LOS ANGELES – American Cinema Editors (https://americancinemaeditors.org) announced two major developments that reflect its commitment to honoring editorial excellence across all formats. The ACE Board officially approved a new competitive award category — Best Edited Short — and will, for the first time, accept submissions from YouTube and other digital platforms across compatible existing categories. Additionally, ACE will present YouTube with the ACE Visionary Award, recognizing its profound impact on visual storytelling. Honors will be presented at the 76th Annual ACE Eddie Awards, set to take place on Friday, February 27, 2026 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
The newly-approved Best Edited Short category will celebrate exceptional editing in short-form storytelling. Eligible submissions will include theatrical short films, original short-form content made specifically for digital platforms, narrative, documentary animation, and experimental work. ACE is considering aligning the maximum runtime with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science’s 40-minute standard, though the final parameters will be confirmed and announced on the ACE website before the next submission period.
In addition to the new short film category, ACE has broadened eligibility across compatible existing categories to include work released exclusively on platforms such as YouTube. Whether reality or variety series or feature-length documentaries, these projects will be judged by the same rigorous artistic and technical standards ACE applies to all entries.
To honor its transformative influence on the world of storytelling, ACE will present YouTube with the ACE Visionary Award at the 76th Annual ACE Eddie Awards. The recognition is given in the spirit of previous honors bestowed upon pioneering companies such as Avid, and celebrates YouTube’s role in empowering a global generation of visual storytellers.