The 12th Annual NYC Web Fest closed its doors on Sunday evening after three days of premieres, panels, networking, and international collaboration, marking the NYC Web Fest 2025 edition as one of the festival’s most ambitious to date. Held across Manhattan, the 2025 programme welcomed filmmakers and audio storytellers from across the US and abroad, with creators travelling from Belgium, Canada, and Chile to join the festivities. The weekend culminated in an evening celebration at the Producers Club, where this year’s award winners were honoured before attendees continued the celebrations at a post-ceremony gathering at the Brazen Tavern.
This year marked a significant step for the festival as it introduced dedicated audio programming for the first time. The expansion made an immediate impact, with Wolf Entertainment’s Eavesdropper earning major recognition, securing Best Fiction Audio Series and Best Audio Performer for Matt Dillon. Belgium’s The Class of 2000 took home the festival’s top honour, Best Web Series, and added wins for Best Actor and Best Actress through Felix Braeckman and Toulouse De Cock, respectively, making it the most-awarded project of the year with three wins. Together, these standout titles helped highlight the festival’s broad international reach across its 2025 winners’ list.
The weekend also showcased notable premieres, including the world premiere of the Chilean project The Powerhouse, which walked away with Outstanding Achievement in Sound. Audible’s Eavesdropper, which had its festival premiere in New York, continued its critical momentum with multiple wins on the audio side.
In This Article:
Spotlighting the Festival’s Panels and Networking
Across the three days, attendees engaged in some of the festival’s most wide-ranging panel discussions to date. The addition of audio programming was explored in a dedicated podcasters panel, while another session brought together comedy creators to discuss shifts in modern digital humour, including sketch-driven and stand-up-infused storytelling. An international panel also offered insight from filmmakers who travelled to the city specifically for the festival, reinforcing NYC Web Fest’s growing reach.
Saturday once again featured the festival’s popular Speed Networking event, held at the Producers Club, where filmmakers, podcasters, and industry professionals circulated through rapid one-to-one conversations designed to spark future collaborations.
Industry Support and Special Prizes
Alongside its awards, NYC Web Fest continued to provide career-boosting opportunities through industry partnerships. This year’s prizes included a YouTube strategy session with Aux Mode, awarded to Jon Sosis; a podcast session at Theorist Studios for Katie Mahalic; and a $1,000 video-podcast development deal from Blue Foxes awarded to Miguel Landestoy. Additional support for the festival came from Pediatric Dental Associates of Manhattan, this year’s Community Sponsor.
“I am so grateful for our new partnerships this year!” said NYC Web Founder Lauren Atkins. “With record attendance since the pandemic and the exciting expansion into audio programming, this year has been a milestone for the festival. We’re energized by the creativity on display and look forward to building even more opportunities for creators and partners in 2026.”
Jon Sosis, who won Best Original Concept for his interview series Building Friendships, also spoke about his experience returning to the festival. “It’s always great to come back to the first festival I ever submitted to,” he stated. “’Best Original Concept’ means so much to me because we’re in a world where there’s so much content that you need to be able to stand out—but all of us being recognized for all of our projects is what we all look for most. So it was a great weekend.” His series, which features celebrity interviews conducted while building LEGO—including guests such as Marc Maron and Jodie Sweetin—continues to grow its profile within the web-series community.
Leanne Allen, creator of the internationally acclaimed series Recipes for Connection, reflected on the festival’s role in supporting creators, saying, “We all work so hard in this industry—the recognition that NYC Web Fest gives (and that Lauren Atkins works so hard to foster) is so appreciated. This festival should double in size over the next few years with the boom in popularity of short-form content!”
Ebis Hernandez, creator and host of the interview series The Perfect Pic, shared how the festival validated their work and encouraged connection with other creatives: “This win means a lot. NYC Web Fest created a space where my work could shine, and it was great meeting so many talented creatives and feeling the support for what I’m building. I’m grateful for the recognition and the community.”
Geerard Van de Walle, one of the creators behind Belgium’s award-winning The Class of 2000, spoke about the emotional impact of the series on audiences. The story follows a father who shares a long-held heartbreak with his teenage daughter against the backdrop of Y2K nostalgia. Van de Walle said, “It was incredible to see how the story resonated in the room, and how relatable it was even for the youngest guests. Once again, it proves that we need to keep telling stories like this—and that heartfelt content can truly have a universal impact.”
With continued growth, new partnerships, and enthusiastic international representation, the 2025 edition underscored NYC Web Fest’s influence within both digital and audio storytelling. More information on the festival and its programming can be found at the official website.
NYC Web Fest 2025 Award Winners:
Outstanding Achievement in Editing
- WINNER: Dominic Montplaisir, Matthieu Bouchard, Louis-Philippe Chagnon – Breathe In Breathe Out
- Zoé Guèvremont – Paper Cuts
- Juan Carlos Soto – The Powerhouse
- Shannon Michaels – Buried
- Garth Dyke – Recipes for Connection
Outstanding Achievement in Sound
- WINNER: Felipe Requena – The Powerhouse
- Sébastien Bédard – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- 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
- WINNER: Travis Vengroff, Finnur Nielsen – The White Vault: Goshawk
- Blake Pfeil – abandoned: The All-American Ruins Podcast
- Samy Souissi, Brad Colbroock, Wil Williams – Levian
- Matt Winkelman – The Spectral Silhouette Radio Show
- Josh Burgess – Heartglass
Outstanding Achievement in Music
- WINNER: Ilia Klimenchenko – Know Your Muse
- 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
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography
- WINNER: Antoine Benhini – T-REX
- Wilson Huang – Dark Arcadia
- Benoit Jones-Vallée – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- Michał Wiśniowski – Mirror
- Roman Boyko – The cycle “About people and about the war”
Outstanding Achievement in Writing
- WINNER: Jessie Bluedorn, Kylie Holloway, Johnny Castro, Hugo Fowler – Slick
- 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
Best Original Concept
- WINNER: Building Friendships – Jon Sosis
- Know Your Muse – Andrey Tamarchenko
- The Perfect Pic – Ebis Hernandez
- Slick – Jessie Bluedor, Kylie Holloway
- Eavesdropper – Elliot Wolf
Best Supporting Actress
- WINNER: 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
- WINNER: Ben Thys – Cautious but Curious
- Stéphane Crête – Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us
- Wouter Hendrickx – The Class of 2000
- Asher Hogarth – Bloom
- Irdens Exantus – Ils sont parmi nous / They Are Among Us
Solo/Host
- WINNER: 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
- WINNER: 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
- WINNER: The Loved And The Heartless – Karlton T. Clay, Destin Freeman, Victory Productions, L.L.C.
- The cycle “About people and about the war” – Dmitry Pasichnyuk
- 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
- WINNER: Buried – Charlotte George, Miriam Glaser, Fran Derham, Frantales Films
- 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
Best Audio Performer
- WINNER: Matt Dillon – Eavesdropper
- Feliks Mathur – Levian
- Beth Eyre – Levian
- 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
- WINNER: Toulouse De Cock – The Class of 2000
- Miriam Glaser – Buried
- Valérie Tellos – Paper Cuts
- Caranita Harrelson – The Loved And The Heartless
- Azaria Nikolajev – Cautious but Curious
Best Actor
- WINNER: Felix Braeckman – The Class of 2000
- Marcel Arman – Cautious but Curious
- 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
- WINNER: 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
- WINNER: Sound Guy – Julia Schroeder
- 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
- Lateral Sketch Comedy – Andrew Bossone, Bossone Productions
Best Audio Fiction Series
- WINNER: Eavesdropper – Elliot Wolf, Dick Wolf, Stephen Michael, Matthew Patterson, Jenny Radelet Mast, Augustus Bernstein
- Levian – Samy Souissi, Anne Baird, Samy Souissi
- 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
- WINNER: Shadow Clock – Katie Mahalic, Shadow Clock
- Your Work Friends – Mel Plett, Francesca Ranieri
- American Treasure Podcast – Dave Colonna, Good Show Studios
Actual Play Audio
- WINNER: The Adventures of Bud & Herb – Anna Fitzgerald, Evan Bivins
- Encores and Ability Scores – Samantha Bowen, Christian Leadley, Unheard of Productions, LLC
- Stories Told Again – Austin Baacke
Best Foreign Language
- WINNER: 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
- WINNER: Recipes for Connection – Leanne Allen, Alisa Gordaneer, LA Media Inc
- 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.
Best Director
- WINNER: Sally McLean – Dark Arcadia
- 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
- Alisha Tamarchenko, Andrey Tamarchenko, Arthur Groys – Know Your Muse
Best Web Series
- WINNER: The Class of 2000 – Geerard Van de Walle, Karolien Vanelderen, Sallie Gardner & Domm
- Buried – Charlotte George, Miriam Glaser, Fran Derham
- Ils sont parmi nous/ They Are Among Us – Jérôme Léger, Raphaël Côté, Véronique Paquette-Corriveau
- 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.
Looking Ahead to the Festival’s Next Chapter
As the festival reflects on another successful year, the momentum behind NYC Web Fest shows no signs of slowing. With creators continuing to push boundaries in both digital and audio formats, the groundwork laid in 2025 sets the stage for an even more ambitious 2026. The expansion into audio, strengthened industry partnerships, and record-breaking attendance have all signalled a growing appetite for innovative storytelling. As preparations begin for next year’s edition, NYC Web Fest appears poised to deepen its global footprint, offering even more opportunities for emerging voices and established creators to showcase their work in front of an international audience.
Follow NYC Web Fest on social media here:
Follow Lauren Atkins on social media here:
Share this article and tag us @GoodStarVibes to let us know all your thoughts regarding the awards at the NYC Web Fest 2025.
Have any thoughts?
Share your reaction or leave a quick response — we’d love to hear what you think!
-
0 - 0
- 0
- 0
- 0
- 0
