Industry

ALZA Festival, a new event dedicated to microdramas and vertical series, has unveiled the first wave of programming for its inaugural edition, taking place October 16-18 in New York City. The three-day festival will bring together world premieres spanning horror, science fiction, documentaries, crime and romantic comedy, alongside conversations with studios, platforms, creators, directors and talent working across the vertical storytelling space. Additional industry panels, masterclasses and screenings will be announced at a later date. “At ALZA, we’re bringing together studio founders, creators, directors and talent, connecting them directly to their audiences and fans, as this groundbreaking format reshapes the entertainment landscape,” said Pete Torres, founder and CEO of ALZA Festival.

The opening night lineup includes two microdramas from vertical studio LoveHit, based on the literary classics Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice, with the latter selected as an Opening Night title. Also premiering on opening night is Layover, a Las Vegas-set romantic comedy from Super Punchy Studios, directed by Salvador Paskowitz, writer of The Age of Adaline, and starring Nicole Mattox.

Former Prodigy Media will present three world premieres: Moriarty Rising: A Sherlock Holmes Tale, which offers a new take on the classic literary villain; Billionaire's Broken Vow, a romantic comedy starring Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts about a jilted bride who wakes up married to a mysterious billionaire with a vendetta; and supernatural romance Haunted By You, following a grieving widow who accidentally unleashes the vengeful spirit of her dead fiancé.
The festival will also premiere The Count, a thriller from filmmakers Gary and Edmund Entin that explores mistrust in the election process. Starring Dominique Toney and Ignacyo Matynia, the series follows a retired Army First Sergeant who becomes caught up in a conspiracy threatening American democracy.
Meanwhile, crime drama Mobking will return in vertical form. The first 26 episodes of the web series, originally released seven years ago, have been reformatted for mobile viewing, while a further 26 episodes, titled Mobking Crimes Series, will make their world premiere at ALZA.

The festival’s international lineup includes Glaze, unveiled by Denmark’s TV2 Østjylland as the country’s first original vertical fiction series, and Lola, a Tokyo-set anime from Morphic Studios described as a first for the format. Comedy and thriller titles will also feature prominently, with comedian TaTa Sherise headlining improvised series 50 Worst Dates. ReelArc’s psychological thriller Zero Point stars Broadway performers Kristine Covillo, known for Death Becomes Her and Chicago, and Ben Davis, who appeared in Hadestown.

The Vertical Buzz will serve as an official media partner, with host and creator Buzz Leer leading an on-site interview studio featuring actors, filmmakers, creators and executives from the vertical entertainment sector. The media partner will also record a full episode live from the festival.