SeriesFest

05/10/2026

Episode 4 | SeriesFest 2026

Saturday at SeriesFest explored storytelling as a way to preserve identity, challenge systems, and deepen our understanding of one another.

We began with the Television Academy Foundation’s College Television Awards showcase, highlighting student creators already telling nuanced stories about family, displacement, disability, resilience, and belonging.

Across the featured projects, young filmmakers explored questions that feel incredibly relevant right now: What do we inherit from family and culture? How do communities survive disruption and displacement? And who gets to define strength, leadership, or identity?

From Unbroken Spirits documenting the resilience of a Wixárika family displaced by cartel violence, to a young boy learning to embrace life with a prosthetic leg through imagination and courage, the showcase reflected a generation of creators deeply committed to empathy-driven storytelling.

At the Impact in TV panel, Littleton Road Productions discussed how projects like Dr. Death, The Girl from Plainville, and Devil in Disguise center the human realities behind headline-making tragedies, and how storytelling can extend beyond entertainment into advocacy, awareness, and community impact.

Meanwhile, creatives from Shondaland offered insight into the collaboration, directing, and cinematic vision behind one of television’s most influential storytelling universes.

Screenings throughout the evening continued many of the same themes.

My Father, Dick Allen explored legacy and redemption behind one of baseball’s most misunderstood figures, while Zorro reintroduced an iconic character through questions of justice, power, and leadership.

Across every panel, screening, and conversation, one thing became increasingly clear: the future of television is being shaped by creators unafraid to tell stories rooted in complexity, cultural specificity, emotional honesty, and social impact.

Four days in, and SeriesFest continues to feel less like a festival and more like a living conversation.

05/09/2026

Episode 3 | SeriesFest 2026

Friday at SeriesFest was a reminder of how expansive storytelling can be when creators have the space to take risks and bring their full perspectives to the screen.

From the international screening of Raul Seixas: Let Me Sing, exploring creativity and rebellion during Brazil’s military dictatorship, to NBC’s writers’ room panel celebrating 100 years of television storytelling craft, the day moved between legacy and what comes next for the industry.

Independent drama and comedy pilots brought emotional depth, sharp humor, and bold new voices into the spotlight, while conversations with the creative team behind Peacock’s Ponies explored reinvention, partnership, and finding humanity inside a Cold War espionage story.

We also revisited Lord of the Flies, reflecting on why stories about power, fear, and survival continue to resonate across generations.

And by late night, the festival embraced genre storytelling in ALL. ITS. RANGE.

From the offbeat chaos of Chihuahua, to the supernatural world of HAINT rooted in Gullah Geechee culture and tradition, to Puke Bitch and its honest, lived-in exploration of q***r identity and human complexity.

Audiences are hungry for stories that reflect the full spectrum of human experience. We deserve these sstories that challenge assumptions, expand representation, and normalize the reality that so many different kinds of people, communities, and perspectives exist in the world around us.

We closed the night at the Soirée, where creators, supporters, and industry leaders gathered in celebration of that shared mission and the future being built together through storytelling.

Heading into the weekend inspired by the creativity, courage, and imagination this community continues to bring to SeriesFest.

05/08/2026

Episode 2 | SeriesFest 2026 ✨

Today felt like a masterclass in what storytelling can do when imaginative creatives, fresh perspectives, and curious audiences all end up in the same room.

We started internationally with Babies (UK), a story that held grief, hope, humor, and love all at once, and somehow made it feel deeply human instead of heavy.

Then came Pitch-A-Thon!, where creators brought big swings, personal truths, and wildly original ideas to the stage. From q***r anglers finding community through fishing, to cinematic journeys exploring identity, healing, spirituality, and belonging, the projects today reminded us that some of the best stories come from people willing to ask bigger questions.

Across every screening, panel, and breakout conversation, one thing became clear: storytelling gets stronger when more people are invited into it.

We could feel it in the room. Creators swapping ideas in the lobby. Executives leaning into conversations with emerging voices. Honest discussions around q***r representation, navigating the industry, and the realities of building a creative career today.

And then there was the ESPN panel, pulling back the curtain on how some of the most impactful stories in sports are shaped and shared with the world.

SeriesFest has always been about more than watching something on a screen. It’s about what happens when artists, audiences, and industry come together to challenge ideas, share perspective, and create something bigger than themselves.

We closed the night with The Testaments on Hulu, ending Day 2 with a powerful reminder that stories don’t just reflect culture, they help shape where we go next.

Episode 3, we’re ready for you...

05/07/2026

Episode 1 at SeriesFest 2026

From global stories and deeply personal journeys to packed theaters, thoughtful conversations, and a red carpet that somehow survived sunshine, rain, and everything in between, today was a reminder of why we gather in the first place.

Our Unscripted and International screenings explored identity, resilience, family, belonging, and the complicated systems people move through every day. Stories rooted in truth, but filled with humor, humanity, tension, and heart.

We traveled from France with Jailbreakers, laughed through the chaos and comedy of Womb Room, and closed the night with The Four Seasons, bringing cast, creators, and audiences together for a conversation about friendship, change, and all the messiness in between.

The best part? The people in the room.
Creators connecting. Audiences reacting in real time. Conversations carrying out into the lobby long after screenings ended.

As SeriesFest Board Co-Chair Betsy Marino Leighton said tonight:
“The world needs the stories you’re hearing and that the creators are telling.”

And we’re just getting started. Be part of Season 12 tomorrow.

05/05/2026

Travel the world through television.

SeriesFest’s International Screenings bring bold global stories and fresh perspectives to Denver, showcasing the power of storytelling across borders.

Made possible with the support of Liberty Global, UniFrance, Alliance Française, and Biennial of the Americas.

Discover what’s next in global TV.

May 6–10

Last chance to get tickets: https://seriesfest.eventive.org/passes/buy

05/05/2026

Thank you to 9NEWS for having us!

Hear Randi Kleiner discuss what makes SeriesFest so impactful and why bringing people together matters.

The real story starts after this week in Denver. We can’t wait to see what comes next.

Watch now:

12th season of SeriesFest in Denver

05/02/2026

Go beyond the screen.

Swipe through for the panels bringing together the voices behind today’s most exciting TV, creators, talent, and industry leaders shaping what’s next.
From the executives behind ESPN’s most powerful storytelling to the agents and managers making the deals, to the indie creators redefining how television gets made, these conversations dive into every layer of the industry.

Real insight into how stories are developed, careers are built, and the future of TV is being created.

Festival badges and tickets are on sale NOW!
Be part of these unforgettable experiences and celebrate the future of independent storytelling.

May 6–10
Link in bio

seriesfest.com/festival

05/01/2026

Access meets impact.

The SeriesFest Soirée Silent Auction is now open, offering rare opportunities, from one-on-one conversations with industry professionals to curated, TV-inspired experiences.

Every bid supports the future of storytelling.
Auction closes May 8.

SERIESFEST.COM/SOIREE

05/01/2026

The best pitches from across the country, live in Denver.

SeriesFest Pitch-A-Thon! Roadshow Showcase brings standout projects from our national tour to the stage—where creators pitch, and industry experts respond in real time.
See what it takes to break through.

Presented by Call to Adventure Media.

May 10 in Denver, CO
Get Tickets: seriesfest.com/festival

Featuring:
“Fossil Fuel Café” — Angel Rivera (Trilith Studios)
“Bad Habits” — Jill Bennett & Lauren Neal (Trilith Studios)
“Nastier” — Margaret Katch (Twin Cities Film Fest)

04/30/2026

Big ideas. One shot.

SeriesFest Pitch-a-Thon! gives independent creators the chance to step into the room and pitch directly to top television, new media, and digital executives, moving unproduced projects one step closer to the screen.

This year’s lineup spans bold dramas, sharp comedies, and fresh perspectives from emerging voices ready to be heard.

Presented with support from Working Artist Group, Rural Intersectionality Fund, Collective Moxie, Women in Film and Media Colorado.

Thursday, May 7 in Denver, CO
Get Tickets: seriesfest.com/festival

Projects + Creators:
“Little Hope” — Walter Strafford, Jeff Bernier
“Walk & Roll” — Lesley Hennen
“Oakdale FFA” — Hope Kindred
“Saint ’Liss” — Tara Malenfant, Melanie Johnson
“Golden Groves” — Marteene Gabrielle Diaz, Eric Todd Patton
“Rebel’s Hope” — Naomi Wantwadi

04/28/2026

Where is TV headed next?

Join SeriesFest Innovation Talks for exclusive conversations with the leaders shaping what’s next, from global content strategy to the rise of short-form storytelling and new ways audiences connect with content.

Hear from NBCUniversal’s Chief Business Officer Liz Jenkins on navigating growth and change at scale, and from MicroCo’s Jana Winograde and Susan Rovner on rethinking storytelling for the next generation of viewers.

May 6–10 in Denver, CO
Get Tickets: seriesfest.com/festival