By Justin D. Williams The film industry continues to evolve, and the inaugural ALZA Festival is attempting to introduce audiences to a different kind of entertainment experience. Held in New York City from October 16–18, 2026, at AMC 19th Street East 6, the festival celebrated vertical filmmaking, microdramas, and short-form storytelling designed primarily for mobile devices. Featuring 35 world premieres alongside filmmaker discussions and industry panels, ALZA presented an i

By Justin D. Williams The entertainment industry continues to experiment with new ways of telling stories, and vertical filmmaking is becoming an increasingly interesting part of that conversation. During my coverage of the inaugural ALZA Festival, I had the opportunity to watch Layover, a 2026 romantic comedy directed by Salvador Paskowitz. The 90-minute production stars Nicole Mattox and Sam Myerson and explores romance, personal insecurities, and the unexpected connections

Posted by Justin D Williams ALZA Festival, the inaugural one-of-a-kind event celebrating microdramas and vertical storytelling, today announced additional programming ahead of its October 16-18 debut in New York City. Nine world premieres are joining the previously announced lineup including Lifetime’s Reunion Island starring Felix Merback (Billionaire Daddy: The Hunt is On!) and Eric Guilmette (Love & Blood) and vertTV’s supernatural horror Bite Club featuring horror legends