17th New Media Film Festival
17th new media film festival june 3 and 4 2026
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With past participation from major players like ABC, Netflix, PBS, Amazon, Tubi, Warner Bros., ROKU & more, the festival is a launchpad for discovery, deals, and creative evolution.

New Media Film Festival® 

Innovation & Storytelling

The New Media Film Festival® champions bold, boundary-pushing content—blending traditional screenings with immersive experiences that redefine the future of media.

A Priceless Opportunity – Grand Prize Award

With a prestigious jury including representatives from Marvel, HBO, the Emmys, Grammys, PBS, BBC, and more, the stakes—and possibilities—are extraordinary.

Our Commitment to Fairness

Since 2009, we’ve stood for fairness across all ages, cultures, and forms of media. We are a global platform where visionary creators showcase stories that challenge norms and celebrate the evolving fusion of technology and narrative.

Join Us for the 17th Annual Festival

June 3–4, 2026 | Los Angeles. Be part of the premiere festival recognized for pioneering innovation in storytelling, formats, and platforms. We unite creatives, trailblazers, and deal-makers to spark collaboration and fresh ideas.

Festival Highlights Include:

Red Carpet Experience – Exclusive Screenings – Q&A Sessions – VIP Soiree – Networking Opportunities – International Art Exhibit – Awards Ceremony

Celebrities Honored

Jeff Bridges

Socially Responsible Conservationist Award

“Thanks to the New Media Film Festival for honoring me with the Socially Responsible Conservationist Award, that’s really beautiful, it means a lot to me. And thanks for supporting our film, Living in Futures Past” – Jeff Bridges

Sir Paul McCartney

Socially Responsible Conservationist Award
– A Love Song to Earth

Special Presentation (during awards ceremony) – Love Song To The Earth video featuring Paul McCartney, Sean Paul, Colbie Callait, Natasha Bedingfield, Q’orianka Kilcher and others. Directed by Trey Fanjoy, Produced by Jerry Cope.

All proceeds from the Love Song project benefit Friends Of The Earth and the United Nations Foundation. Premiered with Ban Ki-mmon in Paris at UNFCCC COP21.

Ray Bradbury

‘Legend’ Award

Ray Bradbury was honored with ‘The Legend’ award by Hollywood celebrities at the New Media Film Festival in Los Angeles. The legendary writer for Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles and others, was supposed to attend the event and accept the award. But unfortunately, he passed away a week before the event.

Duncan Rouleau of Ben 10 fame offered tribute to the great writer and then introduced Oscar Nominee Sally Kirkland who accepted the award on behalf of Bradbury. The actress has worked with Ray during the shooting of ‘The Zero Hour’ and had auditioned for ‘Fahrenheit 451’, but her role went to Julie Christie instead. William Shatner’s tribute was read out by Brett Stimley who has worked with Ray Bradbury in ‘Kaleidoscope’.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Socially Responsible Conservationist Award

New Media Film Festival was proud and honored to present Leonardo DiCaprio with the Socially Responsible Conservationist Award for his Conservation dedication and efforts via Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation – Dedicated to protecting Earth’s last wild places and implementing solutions that create a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world. This recognition stems from Leonardo DiCaprio’s opening scenes in Worst Shark Attack Ever which was programmed in the SRC – Socially Responsible Content Category in 2015. So, it is fitting that the Director of this film and International Surfing Champion, Veronica Grey accepted the award on behalf of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Directors John Carpenter and Roger Corman

Legend Award

“One bona fide movie legend will fete another.” – Entertainment Weekly
“I thank New Media Film Festival® for what they’ve done for young filmmakers” -Legend Award Recipient,  Director Roger Corman

Pic-Jimmy Steinfeldt

Testimonials

Matthew Modine

Emmy & Golden Globe Nominee 

New technologies have empowered and enabled creators outside of a studio or network system to make their own movies and develop cutting edge entertainment. Affordable cameras and editing software allow artists to create and express their skills for a multitude of new distribution platforms. We are presently witness of how storytellíng is being redefined in the 21st Century. New Media Film Festival highlights and showcases what will come next.

John Carstafrphen

John Carstarphen

Writer, Producer, Director

As an African American filmmaker, I’ve never felt more relaxed or inspired at a film festival. While #OscarsSoWhite is trending in Hollywood the New Media Film Festival 2016 has quietly shown the world how to honor content makers from across every discipline imaginable – and every ethnicity – without sacrificing its core identity. That’s an amazing feat, worthy of imitation. I think the New Media Film Festival is the future of film festivals. Congratulations!

Nicholas (Nick) Reed

Oscar Winner

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.

Paul Koretz

Paul Koretz

Council Member

The City of Los Angeles salutes and celebrates …New Media Film Festival, a celebration of the intersection of new technology and storytelling….continues to bring together cutting-edge technology, innovative storytelling, and world-renown talent to the City of Los Angeles.  Through caring deeds and steadfast ways, the New Media Film Festival has helped make the City of Los Angeles a better place in which to live and create.

If the TED Conference is where technology, entertainment and design meet in a broad forum, then the New Media Film Festival® is its cinematic counterpart. With films, trailers, shorts, digital comics and web series that highlight new advancements in technology, financing and convergence media, each entry is a chance to think differently about movies today. New Media Film Festival® honors stories worth telling, from a fully CG short based, to a documentary.  Watch movies shot entirely on drones, attend panels where industry experts riff on the future of web series and network with entrepreneurs who understand how new media is rapidly changing the film industry today.” – VG
Events

SPONSORS

Supporting Creators

southwest
Script Reader Pro
mongo cropped
susan johnston casting
marriott springhill suites
select services films inc
filmustage
Scriptwriters network
soundmind music
production hub
ifers

MEDIA PARTERS

Sharing the stories of now.

poze magazine
rolling stone
British Cinematography magazine
partner
technologies for worship

Festival Reviews

Totally great festival offered more than your average film fest.

Donny Walker

An outstanding festival to be a part of, with excellent organization and communication, and opportunities to showcase our shorts ! Loved being a part of this film festival.

Dr. Susan Lim

New Media Film Festival® is one of the best and best run in LA. With so many different platforms falling under “new media” it’s refreshing to see a festival that understands that Content is King!  Alison Arngrim (Little House of the Prairie) & I took full advantage of the networking opportunities.

2 X EMMY Nominee Stephen Wishnoff

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We Were The First

we were the first
  • AI generated film
  • Touch Rotation
  • Holographic Digital Comic
  • Immersive Distribution Experience
  • Micro Content Distribution (10 seconds)
  • AI platform built RomCom
  • AR International Art Exhibit
  • Festival in Story & Technology
  • Screen Collaborative VR
  • EMMYS® Consulting &Broadcasting
  • Panelist funded an audience VR pitch Real Time
  • Feature funded from 30 second Pitch (Sniplers category)
  • To add bitcoin payment options
  • Have NFT category and more firsts. 
Current Awards New Media Film Festival® has won:
  • Media Innovator Awards
  • LUX Global Excellence Awards
  • Best Celebration of Emergent Media Content – USA
  • Best Annual Media and Technology Event – California
  • Best Celebration of Emerging Cinematic Talent – USA

Let’s connect

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Venue:
Los Angeles studio zone, California USA

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