We will explore festival evaluation criteria, their commitment to emerging talent, and what curators look for (momentum, presence, professionalism, and differentiators). We will analyze the transformation of the scene (10 years ago vs. today), the media landscape, and ephemeral digital consumption (virality vs. real impact) in a saturated market. Finally, we will chart the course for festivals: how to build local audiences, structure solid proposals, and explore success stories.