More than 100 Leading Industry Executives from Over 25 Countries Will Judge This Year’s Entries
The New York Festivals Television and Film Awards, celebrating 70 years of innovation in global storytelling, has announced its distinguished 2027 Grand Jury.
Bringing together acclaimed filmmakers, directors, journalists, executive producers, screenwriters, and other creative leaders from around the world, the 2027 Grand Jury reflects the breadth of talent shaping today’s evolving television and film landscape. Drawing on their collective expertise, these industry professionals will evaluate work across platforms, recognizing outstanding storytelling, creative vision, and innovation.
“Every year, we work with our Advisory Board – all industry thought leaders – to make sure that our categories recognize the innovative storytelling being created today. With their collective wealth of hands-on knowledge, their commitment to excellence and the proven mastery of their craft, we gain a 360-degree perspective into our ever-changing and interconnected world. The insights into the paths to the future from this international brain trust ensures that NYF’s TV & Film Awards will continue to honor world-wide excellence across all platforms.”—Rose Anderson, Executive Vice President, New York Festivals
The 2027 TV & Film Awards Grand Jury represents leading media organizations and creative companies across news, documentaries, entertainment, sports, and corporate storytelling.
This year’s jury includes professionals from some of the industry’s most respected organizations, including BBC, Al Jazeera Media Network, Radio-Canada, NBCUniversal Telemundo, Fuji Television, ZDF, Mediacorp, France Télévisions, CBC, GMA Network, Blackfella Films, ESPN, CGTN, nautilusfilm GmbH, Movistar Plus+, SP Televisão S.A., Phoenix Satellite Television, RTHK, Zeitsprung Pictures, The Edge (a Zinc Media Group company), FORTUNE Brand Studio, KNN, The Walt Disney Company, TV Globo, Beach House Pictures, TRT World, The National Football League, MBC East-Gangwon, Paramount Creative EMEAA, Casual Films, TI ComNet, and RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana.
The 2027 TV & Film Awards Grand Jury
Monica Albuquerque, Vice President of Original Content, The Walt Disney Company, Brazil
Béatrice Alquier, Promotion et Direction Artistique des Antennes – France Télévisions, France
Neil Cairns, Head of Features, CGTN Europe, United Kingdom
Jae Un Chin, General Director, KNN, South Korea
Nick Canner, Creative Director, The Edge (a Zinc Media Group company), United Kingdom
Katie Clark, Head of Creative Talent, Scotland, Media Zoo Ltd, United Kingdom
Eduardo Calvet, Editor, TV Globo, Brazil
Daniel Carriere, Science Reporter, Radio-Canada, Canada
Sofia de Fay, Writer/Director, UAE
Jeremy JP Fekete, Director & Filmmaker, Germany
Walter Fernandez, Editor-in-Chief CNA & Chief Sustainability Officer, Mediacorp, Singapore
Reshma Ghost, Filmmaker & Founder, Blue Petal Films, India
Megan Gilbert, Executive Director, Commercial Marketing & Guardian Labs, The Guardian USA
Michael Gray, Series Executive Producer, BBC, United Kingdom
Melanie Haft, Managing Director & Head of Production, nautilusfilm GmbH, Germany
Jacob Hickey, Head of Factual, Blackfella Films, Australia
Walter Ingrassia, Head, Marketing and Promotion Unit, Rai Fiction. RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana, Italy
Sarah Jenner, Executive Producer, Plastic Pictures, United Kingdom
Natalie Jowett, Managing Director, JusticeAid, USA
Yuka Kitayuguchi, International Relations, Fuji Television Network, Inc., Japan
Mark Klusener, Program Manager, TRT World, Turkey
Jun-Ho Lee, Investigative Reporter & Documentary Director, MBC East-Gangwon, South Korea
David Lennon, Senior VP, FORTUNE Brand Studio, USA
Brian Lockhart, Senior Vice President, Original Content, ESPN, USA
Pedro Lopes, General Director of Content at SPTV Group & Chief Creative & Strategy Officer at SPi, SP Televisão S.A., Portugal
Maribel Martinez, Founder & Creative Director, Diecinueve36, Mexico
Jodain Massad, Director, Development & Innovation, NFL Films, National Football League, USA
Nick Olle, Senior Supervising Producer, 101 East, Al Jazeera, Malaysia
Moritz Polter, Managing Director & Executive Producer, Windlight Pictures GmbH, Germany
Duncan Preston, Head of Global Creative Services, Al Jazeera Media Network, Qatar
Stefan Scholz, Head of Media, brandscape GmbH, Germany
German Sela, Head of Brand, Movistar Plus+, Spain
Jessica Soho, Broadcast Journalist, GMA Networks, Philippines
Jay Soo, Chief Commercial & Creative Officer | APAC, Casual Films, Singapore
Abram Sitzer, Head of Content, Beach House Productions, Singapore
Vanda Tan, General Manager, Wa Wa Pictures Pte Ltd, Singapore
Alitor Tapia Pulido, Head, Creative Development Original Content, Movistar Plus+, Spain
Francis Toral, Head of Integrated News Division, ABS-CBN Corporation, Philippines
Toshie Yoshida, President, TI ComNet, Japan
Li Zhang, Deputy Director of Chief Editor ’s Office, Phoenix Satellite Television, Taiwan
View the 2027 Grand Jury to date.
The 2027 competition will celebrate storytelling that drives awareness and inspires action through two signature special awards.
The WaterBear Award, presented through an ongoing partnership with WaterBear, acquired in 2026 by the Swiss non-profit OurFrame, honors filmmakers whose visionary work encourages audiences to protect our planet. The award will be presented to the highest scoring documentary across Climate Change & Sustainability, Environment & Ecology, and Nature & Wildlife.
New for 2027, New York Festivals partners with AwareNow Media to present the AwareNow Award, recognizing powerful storytelling that uses film, audio, and documentary to raise awareness and inspire action around health and medical issues. The award will be presented to the highest-scoring submission across the Health/Medical Information Documentary and Health/Medical Documentary categories in the NYF TV & Film and Radio competitions.
Formed to promote justice through the arts and public engagement, JusticeAid has partnered with New York Festivals to present The JusticeAid Award for the highest scoring submission across all Social Justice categories in the NYF TV & Film and Radio competitions.
Since 1957, New York Festivals TV & Film Awards has recognized outstanding storytelling and creative achievement across television, film, and digital media. Celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2027, the competition honors the vision, innovation, and craft of the men and women creating compelling content for audiences around the world across all viewing platforms.
All entries will be judged online by the TV & Film Awards Grand Jury, a global panel of more than 200 producers, directors, writers, and other creative media professionals. Award-winning work will be showcased in the TV & Film Awards Winners Gallery.
The 2027 New York Festivals TV & Film Awards will announce its winners at the Storytellers Gala on Thursday May 20, 2027. The virtual event will feature global highlights, winners’ acceptance speeches, and behind-the-scenes commentary from some of the industry’s most respected storytellers.
The 2027 TV & Film Awards eligibility window runs from September 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026. The deadline for entering this year’s competition is December 31, 2026.
View the 2026 New York Festivals TV & Film Awards winners’ showcase.