Hi 

We're rapidly approaching the pointy end of the NZ Web Fest year, and behind the scenes we're busy keeping many plates spinning so that, in about a month, everything will flow smoothly when we open our ninth edition.  

We're also not stupid, and know that not everything will flow smoothly, 'cos that's life, and - if everything was perfectly predictable - we'd have all won the lottery and retired by now.  

Soon we'll be sharing event details and info, but - for now - stick 5-13 November on your calendar as dates you'll be able to enjoy everything on offer.

Our awards will run on Sunday 12 November (so still Saturday 11 for some of you).

Keep on scrolling for updates on the Web Series and Audio Fiction World Cups, other fests, and - ta-da! - the finalists at our 2023 edition. 

Enjoy!

 
Team #NZWF23

Last month we announced our (almost complete) line-ups, and we're happy that we can now add our direct selection from New Jersey, Yellow Lines, to that list. You can check out all selections across all our podcast, short film and web series categories right here.

Our jury members are now hard at work - in fact we already know which finalists will win three of our competition categories. For now, our lips are sealed like we've eaten a superglue sandwich, but we're very keen to share who's competing for what. 

Over the next few weeks, we'll be shouting out the nominees and jury members on our socials, so please - whether you're among them or not - like or share some of those posts and help give the finalists some deserved attention and the jury members some love. We love our jurors because, basically, we're asking them to make the hard calls that we don't want to have to make ourselves!

For now, check out all the finalists here, and check out all our gracious, generous and groovy judges here!

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We'll open registrations on Monday next week (they're free, so you don't have to save up!). Book your spot on the sofa for early November and enjoy all the podcasts, shorts and series we've selected. 

We'll shout that out on our socials, and also add the info to our web site. 

If you don't already follow our socials, please do (links at the bottom of the newsletter) because there - especially on facebook - will be where we'll be sharing lots of the event details over the next few weeks. 

We know that some of you are still so young you think facebook's something that happens when you turn 50, but links are clickable and it's not subject to the whims of Elon, so - as the late Steve Jobs said - it just works.  

We're loving the latest rankings from the Web Series World Cup, and we're pleased to say that only one of the shows in the top 10 isn't in our 2023 line-up, and that's because that show (Sandy) played in our 2022 edition. 

Congrats to all the creators, casts and crew behind those shows. 

Here's the current top three to whet your whistle and, if you haven't yet seen the September update, it's here.

1. Chateau Laurier (above)
2. W.
3. Illuminagents

In the Audio Fiction World Cup rankings, the top three titles are now

1. The All Night Society
2. Starship Q Star
3. Savage Waking: Obliteration

We haven't quite managed to grab all of the top 10 titles for NZ Web Fest, but we have got eight, which isn't bad at all. Whether or not we've got them, congrats again to the teams behind all the podcasts on the list.

Check out the latest AFWC rankings here.

Congrats to all the winners at the recently-run festivals ... Lima (see the winners), NJ (see the Audio and Video winners - including Illuminagents, above), Toronto (winners) and the trophy-takers over the weekend from Sydney (winners).

Congrats to one of our regulars, Roberto Nascimento, on picking up Sydney's Michael Ajakwe award in Sydney. Roberto's a serial winner at NZ Web Fest, and in the running again this year with Sky Tower.

The circuit is heating up at this time time of year with several festivals running in the next few weeks ...

Minnesota - on now until 5 Oct 

Marseille - 18-20 Oct 

Baltimore - 2-5 Nov 

Bilbao - 6-11 Nov 

Stareable NYC - 10-12 Nov 

Rio - 25-28 Nov 

and (of course!) NZ Web Fest runs 5-13 Nov

Selection announcements for December festivals, including Melbourne, are due shortly. 

We're going off the rails a bit this month and diverting from our normal course of shouting out stuff that's available to enjoy online wherever you are.

Our shout-out this month goes to NZ festival Show Me Shorts, which opens this week and plays in plenty of centres around the motu for most of the month. 

Partly we're shouting them out because they're bloody good people doing a bloody good job - and have been at it for 18 editions. 

Partly we're shouting them out because they have a couple of titles that also appear in our line-ups (Kahu Kaihi's Find Where I Belong and Justin Bennett's What's the Disabili-Tea: Misty Frequency, above).

And also, as well and too, because they've got some great stuff by peeps who've had work in NZ Web Fest. Coincidentally the joint winners of one of our 2022 Best Director awards, Julie Zhu and Michelle Ang, go head to head for Show Me Shorts' Best Director award.

Show Me Shorts announced its finalists last week here, and will hold its awards this Sunday. 

Enjoy the festival!

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We love to give shout-outs to new content in these newsletters and on our socials, but we don't have much time to trawl for it every month. So, we've decided to make that your opportunity! 

If you're releasing something, be it brand new or (for series and podcasts) a new season, shamelessly self-promote by dropping us a line or adding [email protected] to your media list if you're really fancy and have one of those.

Tell us what, when and where your stuff's releasing, and we'll do the honours. We'll give preference to stuff that isn't geo-blocked or behind pay-walls, but all-comers are welcome :)

If we don't know, we can't spread the word, so do share. Help us to help you!

If you're looking for some festival love and laurels, here are some deadlines that'll slide on by before our next newsletter hits your inbox.

British Web Awards, 14 October, Final

Panama Series Festival, 20 October, Regular

Die Seriale, 31 October, Earlybird

Hollywood Series Awards, 31 October, Final

New Jersey Web Fest, 31 October, Super Early

Also open for submissions, but without deadlines in the next month or so, are the 2024 editions of Apulia, Cusco, LA and Miami.

If you enjoy our monthly newsletters, but want info more than once every few weeks, give our social channels a go (links are just below). 

We post a few times a week, mostly on facebook and instagram. Our X is a bit more podcast-focused than our other channels, and LinkedIn we only use occasionally. 

We also have a linktree, which you can find here or access via our instagram bio.