Good Star Vibes is thrilled to exclusively reveal the official nominees for the 2025 NYC Web Fest, marking the twelfth year of New York City’s celebrated showcase for digital creators. Set to return to The Producer’s Club in Manhattan from November 14–16, 2025, the festival continues to champion diverse voices and boundary-pushing storytelling across web series, TV pilots, short films, micro-episodes, and—this year for the very first time—podcasts.
Founded by Lauren Atkins in 2014, NYC Web Fest has become a global platform for digital creativity, drawing filmmakers, actors, and producers from across the world. For 2025, the festival’s lineup spans 14 countries, featuring a dynamic range of formats, including this year’s addition of audio productions—reflecting the ever-expanding landscape of modern storytelling.
Leading the nominations this year is Ils sont parmi nous / They Are Among Us, a Montreal-made sci-fi drama that continues to impress globally, earning nine nominations across multiple categories. Following closely behind is Belgium’s The Class of 2000, which picked up seven nods, including Best Drama and Best International. Just behind them are Cautious but Curious, The Loved and The Heartless, and Recipes for Connection, each earning five nominations and showcasing the depth of creativity represented in this year’s international lineup.
Other standout highlights from this year’s slate include the British audio thriller Levian, which earned multiple nominations and continues to impress with its immersive sound design and gripping performances. Among this year’s most talked-about entries is the Audible Original series Eavesdropper, which will make its world festival premiere at NYC Web Fest. Produced by Dick Wolf’s Wolf Entertainment and featuring a stellar cast including Matt Dillon, Matthew Lillard, and Susan Kelechi Watson, the series brings cinematic quality to the world of audio storytelling. Created by Elliot Wolf, it masterfully explores the fine line between privacy and paranoia through a tense, character-driven narrative—cementing its place as one of this year’s standout premieres.
Rounding out the festival’s standout selections are two emotionally charged premieres: The Powerhouse, a visually striking Chilean short film chronicling two migrants’ perilous desert journey, and Recipes for Connection, a moving Canadian docuseries that finds hope, healing, and humanity through shared meals. Together, these works embody NYC Web Fest’s commitment to showcasing emotionally resonant stories that bridge genres, cultures, and media formats.
Festival founder and executive director Lauren Atkins shared her excitement about this year’s nominees, stating, “The 2025 nominees reflect how creators are redefining storytelling across different mediums. We have 14 countries represented in this year’s slate, and I’m grateful to the new podcasters who submitted, plus the returning filmmakers who’ve supported us over the years.” With both returning filmmakers and first-time audio creators joining the lineup, NYC Web Fest continues to evolve as a hub for creative innovation and collaboration.
This year’s event is supported by Blue Foxes, Aux Mode, and Theorist Studios, all providing development opportunities and prizes for participating creators. In addition, Paramount Hotel Times Square has been named the official accommodation partner, welcoming festivalgoers to the heart of New York City.
🏆 2025 NYC Web Fest Award Nominations:
Outstanding Achievement in Editing
- Zoé Guèvremont – Paper Cuts
- Juan Carlos Soto – The Powerhouse
- Shannon Michaels – Buried
- Dominic Montplaisir, Matthieu Bouchard, Louis-Philippe Chagnon – Breathe In Breathe Out
- Garth Dyke – Recipes for Connection
Outstanding Achievement in Sound
- Sébastien Bédard – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- Felipe Requena – The Powerhouse
- Pino Halili – Cautious but Curious
- Jannik Dahl Pedersen, Rasmus Skaarup Johansen – The Struggle for Existence – Season 2
- Nick Keate – Graystanes
Outstanding Sound Design – Audio Series
- Blake Pfeil – abandoned: The All-American Ruins Podcast
- Samy Souissi, Brad Colbroock, Wil Williams – Levian
- Matt Winkelman – The Spectral Silhouette Radio Show
- Travis Vengroff, Finnur Nielsen – The White Vault: Goshawk
- Josh Burgess – Heartglass
Outstanding Achievement in Music
- Sass Pinci – Dark Arcadia
- Frédérick Takvorian – T-REX
- Joseph Marchand – Maestro
- Danny Ray Smith, Jr., Nick Blount, Terrence Whitmore, Claude Deuce – The Loved And The Heartless
- Ilia Klimenchenko – Know Your Muse
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography
- Wilson Huang – Dark Arcadia
- Benoit Jones-Vallée – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- Michał Wiśnioski – Mirror
- Roman Boyko – The cycle “About people and about the war”
- Antoine Benhini – T-REX
Outstanding Achievement in Writing
- Justine Philie – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- Geerard Van de Walle – The Class of 2000
- Stéphane Lafleur – Maestro
- Jannik Dahl Pedersen, Rasmus Skaarup Johansen – The Struggle for Existence – Season 2
- Jessie Bluedorn, Kylie Holloway, Johnny Castro, Hugo Fowler – Slick
Best Original Concept
- Know Your Muse – Andrey Tamarchenko
- The Perfect Pic – Ebis Hernandez
- Building Friendships – Jon Sosis
- Slick – Jessie Bluedor, Kylie Holloway
- Eavesdropper – Elliot Wolf
Best Supporting Actress
- Eliza Matengu – Buried
- Catherine Proulx-Lemay – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- Shantelle Wheeler – The Loved And The Heartless
- Emma Beech – Bloom
- Emma DeWitt – The Cineplex
Best Supporting Actor
- Stéphane Crête – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- Wouter Hendrickx – The Class of 2000
- Asher Hogarth – Bloom
- Ben Thys – Cautious but Curious
- Irdens Exantus – Ils sont parmi nous / They Are Among Us
Solo/Host
- Ebis Hernandez – The Perfect Pic
- Jon Sosis – Building Friendships
- Katie Mahalic – Shadow Clock Podcast
- Blake Pfeil – abandoned: The All-American Ruins Podcast
- Dave Colonna – American Treasure Podcast
Dynamic Duo
- Sophia Harber, Fleurette Modica – Shrews
- Kevin Michael Brennan, Wasim Azeez – The Cineplex
- Julianne Côté, Joseph Marchand – Maestro
- Sofie Tor, Camilla Lau – The Struggle for Existence – Season 2
- Jannik Dahl Pedersen, Rasmus Skaarup Johansen – The Struggle for Existence – Season 2
Best Drama
- The cycle “About people and about the war” – Dmitry Pasichnyuk
- The Loved And The Heartless – Karlton T. Clay, Destin Freeman, Victory Productions, L.L.C.
- T-REX – Louis-Philippe Vachon, Jérémie Boucher, Gabriel Savignac inséparables films
- Bloom – Stephen de Villiers, Chloe Gardner, Arterial Films
- The Class of 2000 – Geerard Van de Walle, Karolien Vanelderen, Sallie Gardner & Domm
Best Comedy
- Shrews – Sophia Harber, Fleurette Modica, Lydia Sims, Caitlin Mayernik
- Lateral Move sketch comedy – Andrew Bossone, Bossone Productions
- Slick – Jessie Bluedorn, Kylie Holloway, LA Head, James Barker, Carmack Productions
- The Cineplex – Alan Del Tufo, Rich McDonald
- Buried – Charlotte George, Miriam Glaser, Fran Derham, Frantales Films
Best Audio Performer
- Feliks Mathur – Levian
- Beth Eyre – Levian
- Matt Dillon – Eavesdropper
- Matthew Lillard – Eavesdropper
- Susan Kelechi Watson – Eavesdropper
- Joyah Spangler – Cole Steele: Private Eye
- Donald Chang – Cole Steele: Private Eye
- Heidi Hampton – Secrets of Harriage House
Best Actress
- Miriam Glaser – Buried
- Valérie Tellos – Paper Cuts
- Toulouse De Cock – The Class of 2000
- Caranita Harrelson – The Loved And The Heartless
- Azaria Nikolajev – Cautious but Curious
Best Actor
- Marcel Arman – Cautious but Curious
- Felix Braeckman – The Class of 2000
- Steve Laplante – Breathe In Breathe Out
- Gildor Roy – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- Mar’Ques Woolford – The Loved And The Heartless
Best Unscripted/Documentary
- Know Your Muse – Andrey Tamarchenko, Ron Brent, Freak&Genius Productions
- Shadow Clock Podcast – Katie Mahalic
- The Perfect Pic – Ebis Hernandez
- Recipes for Connection – Leanne Allen, Alisa Gordaneer, LA Media Inc
- American Treasure Podcast – Dave Colonna, Good Show Studios
Best Micro-Episode Series
- Trichologist Sessions – CiCi Moya, Brezo Media
- Greystanes – Ryan Cauchi, Matt Ferro, Photosynthesis Films
- A Series of Unfortunate Dates – Amy Raffe, Téah Fraser, White Bonnet Films
- Sound Guy – Julia Schroeder
- Lateral Sketch Comedy – Andrew Bossone, Bossone Productions
Best Audio Fiction Series
- Levian – Samy Souissi, Anne Baird, Samy Souissi
- Eavesdropper – Elliot Wolf, Dick Wolf, Stephen Michael, Matthew Patterson, Jenny Radelet Mast, Augustus Bernstein
- The Spectral Silhouette Radio Show – Henry Scherrer, Paul Slayton, Matt Winkelman, The Lightning Lounge
- My Blood the Ink – J. Cottle, Jasmine Garcia, Akeem’s Alchemy
- Secrets of Harriage House – Scott Young, John Adams, Joe Bly, Jeff Basa
Best Non-Fiction Audio Series
- Your Work Friends – Mel Plett, Francesca Ranieri
- Shadow Clock – Katie Mahalic, Shadow Clock
- American Treasure Podcast – Dave Colonna, Good Show Studios
Actual Play Audio
- Encores and Ability Scores – Samantha Bowen, Christian Leadley, Unheard of Productions, LLC
- Stories Told Again – Austin Baacke
- The Adventures of Bud & Herb – Anna Fitzgerald, Evan Bivins
Best Foreign Language
- Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us – Jérôme Léger, Raphaël Côté, Véronique Paquette-Corriveau
- The cycle “About people and about the war” – Dmitry Pasichnyuk, Anna Chizhova
- Paper Cuts – Erika Mathieu, Louis-Philippe Drolet, Louis Morissette, Mélanie Viau, Marie-Eve Jacques, Olivier Gaudet-Savard, Kotv
- Breathe In Breathe Out – Sonia Cordeau, Katherine Levac, Jean-François Chagnon, Ian Quenneville, Carolyne Boucher, Avanti-Toast, Raphaël Martin, Patricia Blais, Monique Lamoureux
- The Class of 2000 – Geerard Van de Walle, Karolien Vanelderen, Sallie Gardner & Domm
Best International
- Dark Arcadia – Sally McLean (Exec Producer), Billy Smedley (Exec Producer), Phoebe Anne Taylor (Producer), Sass Pinci (Producer), Christopher Kirby (Producer)
- Buried – Charlotte George, Miriam Glaser, Fran Derham
- Bloom – Stephen de Villiers, Chloe Gardner, Arterial Films
- Cautious but Curious – Ethan Matthew and David Lipson, Geoff Lapaire and Bracken Burns, CAMGF1 Productions Inc.
- Recipes for Connection – Leanne Allen, Alisa Gordaneer, LA Media Inc
Best Director
- Dmitry Pasichnyuk – The cycle “About people and about the war”
- Jean-François Chagnon, Sarah Pellerin – Breathe In Breathe Out
- Daniel AM Rosenberg – Cautious but Curious
- Sally McLean – Dark Arcadia
- Alisha Tamarchenko, Andrey Tamarchenko, Arthur Groys – Know Your Muse
Best Web Series
- Buried – Charlotte George, Miriam Glaser, Fran Derham
- Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us – Jérôme Léger, Raphaël Côté, Véronique Paquette-Corriveau
- The Class of 2000 – Geerard Van de Walle, Karolien Vanelderen, Sallie Gardner & Domm
- Know Your Muse – Andrey Tamarchenko, Freak&Genius Productions
- Recipes for Connection – Leanne Allen, Alisa Gordaneer, LA Media Inc
You can discover the complete festival line-up by clicking here, which lists all 50 official selections of the 2025 NYC Web Fest. You can also click here to find out more about the six panel members who make up the jury.
Since its inception, NYC Web Fest has carved a reputation as a vital platform for digital storytelling, previously welcoming an impressive roster of guests and jury members, including Kate Walsh, Victor Williams, Julie Halston, April Reign, Evan Shapiro, Frank Fernandez, Arda Ocal, Gina Torres, Francia Raisa, and Danielle Savre. Over the years, it has grown from a grassroots showcase into an international celebration of innovation—proving that digital-first storytelling is just as powerful, creative, and meaningful as anything on the big screen.
As anticipation builds ahead of the November festival, one thing is clear: the 2025 NYC Web Fest will once again spotlight the global talent shaping the future of entertainment—one story, one series, and now one podcast at a time. Head to the festival’s official website to find out more information on the NYC Web Fest as a whole.
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