The inaugural StoryTeller Universe Film Festival announces winners, introduces Vertical Storytelling Category for 2026 Edition

The StoryTeller Universe Film Festival, a New York-based independent event founded by filmmaker Venkat Sai Gunda, will add Vertical Storytelling as an official award category beginning with its 2026 edition, formally recognizing the vertical format as cinema.

Vertical storytelling refers to narrative work conceived specifically for a vertical frame, developed from script through post with cinematic intent rather than cropped or reformatted from horizontal projects. The format has seen rapid growth in markets including China and India and is gaining visibility in the U.S. via platforms such as ReelShort and DramaBox, though it has largely remained outside major festival recognition.

'Cinema has never been static', said Gunda, Festival Director of The Storyteller Universe. 'The language of storytelling changes with how audiences experience the world. Recognizing vertical cinema isn’t about trends. It’s about acknowledging a form that already exists and giving it the same creative respect as any other'.

Organizers note that the festival is independently operated and self-funded, established by a working filmmaker who launched the event after experiencing the realities of releasing a debut feature. The stated aim is to build a creator-first festival that can evolve alongside new modes of storytelling rather than rely on fixed tradition.

While the decision may challenge long-held assumptions about presentation and exhibition, it aligns with a shift already underway across the industry as audience viewing habits and distribution channels continue to diversify. Festival representatives stress that the Vertical Storytelling category will be evaluated on narrative integrity, craft, and cinematic intent, not on platform performance or social metrics.

Submissions for the 2026 edition are currently open. Additional details on eligibility and curation criteria are expected later this year.

Winners

Best Feature Film: Mohammadmahdi Katirachi - In Other Words 
Best Short Film: Moon Romance, Moon
Best Documentary: Matthew Floyd - Lessons from 100: Reflections In My Centennial Year
Best Director: Nadan Pines - Father's Son
Best Actor: Taha Mohammadi - In Other Words
Best Actress: Anja Bothe - Loslassen
Best Screenplay: Christine Marie Bush - Serenity Peak
Best Comedy: Greg Kirkpatrick Jr. - Another Day
Best Editing: Javier Yañez - Amira
Best AI Film: Michal Jan Owerczuk - Broken Arrow
Best Horror/Thriller: Darwin Reina - Blood Mist
Best Social Impact Story Award: Douglas Ryan - 3 Minutos
Best Debut Filmmaker - Making Megaforce
Best Documentary Short (Jury Award): Brian Knappmiller - Sheepdogs
Best Micro Short: Julia Ulbrich Horta - The Other One
Best Experimental Film: Ethann Néon - Blickity Black
Best Music: Malik Maliki - In the Bad Times
Best Sci-Fi Film: Maxence Bossé &Nolan Corlay - Ignis Oppidum
Best Animation: Cristina Colmenares, Manuel-Antonio Monteagudo - Memoria Colectiva
Best South Asian Film: Rishi Raj Acharya - Drawapadi
BestPhoto/ Visual Art: CR Sherman - Drawing in Dreams
Storyteller Appreciation Award: Guruswamy Raviteja – Cockery

LC