The vertical drama industry will gather in Los Angeles this April for its first-ever live awards ceremony, as the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards take the stage at the El Portal Theatre on April 23rd. #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos has the scoop.
The inaugural event, presented by FlareFlow, the world’s fastest-growing vertical drama platform with 33 million users and counting, brings together creators, performers, media executives and fans to celebrate one of the most dynamic storytelling formats in global entertainment.
Founded and run independently by Jen Cooper, creator of the @VerticalDramaLove platform, the awards recognize standout performances, writing and production across English-language vertical drama series released in 2025.
Every nomination, every shortlist and every winner is determined solely by fans, a model Cooper says reflects where the real power in the vertical drama industry has always resided.
“The entire industry exists because audiences around the world are watching, sharing and supporting these stories. These awards were created to reflect that, to give fans a meaningful voice in celebrating the talent they love.” — Jen Cooper, Founder, Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards.
Fans from more than 100 countries submitted nominations and cast votes, with participation spanning six continents and countries including Albania, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
All votes are independently verified before final confirmation, with one-vote-per-person limits, monitoring of email and IP data, and both AI-assisted and manual review to ensure fairness and integrity.
As presenting partner, FlareFlow’s involvement carries no influence over nominations, voting or results. The partnership does introduce one new category exclusive to the platform: the FlareFlow Spark Award, recognizing a production company or creator who took a bold
creative risk in 2025, whether in structure, genre, casting or storytelling approach.
“Vertical drama grew into a global phenomenon because audiences embraced it long before the traditional industry paid attention. The speed at which fans discover shows, champion actors and build communities around these stories is what has allowed the format to grow so
quickly across the world.
At FlareFlow we’ve always believed that fans are the real engine of this ecosystem. Supporting the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards is our way of recognizing that reality. The format belongs to the audience as much as it does to the creators, and this is a moment to celebrate that.” — Amy Sullivan, Head of U.S. Development, FlareFlow
The first-ever live ceremony has attracted six sponsors, reflecting the growing commercial and creative interest in the vertical drama space.
Alongside FlareFlow, the event is supported by BuzzFeed Studios and Halogen Cinema, part of BuzzFeed Studios’ Vertical
division creating some of the most successful vertical series in the digital space; Eris Talent; The Almery Group; Califino Tequila; Zak Barnett Studios; and The Vertical Buzz Podcast.
The evening will feature fan-driven award categories celebrating the shows, performances and characters that defined the genre over the past year, alongside clips from the format’s biggest hits and fan stories from around the globe. The ceremony will be attended by some
of the biggest stars in the microdrama industry, including Eric Guilmette, Noah Fearnley, Sam Myerson, Nicole Mattox, Mariah Moss and Seth Edeen.
A cocktail reception following the ceremony will bring together creators, actors, producers and executives shaping the next
chapter of the vertical storytelling industry.
