FlareFlow to Present Inaugural Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards in Los Angeles (EXCLUSIVE)

The vertical drama industry is heading to Los Angeles this spring as the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards hold their first live ceremony at the El Portal Theatre on April 23. FlareFlow, the microdrama streaming platform that has grown to 33 million registered users worldwide, will serve as presenting partner for the inaugural event. The awards were created by Jen Cooper, who runs the @VerticalDramaLove platform independently, and are designed to honor the best in English-language vertical drama released during 2025. The competition is unusual in that no industry panel or jury is involved at any stage – nominations, shortlists and winners are all decided entirely by the viewing public. “The entire industry exists because audiences around the world are watching, sharing and supporting these stories,” Cooper said. “These awards were created to reflect that, to give fans a meaningful voice in celebrating the talent they love.” Popular on Variety The fan response has been strikingly global. Voters from more than 100 countries across six continents took part, with participation recorded from dozens of territories including Brazil, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Korea, Turkey, the U.K., the U.S. and many more. To maintain the integrity of the results, each voter is limited to a single submission, with email and IP data monitored and results reviewed through a combination of automated tools and manual checks before winners are confirmed. FlareFlow’s role as presenting partner comes with a clear boundary: the platform has no say in nominations, voting or outcomes. Its involvement does add one new category to the lineup – the FlareFlow Spark Award, which will go to a production company or creator judged to have taken the most adventurous creative leap of 2025, whether in how a story is told, structured, cast or genred. “Vertical drama grew into a global phenomenon because audiences embraced it long before the traditional industry paid attention,” said Amy Sullivan, head of U.S. Development at FlareFlow. “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.” Six sponsors have signed on to support the ceremony, a sign of the vertical drama space’s rising commercial profile. Alongside FlareFlow, backers include BuzzFeed Studios and its vertical drama arm Halogen Cinema, talent agency Eris Talent, The Almery Group, Califino Tequila, Zak Barnett Studios and The Vertical Buzz Podcast. The ceremony itself will spotlight the shows, characters and performances that resonated most strongly with audiences over the past year, drawing on fan stories from around the world and footage from the format’s standout titles. Among the industry names expected to attend are Eric Guilmette, Noah Fearnley, Sam Myerson, Nicole Mattox, Mariah Moss and Seth Edeen. Creators, producers and executives will gather at a post-ceremony cocktail reception. FlareFlow, the flagship service of COL Group International, operates across more than 200 countries and territories and offers content in 14 languages. The platform’s library runs to around 5,200 series spanning romance, thriller, drama and reality, all produced for mobile, vertical-screen viewing. Its 33 million registered users have helped it reach the top of U.S. entertainment app charts, establishing FlareFlow as a leading force in the micro-binge streaming space.