ALZA Festival Announces Inaugural Award Winners, Celebrating Excellence in Vertical Storytelling

Seven Awards Recognize Outstanding Series, Shorts, Direction, Performance and Innovation in the Festival's Debut Year

Romel Rodriguez of The Super NYC Becomes the First Vertical Storyteller to Receive the “Made in NY” Award, Presented by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and ALZA Festival

New York, NY, October 19, 2026 – The inaugural ALZA Festival, a first-of-its-kind festival dedicated to microdramas and vertical series, today announced its award winners, recognizing the creators, performers and projects advancing the art of vertical storytelling. RelationShiTs and Voicemails From My Neighbor earned Best Vertical Series and Best Vertical Short, respectively, leading the Festival’s first class of award recipients.

Held October 16-18 in New York City, the Festival featured 35 world premieres alongside panels and conversations with the creators, executives and talent shaping the format. The awards honor both creative achievement and what makes vertical storytelling distinct, from compelling performances and inventive direction to the hooks, twists and episode endings that keep audiences coming back. 

The Festival recognized winners in seven categories: Best Vertical Series, Best Vertical Short, Best Director, Best Performance, Innovation in Vertical Storytelling, The One More Episode Award, and the “Made in NY” Award, presented in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

“The entertainment industry is constantly evolving, and vertical storytelling is helping shape its future. It’s already changing how people discover, watch and connect with stories,” said Pete Torres, Founder and CEO of ALZA Festival. “Our inaugural award winners reflect the creativity and ambition making this space so exciting. We’re proud to celebrate their work and bring together a community that will help define what comes next.”

Bronx-based filmmaker Romel Rodriguez, creator of the comedy series The Super NYC, became the first vertical storyteller to receive the City’s “Made in NY” Award from the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME). The recipient was chosen by New Yorkers through the “Created in NY” campaign, which invited the public to choose their favorite among the five local finalists.

“Great storytelling isn't defined by the size of the screen or the platform it's made for,” said Commissioner Rafael Espinal of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “Congratulations to Romel Rodriguez, whose vertical series The Super NYC captures the character and spirit of New York City and makes him a deserving recipient of the ‘Made in NY’ award. We're also proud to celebrate all five finalists, whose creativity shows just how much talent is emerging through this new format. As storytelling evolves, so should the opportunities and recognition we give the people creating it.”

2026 ALZA FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

BEST VERTICAL SERIES

RelationShiTs, directed by Carlos Cardona, Lacy Marie Meyer

BEST VERTICAL SHORT

Voicemails From My Neighbor, directed by Sydni Beaudoin

BEST DIRECTOR

Salvador Pakowitz for Layover

BEST PERFORMANCE

Gregory Alan Williams for NOTED: Table For Two - A Vertical Series Anthology

INNOVATION IN VERTICAL STORYTELLING

Jan Latto and Hannah Rose Doherty for Newborn

THE ONE MORE EPISODE AWARD

The Count, created by Gary Entin and Edmund Entin

Recognizing compelling hooks, escalating stakes and episode endings that leave viewers eager for the next installment.

“MADE IN NY” AWARD

Presented by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and ALZA Festival. Selected by New Yorkers through the “Created in NY” campaign.

Romel Rodriguez, The Super NYC.

About the ALZA Festival
ALZA Festival, founded by Torres, the former COO for Tribeca Festival, along with cofounders Rita Vinnik, a former TikTok executive and Katie Korfhage, who previously served as Tribeca Festival’s Vice President of Development, aims to transform digital-native storytelling into curated, in-person cultural moments. It is designed specifically to meet the rise of microdramas and vertical series, connecting filmmakers, audiences, and brands in ways that extend far beyond the screen.