The inaugural 2024 International Short Drama Festival Awards Gala was grandly held at the University of California, UC Irvine on November 10, 2024. Hosted by the International Short Drama Association, the red carpet and awards ceremony attracted numerous industry experts, directors, actors, and short drama enthusiasts, becoming a highly anticipated event. As attention to short dramas grows in the U.S., audiences are increasingly recognizing them not merely as fragmented entertainment, but as concentrated forms of artistic expression. Vertical short dramas deliver intricate storytelling to viewers and offer creators new creative possibilities. The 2024 International Short Drama Festival emerged as an important platform to honor outstanding contributions within the short drama community. The International Short Drama Association is the first institution to introduce overseas short dramas into the U.S. film and television market.
Congresswoman Judy Chu, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and Assembly Member Steven Choi (representing California's 49th District) each arranged representatives to present congratulatory citations. Wang Taiyu, Counselor, and cultural attaché Chai Yun from the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles were also invited to attend.
The organizers presented awards to short drama creators and performers from around the globe. The special guest, founder, honorary lifetime president, and renowned director of the China Television Drama Production Industry Association, You Xiaogang, presented the “Best Urban Romance Short Drama” award; the winning platform was Flex TV, and the winning work was My Husband is a Big Shot.
American Oscar Special Achievement Award winner Richard L. Anderson presented the “Best Werewolf Drama Short” award; the winning platform was Dreame Short, and the winning work was Fated At First Sight.
Professor Catherine Liu—Professor of Film & Media and Co-Founder of the International Short Drama Festival at UC Irvine—presented the “Best Technical Innovation in a Short Drama” award; the winning platform was ReelShort, and the winning work was Infatuated with the CEO.
Associate Dean of Humanities at UC Irvine, Chen Yong presented the “Outstanding Actress in a Short Drama” award to actress Sarah Moliski for Infatuated with the CEO; she also served as the evening's host.
Co-President of the International Short Drama Association, Dang He, presented the “Outstanding Actress in a Short Drama” award to Meg Bush for The Heiress Strikes Back.
Co-Chair of the International Short Drama Association and International Cultural Exchange Association, Chairman of HTTV, Li Ji, and Chair of the China-U.S. Business Summit, Shen Qun, presented the “Most Widely Loved by the Public” award; the winning platform was 24K Onions, for Marry a Stranger.
Founder and President of the U.S. International Documentary Association, Harrison Engle, presented the “Best Action Short Drama” award; the winning platform was Dreame Short, for Bring It On, My Mafia Life.
Mr. Pan Ming, Executive Director of East West Bank and Director of Chinese Affairs, presented the “Best Special Effects in a Short Drama” award; the winning platform was Sereal+, for My Cold Blooded Alpha King.
Associate Dean Chen Yong also presented the “Best Sweet Romance Drama Short” award to Playlet, for The Secret Heiress.
Co-Chair of the International Cultural Exchange Association, Li Zhihai, together with Professor Catherine Liu, presented the “Outstanding Actor in a Short Drama” awards to Patrick Sanderson (Playboy Becomes My Play Toy), Benjamin Ubinas (Bring It On, My Mafia Life), and Seth Edeen (Breaking the Ice).
Co-Chair of the International Short Drama Association, Jiang Yanming, presented the ‘Best Chinese-Language Short Drama Award’, which went to Love Between Two Mountains. The production was a collaborative effort by four entities, including Yi County Qingxi River Collective Economic Development Co., Ltd."
Professor Peter Krapp—Chair of the International Short Drama Festival and a faculty member at UC Irvine—presented the ‘Best Suspense Drama Short’ award. The winning platform was Sereal+, and the awarded work was Become The Idol Crazy Beach.”
Renowned American director and screenwriter Kurt Paul MacCarley presented the “Best Original Screenplay Award”, which went to the platform Dreame Short for the film After I Buy Sperm from a Billionaire.
Co-President of the International Short Drama Association, Vice President of the China Television Drama Production Industry Association, and Chairman of Datang Huihuang, Wang Hui, presented the “Best Overseas Short Drama” award; the winning platform was Flex TV, for Mr. Williams! Madame Is Dying.
U.S.-China Cultural Exchange Ambassador, Special Ambassador for U.S.–China Strategic Cooperation, and CEO of the Life Care Foundation, Kim Holland, presented the “Highest Quality Short Drama” award; the winning platform was ReelShort, for The Heiress Strikes Back.
Executive Director of the Collidescope Foundation and pioneer of the YouTube MCN field, Dan Thorman, presented the “Producer Award” to independent producer James Chen.
In a climactic moment, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education and USC Professor Zhang Manjun returned to the stage to present the “Best Short Drama” award; the winning platform was DramaBox, for I Wish It Were You.
In media interviews, Richard L. Anderson, the Oscar Special Achievement Award winner, said, "I believe short films are a fantastic medium for communicating with people of different cultures and languages—it's wonderful to celebrate the International Short Drama Festival here today." Cultural Exchange Ambassador Kim Holland commented, "Short dramas are indeed a trend in the U.S. market; they’re already very popular in China, and more and more Americans are starting to enjoy them. So having such an international short drama event today is very important." Wang Hui, Vice President of the China Television Drama Production Industry Association and Co-Chair of the International Short Drama Association, stated: "Short dramas are an emerging form that has grown rapidly in recent years—not only in China's market but also vertical short dramas are now hugely popular in the U.S. We all need to pay attention. Going forward, I believe the development direction for vertical short dramas is to shift toward horizontal screens and tell even more compelling stories."
This grand event brought together outstanding leaders and innovators from the international film and television industry, creating a precious platform for cultural dissemination and exchange via short dramas. Industry heavyweights and guests including Mega Matrix—the first publicly listed short drama company, Flex TV's Chief Strategy Officer Jia Songtao; Zhao Rui, head of ReelShort; Xie Guangcai, Senior VP of Chinese Online; Liu Zhi, COO of Stary Group and CEO of DreameShort; Chen Wenqing, Overseas Production Head at DramaBox; and Liu Xiaolin, CEO of the International Short Drama Association and International Cultural Exchange Association—all gathered together to co-celebrate the occasion.