debut-1236649503/
