Winners of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge will be announced Thursday evening during an awards ceremony at Sony Pictures Studios, with a host of celebrities expected to attend.
The 13th annual event will feature filmmakers and actors from across the country and around the world, highlighting short films created to promote disability inclusion in the entertainment industry, according to organizers.
The program will begin with an orange-carpet reception at 5 p.m. Thursday, followed by the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. on the Sony lot.
The competition drew more than 140 submissions this year, part of nearly 1,000 entries received since the program began, organizers said. Participants were given five days to write and produce short films based on an assigned genre.
“The featured genre for the 2026 Challenge was `Dramedy,’ which was once again officially announced during this year’s Sundance Film Festival by actor, comedian, producer and disability advocate Nic Novicki (`Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’), a little person who is a board member of Easterseals Southern California and founder and director of the Film Challenge,” organizers said in a statement.
Celebrity guests expected to attend include filmmaker Peter Farrelly, directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller, actor Jason Ritter and Wilmer Valderrama, along with other actors and industry professionals.
Awards will be presented in categories including best film, director, editor, actor and writer, with winners receiving cash prizes, mentorship opportunities and access to industry resources.
During the challenge, held in late March, participants were tasked with creating short films between one and five minutes in length that promote disability inclusion both in front of and behind the camera.
Organizers said the event aims to increase representation of people with disabilities in the entertainment industry, where they remain underrepresented.
“Disability inclusion cannot be an afterthought,” Novicki said. “True progress in the entertainment industry means ensuring that people with disabilities are part of the conversation at every level. The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge exists to do exactly that.”