Los Angeles, CA – The LA WEBFEST is gearing up for its highly anticipated 16th annual event, set to take place at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Los Angeles on May 1-2, 2025. This year’s festival promises to captivate audiences with a diverse international showcase of long-form series, short-form web series, short films, pilots, and podcasts from across the globe. Notably, this year's lineup features big names and standout talent, further cementing LA WEBFEST’s reputation as a premier platform for both emerging and established voices.
The 2024 edition included long-form series from major industry players like ABC, Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and LionsGate+. Highlights included WeCrashed (Apple TV), starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway, which was a major winner. In recent years, the festival has also spotlighted acclaimed performances by Jason Momoa (See), Jim Caviezel (Sound of Freedom), Paula Patton (Somewhere Between), and Randy Huggins, creator of BMF, produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.
Long-form Series
This year’s nominees for honoree long-form series include: Degrassi (USA), When Calls the Heart (USA), Until the End of the Dream (France), English Teacher (USA), Terrifier 3 (USA), Ambitions (USA), Sing Sing (USA), Füxe (Germany).
Notable cast members from these projects include: Aubrey Graham (Drake), Degrassi; Colman Domingo, Sing Sing; Chris Jericho, Terrifier 3; Michael Vautor, Until the End of the Dream; Kevin McGarry, When Calls the Heart; Robin Givens, Ambitions; Nina Dobrev, Degrassi; Shanna Pahoa Mahagafanau, Until the End of the Dream; Erin Krakow, When Calls the Heart.
Nominees for the International Film, Series & Podcast
The International Film, Series & Podcast Awards has officially revealed its nominees for the 2025 edition, featuring an exceptional lineup from over 30 countries across various genres. From narrative fiction to film, pilots, series and Podcast: Narrative Fiction and Actual Play Podcast, this year’s awards celebrate the best in storytelling, direction, sound design, and performance across multiple platforms.
Curious Matter Anthology
A highly anticipated addition to LA WEBFEST 2025 is the podcast Curious Matter Anthology, featuring its latest Mars-set thriller The Exile. With a talented voice cast, including Tiffany Smith (Masters of the Universe: Revolution), Trace Lysette, Phil LaMarr, Tracie Thoms, Malcolm Barrett, and Kevin Smith (filmmaker and actor), the series has earned widespread acclaim. Creator Jonathan Pezza expressed excitement about the podcast’s continued success, noting that the production’s quality rivals major studio projects despite its modest $36,000 budget.
LA WEBFEST’s Legacy of Talent Discovery
LA WEBFEST has a long history of discovering new talent. Notably, Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl premiered at the festival, leading to her breakthrough series Insecure. The festival also helped launch the career of her co-star Yvonne Orji, discovered by LA WEBFEST founder Michael Ajakwe, Jr.
Chris Jericho, star of Terrifier 3 and renowned professional wrestler, is an alumnus who won the Grand Prize at LA WEBFEST 2024 for his web series But I'm Chris Jericho.
Founded in 2009 by Ajakwe as the world’s first international festival dedicated solely to web series, LA WEBFEST has inspired more than 50 webfests globally. Since taking over in 2022, Young Man Kang has continued to honor the festival’s legacy. He is joined by Honorary President Jean-Michel Albert, founder of the Marseille Webfest in France, and Vice President Jazmen Darnell Brown.
A new board member is Rob Edwards, writer of Captain America: Brave New World, adding further prestige to the leadership team.
As LA WEBFEST 2025 approaches, it promises to be a celebration of creativity and innovation, honoring both established talent and fresh voices from around the world.
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Contact email: lawebfest2009@gmail.com
