New York Festivals opens 2026 Television and Film Awards for global entries

New Delhi:  The 2026 edition of the New York Festivals Television and Film Awards is now open for entries.

The awards recognise a wide spectrum of television and film content, encompassing investigative journalism, documentaries, scripted series, branded and streaming content, sports, and entertainment. A total of 14 category groups are available in this edition.

“New technologies and new platforms keep changing our industry. What hasn’t changed though, is the craft of storytelling itself and the people in front of the cameras and behind the scenes who make it happen,” said Rose Anderson, Executive Vice President of New York Festivals and Executive Director of the TV & Film Awards.

The competition continues to highlight content that explores pressing societal and environmental issues. Two special awards, the WaterBear Award and the JusticeAid Award, were introduced in recent years to recognise storytelling that goes beyond traditional narratives.

The WaterBear Award, launched in 2022 in collaboration with WaterBear Network, honours work that fosters awareness around environmental protection. The 2025 honour was awarded to EUROPE by Light & Shadow GmbH in the Documentary, Nature & Wildlife category.

The JusticeAid Award, introduced in 2024, is presented to content addressing social justice themes. At the 2025 Storytellers Gala, Invisible Presale Trailer by The Walt Disney Company (Europe & Africa) was recognised in the Promotion/Open & ID, Social Justice Promotion category.

Among the 2025 Grand Award recipients were The Tattooist of Auschwitz (All3Media International), which was recognised in the Drama category, Olympic Studio, Paris 24 (TV Globo) for Use of Technology, and VIKTOR-IA (Voice of America) in the Documentary – International Affairs category. The latter was completed in ten days amid ongoing conflict.

The deadline for the 2026 competition is December 31, 2025. Entries will be judged online by a jury comprising more than 300 international producers, directors, writers, and creative professionals. Winners will be revealed at the 2026 Storytellers Gala and featured in the official winners’ gallery.