Man vs. machine chess thriller Rematch was awarded the International Competition grand prize at the 2024 Series Mania festival on Friday night (March 22) in Lille, France.
Inspired by the true story of the historic confrontation between chess master Garry Kasparov and Ibm’s supercomputer Deep Blue, the AI-themed story created by Yan England, André Gulluni and Bruno Nahon is produced by Unité, Arte France, Federation Studios and Proton and stars Christian Cooke. Federation Studios handles international sales.
Scroll down for full list of winners
The international competition jury, presided by The Oa creator Zal Batmanglij, also gave awards to the stars...
Inspired by the true story of the historic confrontation between chess master Garry Kasparov and Ibm’s supercomputer Deep Blue, the AI-themed story created by Yan England, André Gulluni and Bruno Nahon is produced by Unité, Arte France, Federation Studios and Proton and stars Christian Cooke. Federation Studios handles international sales.
Scroll down for full list of winners
The international competition jury, presided by The Oa creator Zal Batmanglij, also gave awards to the stars...
- 3/22/2024
- ScreenDaily
Good afternoon Insiders, Max Goldbart here. We’ve been out in force in France this week. To read about our travels, plus plenty more, scroll down, and sign up here.
All That Mania
‘So Long, Marianne’ star Alex Wolff (left) with Series Mania boss Laurence Herszberg
Netflix pulls ahead: Anything but doom and gloom this week at the Lille Series Mania confab, which was buzzy as ever, cementing its place as a must-not-miss event in the ever-crowded TV market calendar. Big stars including Patricia Arquette, Jeremy Irons and Michael Chiklis headed to the city in northern France to tout wares and talk shop. Netflix execs were out in full force, pushing hard against the cross-industry contraction narrative by unveiling dozens of shows in the weeks leading up to the market — and unveiling two more, starring Isabelle Adjani and Famke Janssen — at its showcase. At a time when local content is being rowed back,...
All That Mania
‘So Long, Marianne’ star Alex Wolff (left) with Series Mania boss Laurence Herszberg
Netflix pulls ahead: Anything but doom and gloom this week at the Lille Series Mania confab, which was buzzy as ever, cementing its place as a must-not-miss event in the ever-crowded TV market calendar. Big stars including Patricia Arquette, Jeremy Irons and Michael Chiklis headed to the city in northern France to tout wares and talk shop. Netflix execs were out in full force, pushing hard against the cross-industry contraction narrative by unveiling dozens of shows in the weeks leading up to the market — and unveiling two more, starring Isabelle Adjani and Famke Janssen — at its showcase. At a time when local content is being rowed back,...
- 3/22/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix France’s campaign for Season 4 of the popular UK series, “Sex Education” was announced winner of Series Mania’s Best Marketing Initiative Award. Launched last year, the prize recognizes a company’s promotional efforts to consumers (B2C) as well as initiatives by producers and distributors to raise awareness of a show among commissioners and buyers (B2B).
The jury included executives from BBC Creative Studios, Inédite Agency, and Make It Happen Studios, along with the Series Mania team. Marketing Manager Sarah Izbornicki accepted the award on behalf of Netflix France.
“Sex Education” is a British teen comedy-drama series on Netflix, crafted by Laurie Nunn and starring Asa Butterfield as its lead character, Otis. Set in the fictional town of Moordale, it delves into the lives of teens and adults navigating a myriad of personal challenges, frequently revolving around sexual intimacy.
As part of its customized marketing initiative, Netflix...
The jury included executives from BBC Creative Studios, Inédite Agency, and Make It Happen Studios, along with the Series Mania team. Marketing Manager Sarah Izbornicki accepted the award on behalf of Netflix France.
“Sex Education” is a British teen comedy-drama series on Netflix, crafted by Laurie Nunn and starring Asa Butterfield as its lead character, Otis. Set in the fictional town of Moordale, it delves into the lives of teens and adults navigating a myriad of personal challenges, frequently revolving around sexual intimacy.
As part of its customized marketing initiative, Netflix...
- 3/21/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Slovakian political drama Our People has won the €50,000 Series Mania Forum best project sward.
Our People was one of 15 projects pitched at the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions on the first day of the Forum, the industry arm of the Series Mania Festival.
The six-part drama focuses on the murder of a journalist which overthrows the balance of power in Slovakia. It is produced by Jakub Viktorín and Tomáš Hrubý for nutprodukcia and is written by Tereza Nvotová and Miro Sifra and directed by Tereza Nvotová.
It was selected by a jury led by Nina Lederman, evp global scripted development & programming, Sony Pictures Television.
Our People was one of 15 projects pitched at the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions on the first day of the Forum, the industry arm of the Series Mania Festival.
The six-part drama focuses on the murder of a journalist which overthrows the balance of power in Slovakia. It is produced by Jakub Viktorín and Tomáš Hrubý for nutprodukcia and is written by Tereza Nvotová and Miro Sifra and directed by Tereza Nvotová.
It was selected by a jury led by Nina Lederman, evp global scripted development & programming, Sony Pictures Television.
- 3/20/2024
- ScreenDaily
Slovakian drama series Our People has won the Series Mania Co-Pro Pitch and taken home a €50,000 development prize.
The pitch beat out competition from 14 other titles to win the Series Mania Forum Best Project Award following a day of pitching against projects from the likes of Japan, France, Germany and Eastern Europe.
The pitching team — Jakub Viktorín, Tomáš Hrubý and Miro Sifra — drew an impromptu round of applause from the audience following their presentation, which intrigued the audience by describing their eureka moment while researching the crime drama story, saying, it “Felt like the world of Fargo.”
The six-part political drama series, from Nutprodukcia, is based on the grim true-life tale about the killing of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová, in 2018. “These are stupid criminals. They were getting advice [to commit murder] from fortune tellers,” said Hrubý.
Kuciak has been investigating tax fraud among top Slovakian criminals and several people...
The pitch beat out competition from 14 other titles to win the Series Mania Forum Best Project Award following a day of pitching against projects from the likes of Japan, France, Germany and Eastern Europe.
The pitching team — Jakub Viktorín, Tomáš Hrubý and Miro Sifra — drew an impromptu round of applause from the audience following their presentation, which intrigued the audience by describing their eureka moment while researching the crime drama story, saying, it “Felt like the world of Fargo.”
The six-part political drama series, from Nutprodukcia, is based on the grim true-life tale about the killing of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová, in 2018. “These are stupid criminals. They were getting advice [to commit murder] from fortune tellers,” said Hrubý.
Kuciak has been investigating tax fraud among top Slovakian criminals and several people...
- 3/20/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
A small pro-Palestine protest formed outside Series Mania in France on Tuesday.
The group, which numbered no more than 10, wore Palestine flags and distributed flyers to delegates in French, while holding a banner reading “Stop Genocide In Gaza / Boycott Series Mania.”
They called for Series Mania to cut a longstanding writing residency partnership with Israeli cultural bodies over the country’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, and said they wanted to raise awareness among delegates of the French TV festival.
Specifically, the flyer literature pointed to Series Mania’s participation in the Drama Series Co-Writing Residency between Israel and France, which has been in place at the fest for half a decade. The residency is a program initiative of France’s film body Cnc (Centre National du Cinéma) and Israel’s Gmff (Gesher Multicultural Film Fund), in cooperation with the Israeli Scriptwriters Guild, the Israeli Producers Association and the French Embassy in Israel.
The group, which numbered no more than 10, wore Palestine flags and distributed flyers to delegates in French, while holding a banner reading “Stop Genocide In Gaza / Boycott Series Mania.”
They called for Series Mania to cut a longstanding writing residency partnership with Israeli cultural bodies over the country’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, and said they wanted to raise awareness among delegates of the French TV festival.
Specifically, the flyer literature pointed to Series Mania’s participation in the Drama Series Co-Writing Residency between Israel and France, which has been in place at the fest for half a decade. The residency is a program initiative of France’s film body Cnc (Centre National du Cinéma) and Israel’s Gmff (Gesher Multicultural Film Fund), in cooperation with the Israeli Scriptwriters Guild, the Israeli Producers Association and the French Embassy in Israel.
- 3/19/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Francesca Orsi Wins Series Mania Award
HBO programing boss Francesca Orsi is to be awarded Series Mania’s Woman In Series Award and will take the stage with Bad Wolf CEO Jane Tranter at the Lille confab later this month. Orsi, whose slate has included the likes of The Last of Us, The White Lotus and Euphoria, along with Bad Wolf-made shows such as Industry, will speak about her career and the industry during the Tranter chat. She is one of the biggest draws for the Lille event, which takes place in two weeks and is featuring the likes of Patricia Arquette and Narcos showrunner Chris Brancato. “Awarding Francesca Orsi with this award for 2024 was an easy decision and an obvious choice for us,” said Laurence Herszberg, Series Mania founder. “Francesca is a true leader and I am incredibly honored to be presenting her with our award this year.” Last...
HBO programing boss Francesca Orsi is to be awarded Series Mania’s Woman In Series Award and will take the stage with Bad Wolf CEO Jane Tranter at the Lille confab later this month. Orsi, whose slate has included the likes of The Last of Us, The White Lotus and Euphoria, along with Bad Wolf-made shows such as Industry, will speak about her career and the industry during the Tranter chat. She is one of the biggest draws for the Lille event, which takes place in two weeks and is featuring the likes of Patricia Arquette and Narcos showrunner Chris Brancato. “Awarding Francesca Orsi with this award for 2024 was an easy decision and an obvious choice for us,” said Laurence Herszberg, Series Mania founder. “Francesca is a true leader and I am incredibly honored to be presenting her with our award this year.” Last...
- 3/8/2024
- by Max Goldbart and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Ten projects have been selected for the second edition of Seriesmakers, Series Mania’s development lab for feature film directors sidestepping into series production.
The lab is run in collaboration with Beta, and this year features projects helmed by directors including Kaouther Ben Hania, who directed the Oscar-nominated doc Four Daughters, and Kevin Macdonald, best known for The Mauritanian.
Ben Hania’s project is titled Freedom Academy and is produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha. The synopsis reads: In the competitive world of television, a cunning producer and his optimistic wife battle for control of a daring reality TV show set in a high-security prison, hoping to capture the intense competition among incarcerated radicals all while the jury grapples with their divergent opinions on prisoners’ rehabilitation.
Macdonald’s series is titled George Blake and is produced by Femke Wolting. Synopsis reads: What makes a person turn against everything they ever stood for?...
The lab is run in collaboration with Beta, and this year features projects helmed by directors including Kaouther Ben Hania, who directed the Oscar-nominated doc Four Daughters, and Kevin Macdonald, best known for The Mauritanian.
Ben Hania’s project is titled Freedom Academy and is produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha. The synopsis reads: In the competitive world of television, a cunning producer and his optimistic wife battle for control of a daring reality TV show set in a high-security prison, hoping to capture the intense competition among incarcerated radicals all while the jury grapples with their divergent opinions on prisoners’ rehabilitation.
Macdonald’s series is titled George Blake and is produced by Femke Wolting. Synopsis reads: What makes a person turn against everything they ever stood for?...
- 3/4/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Peak intellectual property doesn’t have the same ring to it as peak TV. Drama based on tried-and-true ideas, however, removes risk for commissioners in challenging international markets and is in vogue. But producers be warned: the best ideas don’t come cheap.
The volume of TV drama ordered will increase in 2024 according to analysts, but it will remain way off the Golden Era highs. The well of money for scripted TV hasn’t run dry, but it’s no longer overflowing.
The Series Mania Forum is engineered for market shifts with its international co-production strand feeling more relevant than ever. Laurence Herszberg, Founder and General Director of Series Mania, said the industry element of the Festival is a toolbox for professionals. One tool it will add this year is a new IP market. The dedicated space will allow IP owners to press the flesh with the 4,000 TV folk expected in Lilles in March.
The volume of TV drama ordered will increase in 2024 according to analysts, but it will remain way off the Golden Era highs. The well of money for scripted TV hasn’t run dry, but it’s no longer overflowing.
The Series Mania Forum is engineered for market shifts with its international co-production strand feeling more relevant than ever. Laurence Herszberg, Founder and General Director of Series Mania, said the industry element of the Festival is a toolbox for professionals. One tool it will add this year is a new IP market. The dedicated space will allow IP owners to press the flesh with the 4,000 TV folk expected in Lilles in March.
- 2/28/2024
- by Stewart Clarke
- Deadline Film + TV
Series Mania brings the world of drama together every year in March in Lilles, France. It has public screenings and competition strands spanning various types of scripted TV. The industry component, the Forum, includes the Co-Production Pitching Sessions, which have become one of the event’s signature elements.
Less than three weeks out from the latest edition, Founder and General Director of Series Mania, Laurence Herszberg, and Francesco Capurro, Director, Series Mania Forum, stepped away from the last-minute travails of organizing a festival to give Deadline the low-down on what to expect this time.
Deadline: It’s almost showtime, thanks for finding the time. You spend the year getting Series Mania together, what’s changed since last time and how will you adapt?
Laurence Herszberg: What we do during the year gives us time to monitor the evolution of the industry, which is a key to our success – all year...
Less than three weeks out from the latest edition, Founder and General Director of Series Mania, Laurence Herszberg, and Francesco Capurro, Director, Series Mania Forum, stepped away from the last-minute travails of organizing a festival to give Deadline the low-down on what to expect this time.
Deadline: It’s almost showtime, thanks for finding the time. You spend the year getting Series Mania together, what’s changed since last time and how will you adapt?
Laurence Herszberg: What we do during the year gives us time to monitor the evolution of the industry, which is a key to our success – all year...
- 2/28/2024
- by Stewart Clarke
- Deadline Film + TV
Drama series set in the worlds of Eurovision and the Vatican are among the selected projects for Series Mania’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions next month.
Among the 16 titles are European six-parter Eurovision Murder Mystery, which is from France’s Apc Stories and Germany’s Friday Film. Plot details were thin, but synopsis reads: “When you have 72 hours to solve a murder, save Eurovision and the fate of Europe. Fabienne Hurst and Bertrand Soulier are writing.
Vatican, from Italy’s Fabula Pictures, follows a father investigating the suspicious death of his only son. he discovers his child was involved in a prostitution ring inside the church used by unscrupulous bishops to control the Vatican policy. Flavio Bernard, Ciro Di Maso and Marcello Olivieri are attached to write.
Fifteen of the 16 Series Mania titles were previously unannounced for the event, which takes place on March 19 as part of the Series Mania Forum.
Among the 16 titles are European six-parter Eurovision Murder Mystery, which is from France’s Apc Stories and Germany’s Friday Film. Plot details were thin, but synopsis reads: “When you have 72 hours to solve a murder, save Eurovision and the fate of Europe. Fabienne Hurst and Bertrand Soulier are writing.
Vatican, from Italy’s Fabula Pictures, follows a father investigating the suspicious death of his only son. he discovers his child was involved in a prostitution ring inside the church used by unscrupulous bishops to control the Vatican policy. Flavio Bernard, Ciro Di Maso and Marcello Olivieri are attached to write.
Fifteen of the 16 Series Mania titles were previously unannounced for the event, which takes place on March 19 as part of the Series Mania Forum.
- 2/23/2024
- by Jesse Whittock and Sara Merican
- Deadline Film + TV
“A True Novel,” directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, manga-inspired “Issak,” written by Itaru Mizuno (“Double Booking”) and “4 Blocks” Richard Kropf, look like potential highlights at this year’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, the centerpiece at Series Mania’s Forum, as its projects expand ever more their geographic compass, here welcoming their first titles co-produced by Japan.
They are joined by titles from around the world such as Argentinean Daniel Burman’s “Witness 36,” which won the Series Mania Award at the Berlinale Series Market on Tuesday, and a slice of Vatican noir and which reunites the team of “De Grace,”and
The Forum runs March 19-21 during Series Mania, Europe’s biggest dedicated TV festival, which will unspool this year over March 15-22 in Lille, Northern France.
News of the Co-Pro lineup comes as the Forum is tracking for yet another all-time record attendance. After last year’s historical high of 3,800 delegates,...
They are joined by titles from around the world such as Argentinean Daniel Burman’s “Witness 36,” which won the Series Mania Award at the Berlinale Series Market on Tuesday, and a slice of Vatican noir and which reunites the team of “De Grace,”and
The Forum runs March 19-21 during Series Mania, Europe’s biggest dedicated TV festival, which will unspool this year over March 15-22 in Lille, Northern France.
News of the Co-Pro lineup comes as the Forum is tracking for yet another all-time record attendance. After last year’s historical high of 3,800 delegates,...
- 2/23/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The Israeli producers and writers guilds have been in talks with Series Mania bosses after the festival’s chief said it was “impossible” for a show from the country to be included in its official selection this year.
Sources from the Israeli sector reacted with alarm and contacted Deadline after reading the quote from Laurence Herszberg. Since then, we understand the Israeli Producers Association (Ipa) and Screenwriters Guild of Israel have sought clarification, after a local Israeli news site reported that Israeli broadcasters and producers had, in fact, submitted numerous shows.
The issue began when, unveiling the competition participants earlier this week, Herszberg claimed that “in Israel, many ongoing projects were shut down, making it impossible for Series Mania to include an Israeli production” for the first time in the fest’s history. She added that the festival had been affected by “several international crises” including the Israel-Hamas War and Russo-Ukrainian War.
Sources from the Israeli sector reacted with alarm and contacted Deadline after reading the quote from Laurence Herszberg. Since then, we understand the Israeli Producers Association (Ipa) and Screenwriters Guild of Israel have sought clarification, after a local Israeli news site reported that Israeli broadcasters and producers had, in fact, submitted numerous shows.
The issue began when, unveiling the competition participants earlier this week, Herszberg claimed that “in Israel, many ongoing projects were shut down, making it impossible for Series Mania to include an Israeli production” for the first time in the fest’s history. She added that the festival had been affected by “several international crises” including the Israel-Hamas War and Russo-Ukrainian War.
- 2/9/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock’s Apples Never Fall, MGM+’s Hotel Cocaine and Nrk’s buzzy drama about Leonard Cohen, So Long, Marianne will be in the International Competition race at Series Mania in March.
The shows will be up against BBC Three’s UK series Boarders, France 2 drama Dans L’Ombre (In the Shadows), Ard’s German series Herrhausen, the Banker and the Bomb, ABC Australia’s House of Gods, and Franco-Hungarian co-production Rematch, which is for Arte, Disney+ and HBO Europe.
The shows comprise an interesting cross-section of U.S. and European projects, with the Annette Bening-starring thriller Apples Never Fall among the highest profile. Hotel Cocaine, about a Cuban expatriate who re-made his life in Miami, is among MGM+’s biggest recent bets, while So Long, Marianne has been building steam as a study into the life of singer-songwriter Cohen and his muse, Marianne Ihlen.
The shows will be up against BBC Three’s UK series Boarders, France 2 drama Dans L’Ombre (In the Shadows), Ard’s German series Herrhausen, the Banker and the Bomb, ABC Australia’s House of Gods, and Franco-Hungarian co-production Rematch, which is for Arte, Disney+ and HBO Europe.
The shows comprise an interesting cross-section of U.S. and European projects, with the Annette Bening-starring thriller Apples Never Fall among the highest profile. Hotel Cocaine, about a Cuban expatriate who re-made his life in Miami, is among MGM+’s biggest recent bets, while So Long, Marianne has been building steam as a study into the life of singer-songwriter Cohen and his muse, Marianne Ihlen.
- 2/7/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Lille-based Series Mania, Europe’s biggest TV festival and forum, has revealed its impressive 2024 main competition, which includes three U.S. streamer bows – from Peacock, and MGM+ and Disney+/HBO Europe world premieres.
The starry lineup features, for example, the much-anticipated new Liane Moriarty adaptation “Apples Never Fall” with Annette Bening as the matriarch who suddenly disappears, leaving her picture-perfect family in disarray. Currently celebrating Oscar nomination for “Nyad,” Bening is joined in the series be by Sam Neill and Alison Brie.
Alex Wolff, recently spotted in another Oscar hopeful “Oppenheimer,” will put on his deepest voice for “So Long, Marianne” about the tumultuous relationship between Leonard Cohen and Norwegian writer Marianne Ihlen, from Norway’s Nrk.
With Wolff currently set to attend, Zal Batmanglij – behind Netflix’s “The Oa” – “The Artist’s” Bérénice Bejo, “Gossip Girl” alumni Kelly Rutherford, novelist Douglas Kennedy and France’s Laurent Lafitte will also deliver masterclasses.
The starry lineup features, for example, the much-anticipated new Liane Moriarty adaptation “Apples Never Fall” with Annette Bening as the matriarch who suddenly disappears, leaving her picture-perfect family in disarray. Currently celebrating Oscar nomination for “Nyad,” Bening is joined in the series be by Sam Neill and Alison Brie.
Alex Wolff, recently spotted in another Oscar hopeful “Oppenheimer,” will put on his deepest voice for “So Long, Marianne” about the tumultuous relationship between Leonard Cohen and Norwegian writer Marianne Ihlen, from Norway’s Nrk.
With Wolff currently set to attend, Zal Batmanglij – behind Netflix’s “The Oa” – “The Artist’s” Bérénice Bejo, “Gossip Girl” alumni Kelly Rutherford, novelist Douglas Kennedy and France’s Laurent Lafitte will also deliver masterclasses.
- 2/7/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
“Series Mania is mine!” shouts Logan Roy, in a promo video dropped today that blurs the lines of industry confab and fiction.
The Succession patriarch makes a short comedy cameo in a social media trailer video for France’s Series Mania, which runs between March 15-22 in Lille, France.
“Paris is so overrated. Lille is the new Paris,” says a voiceover as the video begins, before the words ‘Emily in Lille’ overlay the screen.
A surreal comic sketch follows, with an apologetic Series Mania boss Laurence Herszberg rushing into a posh office room in character as Emily from Emily in Paris, which has run on Netflix for three seasons so far and stars Lilly Collins as an aspiring marketing executive who moves to Paris to provide an American perspective to a French agency.
The promo sees ‘Emily’ bring an oat milk cappuccino for one of the Netflix show’s stars,...
The Succession patriarch makes a short comedy cameo in a social media trailer video for France’s Series Mania, which runs between March 15-22 in Lille, France.
“Paris is so overrated. Lille is the new Paris,” says a voiceover as the video begins, before the words ‘Emily in Lille’ overlay the screen.
A surreal comic sketch follows, with an apologetic Series Mania boss Laurence Herszberg rushing into a posh office room in character as Emily from Emily in Paris, which has run on Netflix for three seasons so far and stars Lilly Collins as an aspiring marketing executive who moves to Paris to provide an American perspective to a French agency.
The promo sees ‘Emily’ bring an oat milk cappuccino for one of the Netflix show’s stars,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
A total of 30 awards were handed out, worth almost $200,000.
Taiwan-Japan documentary After The Snowmelt won the grand awards at the Tccf pitching session, along with Filipino fantasy film Mother Maybe and Taiwanese revenge thriller series Maid Of Vengeance.
The pitching session ended on a happy note on November 10, the fourth day of Tccf, when a total of 30 awards were handed out, worth almost $200,000. One of the grand awards was a last-minute addition. The original plan was to give out only one Taicca X Cnc grand prize with a cash of $30,000, but a second award of the same name was added.
Taiwan-Japan documentary After The Snowmelt won the grand awards at the Tccf pitching session, along with Filipino fantasy film Mother Maybe and Taiwanese revenge thriller series Maid Of Vengeance.
The pitching session ended on a happy note on November 10, the fourth day of Tccf, when a total of 30 awards were handed out, worth almost $200,000. One of the grand awards was a last-minute addition. The original plan was to give out only one Taicca X Cnc grand prize with a cash of $30,000, but a second award of the same name was added.
- 11/10/2023
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
France’s Series Mania Festival is teaming with Taiwan Creative Content Agency (Taicca) to launch a workshop, Serial Bridges, in France and Taiwan next year that is aimed at East Asian screenwriters and producers.
The workshop will be run by Series Mania Institute, the education and training division of the annual Lille-based festival, and is part of an on-going partnership with Taiwanese government agency Taicca.
Laurence Herszberg, Managing Director of Series Mania, announced the workshop today at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (Tccf) in Taipei. It will begin next year at Series Mania Festival, which is scheduled for March 15-21, and conclude at the Tccf in November 2024.
The two partners said the workshop is aimed at developing international serial co-productions between Europe and Taiwan and strengthening Taiwan’s position as a creative hub for audio-visual production.
It is open to six writer/producer teams with a series project. Of the 12 participants selected,...
The workshop will be run by Series Mania Institute, the education and training division of the annual Lille-based festival, and is part of an on-going partnership with Taiwanese government agency Taicca.
Laurence Herszberg, Managing Director of Series Mania, announced the workshop today at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (Tccf) in Taipei. It will begin next year at Series Mania Festival, which is scheduled for March 15-21, and conclude at the Tccf in November 2024.
The two partners said the workshop is aimed at developing international serial co-productions between Europe and Taiwan and strengthening Taiwan’s position as a creative hub for audio-visual production.
It is open to six writer/producer teams with a series project. Of the 12 participants selected,...
- 11/8/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Series Mania Institute, the first school entirely dedicated to series, and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (Taicca), Wednesday announced launch next year of Serial Bridges, a workshop event, in France and Taiwan.
The first workshop will begin in March at Series Mania in Lille, France, and conclude at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest in November 2024.
The Serial Bridges workshop is open to six writer-producer duos with a series project. Of the 12 participants selected, half will come from Taiwan and the other half from other East Asian countries. Series Mania Institute says the workshop follows its established methodology of learning by doing.
Participating duos will work on their projects with recognized professionals from the serial industry over four sessions between March and November 2024 and present their series projects at Tccf 2024.
Training will cover topics including; the keys to strengthening dramaturgical skills; the understanding of international financing systems; and the ability to find...
The first workshop will begin in March at Series Mania in Lille, France, and conclude at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest in November 2024.
The Serial Bridges workshop is open to six writer-producer duos with a series project. Of the 12 participants selected, half will come from Taiwan and the other half from other East Asian countries. Series Mania Institute says the workshop follows its established methodology of learning by doing.
Participating duos will work on their projects with recognized professionals from the serial industry over four sessions between March and November 2024 and present their series projects at Tccf 2024.
Training will cover topics including; the keys to strengthening dramaturgical skills; the understanding of international financing systems; and the ability to find...
- 11/8/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Four African screenwriters have been chosen for the second edition of the scheme.
Four African screenwriters have been selected for the second edition of the AuthenticA Series Lab, a development programme from South Africa-based Realness Institute.
The selected writers for the 2023 edition include Tiah Beye, a writer from Senegal and the Ivory Coast who is now based in France. Beye graduated from Kourtajme School, a free film school in Paris founded by French filmmaker Ladj Ly; she has also participated in Netflix’s Grow Creatives programme, which aims to improve diversity and inclusion in the international industry.
Kenyan writer Wanjiru Kairu...
Four African screenwriters have been selected for the second edition of the AuthenticA Series Lab, a development programme from South Africa-based Realness Institute.
The selected writers for the 2023 edition include Tiah Beye, a writer from Senegal and the Ivory Coast who is now based in France. Beye graduated from Kourtajme School, a free film school in Paris founded by French filmmaker Ladj Ly; she has also participated in Netflix’s Grow Creatives programme, which aims to improve diversity and inclusion in the international industry.
Kenyan writer Wanjiru Kairu...
- 9/12/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
With Series Mania 2023 coming to a close, the event’s founder and general director Laurence Herszberg announced the winners of the Series Mania Festival today.
”We would first like to thank the public and the professionals who attended this edition, which brought together more than 85,000 participants for the Festival and 3,800 participants from 64 countries for the Forum. We are delighted to announce our prize list and figures that have far exceeded our expectations,” said Herszberg.
With the rise of streaming across the world, Series Mania has become one of the most attractive events in the global TV calendar. It’s largely looked at as a place where writers, distributors and producers can liase with each other in a less formal setting than compared to a TV sales market. It includes not just the festival, the Forum, key conferences, keynotes, and pitching sessions.
This year the festival screened 54 unreleased series, with 32 world premieres and 10 international premieres.
”We would first like to thank the public and the professionals who attended this edition, which brought together more than 85,000 participants for the Festival and 3,800 participants from 64 countries for the Forum. We are delighted to announce our prize list and figures that have far exceeded our expectations,” said Herszberg.
With the rise of streaming across the world, Series Mania has become one of the most attractive events in the global TV calendar. It’s largely looked at as a place where writers, distributors and producers can liase with each other in a less formal setting than compared to a TV sales market. It includes not just the festival, the Forum, key conferences, keynotes, and pitching sessions.
This year the festival screened 54 unreleased series, with 32 world premieres and 10 international premieres.
- 3/24/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Event wrapped in Lille against backdrop of nationwide unrest in France.
Navid Javidi’s The Actor starring Navid Mohammadzadeh was awarded the International Competition grand prize at 2023 Series Mania in the first year in which content from Iran participated in the event in Lille, France.
Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg summed up the event as it came to a close, noting that this year’s edition drew more than 85,000 festival participants – representing a significant increase on last year’s 70,000 – and around 3,800 from 64 countries for the industry forum.
Besides Iran, debutant participating countries included Japan, Argentina, UAE, Turkey,...
Navid Javidi’s The Actor starring Navid Mohammadzadeh was awarded the International Competition grand prize at 2023 Series Mania in the first year in which content from Iran participated in the event in Lille, France.
Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg summed up the event as it came to a close, noting that this year’s edition drew more than 85,000 festival participants – representing a significant increase on last year’s 70,000 – and around 3,800 from 64 countries for the industry forum.
Besides Iran, debutant participating countries included Japan, Argentina, UAE, Turkey,...
- 3/24/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Lille, France — “Unspoken,” a war drama series wrapping in a thriller format one of ordinary people’s most relatable nightmares and the urgent relevance of a real-life game-changing conflict, walked off Tuesday night with the Series Mania Forum Best Project Award, the highest-profile industry prize at the biggest TV festival in Europe.
Given to one of 15 drama series projects pitched Tuesday on the first day of proceedings at the Series Mania Forum in its centerpiece Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, the Award carries a €50,000 cash prize, enough to boost seriously continued development on the TV show.
Produced by Match & Spark (Poland), Toy Cinema and 2Brave Productions (Ukraine), the six-episode series is created by Filip Syczyński, who is co-writing with Zhanna Ozirna.
“Unspoken” unfolds during the very first days of full-scale war in Ukraine. It follows Evgeniy, who travels from Poland to Ukraine, hell-bent on saving his wife and kids from Russian invasion.
Given to one of 15 drama series projects pitched Tuesday on the first day of proceedings at the Series Mania Forum in its centerpiece Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, the Award carries a €50,000 cash prize, enough to boost seriously continued development on the TV show.
Produced by Match & Spark (Poland), Toy Cinema and 2Brave Productions (Ukraine), the six-episode series is created by Filip Syczyński, who is co-writing with Zhanna Ozirna.
“Unspoken” unfolds during the very first days of full-scale war in Ukraine. It follows Evgeniy, who travels from Poland to Ukraine, hell-bent on saving his wife and kids from Russian invasion.
- 3/21/2023
- by John Hopewell and Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
French TV festival Series Mania started out playfully with a slew of humorous digs directed at its starry guests during the opening ceremony, including Brian Cox, back in town to hold a masterclass and introduce the latest episode of his smash hit “Succession.”
“I didn’t have time to watch Season 3. I have to see my children grow up, Brian!,” exclaimed host Daphné Bürki, before introducing this year’s opening show “Greek Salad” by Cédric Klapisch: “A prequel to ‘Norwegian Omelette,’ always starring Romain Duris,” Bürki joked.
Series Mania general director Laurence Herszberg joined in on the fun, giving a shoutout to “Emily in Paris’s” Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, attending with co-star Arnaud Binard: “She became a symbol of a Parisian woman. I hope there isn’t too much weight on your shoulders, Philippine!”
Jumping from stage onto the screen, Herszberg also starred alongside artistic director Frédéric Lavigne in...
“I didn’t have time to watch Season 3. I have to see my children grow up, Brian!,” exclaimed host Daphné Bürki, before introducing this year’s opening show “Greek Salad” by Cédric Klapisch: “A prequel to ‘Norwegian Omelette,’ always starring Romain Duris,” Bürki joked.
Series Mania general director Laurence Herszberg joined in on the fun, giving a shoutout to “Emily in Paris’s” Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, attending with co-star Arnaud Binard: “She became a symbol of a Parisian woman. I hope there isn’t too much weight on your shoulders, Philippine!”
Jumping from stage onto the screen, Herszberg also starred alongside artistic director Frédéric Lavigne in...
- 3/18/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Based in the northern French town of Lille since 2018, Series Mania has emerged as a key showcase for premium series and a spotlight for international creators — though, given the wider forces shaping the TV business, that spotlight has often shone on talent from the same three or four territories. And so, when programming the latest edition, the Series Mania brass looked to widen the field.
“This year, we will introduce our attendees to new narrative modes and visual possibilities,” says general director Laurence Herszberg. “Because we’ve discovered so many series from countries that haven’t often attended the major festivals, with creative outputs that are much lesser-known. We want to celebrate them as well.”
Running March 17–24, this edition boasts 55 series culled from 396 submissions encompassing more than 60 countries, with titles from Uruguay (“The Universe Conspires”), Benin (“Black Santiago Club”) and an Indo-Pakistani production (“Limboland”) all appearing at Series Mania for the very first time.
“This year, we will introduce our attendees to new narrative modes and visual possibilities,” says general director Laurence Herszberg. “Because we’ve discovered so many series from countries that haven’t often attended the major festivals, with creative outputs that are much lesser-known. We want to celebrate them as well.”
Running March 17–24, this edition boasts 55 series culled from 396 submissions encompassing more than 60 countries, with titles from Uruguay (“The Universe Conspires”), Benin (“Black Santiago Club”) and an Indo-Pakistani production (“Limboland”) all appearing at Series Mania for the very first time.
- 3/17/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Series Mania, Europe’s biggest TV fest, and German film-tv powerhouse Beta Group has revealed the 10 projects in the first edition of Seriesmakers, unveiling what must be one of the most talent-packed project lineups at any festival, film or TV, in 2023,
A mentoring program for filmmakers making their TV creator debut, Series Mania features in development drama series from “Compartment No 6’s” Juho Kuosmanen, ‘Bang Gang’s’ Eva Husson and “Birds of a Passage’s” Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallego.
Also in the mix is “Amigas,” the first TV project of Beatriz Seigner (“Los Silencios”), one of Brazil’s foremost young movie directors, “The Invisible Ink,” teaming Cannes best first feature winner César Díaz (“Our Mothers”)and New Uruguay Cinema founding father Fernando Epstein; and Indian arthouse filmmaker Pushpendra Singh, who scored with Berlin Encounters’ title “The Shepherdess and the Seven Songs.”
All in all, Seriesmakers, which is just...
A mentoring program for filmmakers making their TV creator debut, Series Mania features in development drama series from “Compartment No 6’s” Juho Kuosmanen, ‘Bang Gang’s’ Eva Husson and “Birds of a Passage’s” Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallego.
Also in the mix is “Amigas,” the first TV project of Beatriz Seigner (“Los Silencios”), one of Brazil’s foremost young movie directors, “The Invisible Ink,” teaming Cannes best first feature winner César Díaz (“Our Mothers”)and New Uruguay Cinema founding father Fernando Epstein; and Indian arthouse filmmaker Pushpendra Singh, who scored with Berlin Encounters’ title “The Shepherdess and the Seven Songs.”
All in all, Seriesmakers, which is just...
- 3/13/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Nicola Shindler, CEO of Quay Street Production and the producer of such acclaimed British series as It’s A Sin, Queer as Folk and Happy Valley, has been named the recipient of this year’s Woman in Series award by international television festival Series Mania.
Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg and Francesco Capurro, director of the festival’s industry section, the Series Mania Forum, unveiled the news on Wednesday, timed to International Women’s Day.
The Women in Series award, presented in association with female professionals associations the European Women’s Audiovisual Network and Pour Les Femmes Dans Les Médias, honors the vision and leadership of “a remarkable woman from the audiovisual industry.” Shindler will receive the prize at a gala ceremony in Lille, France on March 21.
A prolific producer, Shindler has been a driving force in high-end British drama for decades. She’s worked with the likes of Russell T. Davies,...
Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg and Francesco Capurro, director of the festival’s industry section, the Series Mania Forum, unveiled the news on Wednesday, timed to International Women’s Day.
The Women in Series award, presented in association with female professionals associations the European Women’s Audiovisual Network and Pour Les Femmes Dans Les Médias, honors the vision and leadership of “a remarkable woman from the audiovisual industry.” Shindler will receive the prize at a gala ceremony in Lille, France on March 21.
A prolific producer, Shindler has been a driving force in high-end British drama for decades. She’s worked with the likes of Russell T. Davies,...
- 3/8/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO, HBO and HBO Max Content will deliver a keynote at Series Mania’s Lille Dialogues whose one-day summit looks set to take the pulse on a global content industry as content investment flattens and ask how to build a more responsible industry in the future.
Marking an early opportunity to hear from streaming platforms after both Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney have announced multi-billion dollar cuts in content investment, the Lille Dialogues also count on a keynote from James Farrell, head of local originals, Prime Video.
Further keynotes will be delivered by top execs at France’s biggest free-to-air service, TF1, as well as its energetic public broadcaster France Télévisions and Europe’s biggest pay TV operator, Sky. Jan Mojto, CEO, Beta Film, can be expected to deliver a wide-angled vision of how stories made in Europe can find a market worldwide.
“With the theme...
Marking an early opportunity to hear from streaming platforms after both Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney have announced multi-billion dollar cuts in content investment, the Lille Dialogues also count on a keynote from James Farrell, head of local originals, Prime Video.
Further keynotes will be delivered by top execs at France’s biggest free-to-air service, TF1, as well as its energetic public broadcaster France Télévisions and Europe’s biggest pay TV operator, Sky. Jan Mojto, CEO, Beta Film, can be expected to deliver a wide-angled vision of how stories made in Europe can find a market worldwide.
“With the theme...
- 2/24/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Beyond the festival element of Series Mania, one major draw for international industry professionals is its industry strand, Series Mania Forum, which runs from March 21-23. The popular event, which largely centers around its Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, panels and conferences, nicely wraps up with its Lille Dialogues one-day summit on March 23.
This year, the Forum is expecting delegates from Europe, North America, South America and Asia to touch down with a number of top industry execs set to speak. Notably, HBO’s Casey Bloys, will be doing an In Conversation keynote speech during the Lille Dialogues titled ‘How HBO and HBO Max Are Diving into The Future.”
The theme for this year’s Lille Dialogues is ‘Shaping the Future with the Audiovisual Sector’ and additional speakers at the summit include: Beta Group’s Jan Mojto; Prime Video’s James Farrell; Sky Studios’ Cécile Frot-Coutaz; and an In Conversation with TF1’s Rodolphe Belmer.
This year, the Forum is expecting delegates from Europe, North America, South America and Asia to touch down with a number of top industry execs set to speak. Notably, HBO’s Casey Bloys, will be doing an In Conversation keynote speech during the Lille Dialogues titled ‘How HBO and HBO Max Are Diving into The Future.”
The theme for this year’s Lille Dialogues is ‘Shaping the Future with the Audiovisual Sector’ and additional speakers at the summit include: Beta Group’s Jan Mojto; Prime Video’s James Farrell; Sky Studios’ Cécile Frot-Coutaz; and an In Conversation with TF1’s Rodolphe Belmer.
- 2/23/2023
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
When Laurence Herszberg first launched Series Mania back in 2010 in Paris, the former Forum des Images director was keen to apply her deep knowledge of film and the film festival model to the television sector. At the time, says the French exec, no one was doing any kind of TV festival “solely dedicated to series.”
“No one was really talking about TV series,” the festival general director tells Deadline. “So, I decided to do something for the public just to try and see and imagine how it would work in the television sector.”
Little did she know how much the industry would shift, with much of the balance (and money) now lying in the scripted television sphere rather than the independent film space. As a result, across the last 13 years Herszberg and her team have been able to nurture and grow Series Mania into one of the most attractive events in the global TV calendar.
“No one was really talking about TV series,” the festival general director tells Deadline. “So, I decided to do something for the public just to try and see and imagine how it would work in the television sector.”
Little did she know how much the industry would shift, with much of the balance (and money) now lying in the scripted television sphere rather than the independent film space. As a result, across the last 13 years Herszberg and her team have been able to nurture and grow Series Mania into one of the most attractive events in the global TV calendar.
- 2/23/2023
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Always a frontrunner at Co-Pro Series, the Berlinale Series Market’s annual project pitching event, “Tipping Point” walked off Tuesday morning with the Series Mania Award.
The prize is an invitation to the production’s team to present again at the industry centrepiece at next month’s Lille-based get-together, the Series Mania Forum’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions. “Tipping Point” joins 15 other projects as a sixteenth project presented out of competition in partnership with the Berlinale Co-Production Market.
Set in the extraordinary Svalbard – an archipelago half way between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole, it turns on a feisty young eco-activist at constant odds with her father, an oil exec, until he is murdered. Teaming with some of his friends to investigate his death, she discovers another man from the one she knew, as she chases a stolen software which could solve climate crisis or destroy the world.
The prize is an invitation to the production’s team to present again at the industry centrepiece at next month’s Lille-based get-together, the Series Mania Forum’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions. “Tipping Point” joins 15 other projects as a sixteenth project presented out of competition in partnership with the Berlinale Co-Production Market.
Set in the extraordinary Svalbard – an archipelago half way between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole, it turns on a feisty young eco-activist at constant odds with her father, an oil exec, until he is murdered. Teaming with some of his friends to investigate his death, she discovers another man from the one she knew, as she chases a stolen software which could solve climate crisis or destroy the world.
- 2/21/2023
- by John Hopewell and Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
‘Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway’ Gets Behind-The-Scenes Doc Treatment
ITV’s Saturday Night Takeaway is getting the behind-the-scenes doc treatment. In Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway: Behind the Screens (w/t), ITV Studios indie Lifted Entertainment and the host’s shingle Mitre Studios will take a fly-on-the-wall approach to the making of one of ITV’s biggest entertainment shows. Documentary makers will embed themselves within the production team for the upcoming 19th season, in a show that regularly dominates the ITV entertainment schedules. Ant & Dec are stalwart ITV hosts, who also helm I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and various one-off specials. The news comes with ITV entertainment set for a shake-up, with The Masked Dancer and Ninja Warrior being rested this year and The Masked Singer set for more mashup specials. “Saturday Night Takeaway is one of the biggest live entertainment shows on television...
ITV’s Saturday Night Takeaway is getting the behind-the-scenes doc treatment. In Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway: Behind the Screens (w/t), ITV Studios indie Lifted Entertainment and the host’s shingle Mitre Studios will take a fly-on-the-wall approach to the making of one of ITV’s biggest entertainment shows. Documentary makers will embed themselves within the production team for the upcoming 19th season, in a show that regularly dominates the ITV entertainment schedules. Ant & Dec are stalwart ITV hosts, who also helm I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and various one-off specials. The news comes with ITV entertainment set for a shake-up, with The Masked Dancer and Ninja Warrior being rested this year and The Masked Singer set for more mashup specials. “Saturday Night Takeaway is one of the biggest live entertainment shows on television...
- 2/17/2023
- by Max Goldbart and Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Event closes with Anna Winger’s Netflix series Transatlantic.
Series Mania will kick off its 2023 event with Cédric Klapisch’s Amazon French Original series Greek Salad before serving up 32 world premieres, an industry Forum, and closing with Anna Winger’s Netflix series Transatlantic.
The International Competition of the annual television festival and industry event includes Franco-Belgian Arte series Grace of Heaven, Apple TV+, France Televisions and Hulu Japan’s Drops of God, Paramount+’s Spanish Fleeting Lies, Reshet 13’s Israeli series Red Skies, Viaplay’s Norwegian The Fortress and Prime Video’s US series The Power. Among the titles from...
Series Mania will kick off its 2023 event with Cédric Klapisch’s Amazon French Original series Greek Salad before serving up 32 world premieres, an industry Forum, and closing with Anna Winger’s Netflix series Transatlantic.
The International Competition of the annual television festival and industry event includes Franco-Belgian Arte series Grace of Heaven, Apple TV+, France Televisions and Hulu Japan’s Drops of God, Paramount+’s Spanish Fleeting Lies, Reshet 13’s Israeli series Red Skies, Viaplay’s Norwegian The Fortress and Prime Video’s US series The Power. Among the titles from...
- 2/8/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Lisa Joy, the Emmy-nominated writer, director and executive producer, is set to preside over this year’s Series Mania Festival and its international competition.
Joy is best known as the co-creator, writer, director, and executive producer of the HBO science-fiction drama series “Westworld” which earned 54 Emmy nominations for its first three seasons. She recently produced “The Peripheral,” the series adaptation of William Gibson’s 2014 sci-fi thriller novel, starring Chloë Grace Moretz and Gary Carr for Amazon. Joy is currently in production on “Fallout,” a television series based on the worldwide best-selling video game franchise, starring Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, and Walton Goggins, also for Amazon.
Joy’s previous credits includes the ABC comedy series “Pushing Daisies” and the USA Network crime drama series “Burn Notice.” She made her feature film directorial debut with “Reminiscence” in 2021.
“We are very pleased to be announcing here in Los Angeles that the multi-talented, remarkably versatile,...
Joy is best known as the co-creator, writer, director, and executive producer of the HBO science-fiction drama series “Westworld” which earned 54 Emmy nominations for its first three seasons. She recently produced “The Peripheral,” the series adaptation of William Gibson’s 2014 sci-fi thriller novel, starring Chloë Grace Moretz and Gary Carr for Amazon. Joy is currently in production on “Fallout,” a television series based on the worldwide best-selling video game franchise, starring Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, and Walton Goggins, also for Amazon.
Joy’s previous credits includes the ABC comedy series “Pushing Daisies” and the USA Network crime drama series “Burn Notice.” She made her feature film directorial debut with “Reminiscence” in 2021.
“We are very pleased to be announcing here in Los Angeles that the multi-talented, remarkably versatile,...
- 1/18/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Lisa Joy, the Emmy-nominated writer, director and producer of shows like Westworld and Pushing Daisies, has been selected as Jury President for this year’s Series Mania Festival and its International Competition.
In a cocktail event at the Général de France at Los Angeles, Laurence Herszberg, Founder and General Director, and Frederic Lavigne, Artistic Director, of Series Mania, made the announcement.
“We are very pleased to be announcing here in Los Angeles that the multi-talented, remarkably versatile, Lisa Joy will be our Jury President for the upcoming edition of Series Mania. Lisa’s experience and passion for creating complex and big canvas stories, coupled with her many credits including the highly successful drama series Westworld, make her the perfect choice to be leading our international jury. We look forward to welcoming her to Lille,” said Herszberg.
Joy will be present in Lille, along with other jury members who will be announced shortly,...
In a cocktail event at the Général de France at Los Angeles, Laurence Herszberg, Founder and General Director, and Frederic Lavigne, Artistic Director, of Series Mania, made the announcement.
“We are very pleased to be announcing here in Los Angeles that the multi-talented, remarkably versatile, Lisa Joy will be our Jury President for the upcoming edition of Series Mania. Lisa’s experience and passion for creating complex and big canvas stories, coupled with her many credits including the highly successful drama series Westworld, make her the perfect choice to be leading our international jury. We look forward to welcoming her to Lille,” said Herszberg.
Joy will be present in Lille, along with other jury members who will be announced shortly,...
- 1/18/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Is there a better way to prove the virtue of the cinematic experience than to get 5,000 people on their feet giving a film a standing ovation?
Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Fremaux did just that on the opening night of his 14th Lumière Film Festival in Lyon with Louis Garrel’s romantic comedy “The Innocent.”
The movie played in the jam-packed Halle Tony Garnier before a star-studded crowd, including Garrel and his cast, Noémie Merlant and Roschdy Zem, as well as Sebastián Lelio, Costa Gavras, Leila Bekhti, Marina Fois, Lee Chang-dong, Nicole Garcia, Sabine Azema and Damien Bonnard.
Industry players also turned up, notably MK2 Films’ co-CEOs Nathanael and Elisha Karmitz, Series Mania’s director Laurence Herszberg, Ad Vitam co-founder Alexandra Henochsberg, the Annecy Film Festival head Mickaël Marin, and “The Innocent” producer, Anne-Dominique Toussaint. The opening night event was held in the city’s historic 5,000-seat Tony Garnier concert...
Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Fremaux did just that on the opening night of his 14th Lumière Film Festival in Lyon with Louis Garrel’s romantic comedy “The Innocent.”
The movie played in the jam-packed Halle Tony Garnier before a star-studded crowd, including Garrel and his cast, Noémie Merlant and Roschdy Zem, as well as Sebastián Lelio, Costa Gavras, Leila Bekhti, Marina Fois, Lee Chang-dong, Nicole Garcia, Sabine Azema and Damien Bonnard.
Industry players also turned up, notably MK2 Films’ co-CEOs Nathanael and Elisha Karmitz, Series Mania’s director Laurence Herszberg, Ad Vitam co-founder Alexandra Henochsberg, the Annecy Film Festival head Mickaël Marin, and “The Innocent” producer, Anne-Dominique Toussaint. The opening night event was held in the city’s historic 5,000-seat Tony Garnier concert...
- 10/16/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy and Lise Pedersen
- Variety Film + TV
Marti Noxon & Frank Doegler Among Showrunner Speakers For Series Mania And Beta’s Seriesmakers Initiative As It Opens For Submissions
Series Mania Forum and European content powerhouse Beta Group have opened their €120,000 Seriesmakers initiative for submissions and unveiled several high-profile speakers for its inaugural event. Marti Noxon, Agnieszka Holland, Michael Hirst are among nine speakers unveiled for the initative’s first online edition. Janine Jackowski, Israeli script doctor Ronit Weiss-Berkowitz (The Girl From Oslo), Isabelle Lindberg Pechou (Trom) and Brazil’s Felipe Braga are among the mentors. Feature film directors who have had at least one movie screen in the official selection of a top film festival in the past five years who are looking to move into series production can now submit projects, with...
Series Mania Forum and European content powerhouse Beta Group have opened their €120,000 Seriesmakers initiative for submissions and unveiled several high-profile speakers for its inaugural event. Marti Noxon, Agnieszka Holland, Michael Hirst are among nine speakers unveiled for the initative’s first online edition. Janine Jackowski, Israeli script doctor Ronit Weiss-Berkowitz (The Girl From Oslo), Isabelle Lindberg Pechou (Trom) and Brazil’s Felipe Braga are among the mentors. Feature film directors who have had at least one movie screen in the official selection of a top film festival in the past five years who are looking to move into series production can now submit projects, with...
- 6/13/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Germany’s Beta Group is backing a trio of new awards, each with a substantial cash bursary, to entice feature film directors to try out the world of serial television.
Beta will sponsor two awards, each with a 52,600 (50,000 euro) bursary, to back selected TV pitches from established feature directors. They are also getting behind a new emerging talent award, which comes with a 21,000 (20,000 euro) bursary, paid for by the Kirch Foundation, a nonprofit group set up by the late German media mogul Leo Kirch to support projects in film, television and the visual arts.
The three awards will be presented as part of the SeriesMakers program, an initiative launched by Beta and television festival Series Mania. The objective of SeriesMakers is to support talent in the transition to television series production by matching up directors and scriptwriters with showrunners, producers and other behind-the-camera veterans.
Germany’s Beta Group is backing a trio of new awards, each with a substantial cash bursary, to entice feature film directors to try out the world of serial television.
Beta will sponsor two awards, each with a 52,600 (50,000 euro) bursary, to back selected TV pitches from established feature directors. They are also getting behind a new emerging talent award, which comes with a 21,000 (20,000 euro) bursary, paid for by the Kirch Foundation, a nonprofit group set up by the late German media mogul Leo Kirch to support projects in film, television and the visual arts.
The three awards will be presented as part of the SeriesMakers program, an initiative launched by Beta and television festival Series Mania. The objective of SeriesMakers is to support talent in the transition to television series production by matching up directors and scriptwriters with showrunners, producers and other behind-the-camera veterans.
- 6/13/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Accredited on-site attendance for forum gains 22% on 2019.
Le Monde De Demain and Chair Tendre were among the winners at Series Mania 2022 as the event in Lille came to a close with accredited on-site attendance for the forum up 22% over 2019 and 57% over 2021.
Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg (pictured) said the 2022 edition brought together more than 70,000 participants for the festival and 3,300 accredited persons on-site from 64 countries for the Forum compared to 2,100 in 2021 and 2,700 in 2019. The visits to the Series Mania website and Series Mania digital platform produced 260,000 views.
French show Le Monde De Demain created by Katell Quillévéré, Hélier Cisterne,...
Le Monde De Demain and Chair Tendre were among the winners at Series Mania 2022 as the event in Lille came to a close with accredited on-site attendance for the forum up 22% over 2019 and 57% over 2021.
Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg (pictured) said the 2022 edition brought together more than 70,000 participants for the festival and 3,300 accredited persons on-site from 64 countries for the Forum compared to 2,100 in 2021 and 2,700 in 2019. The visits to the Series Mania website and Series Mania digital platform produced 260,000 views.
French show Le Monde De Demain created by Katell Quillévéré, Hélier Cisterne,...
- 3/25/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
French hip-hop series Le Monde de Demain has scooped the Grand Prize at the Series Mania International Competition.
Announced at a ceremony tonight and presided over by Jury President Julia Sinkevych, Arte/Netflix’s TV series about the birth of the French rap movement beat off stiff competition from the likes of Michael Hirst’s Billy the Kid and Israel’s Fire Dance.
Based on an original idea by Katell Quillévéré and Hélier Cisterne, the show, which translates in English as World of Tomorrow, features the likes of JoeyStarr and DJ Détonateur S, who created a rebellious and euphoric form of expression and brought rap to France.
Yehuda Levi, lead in Fire Dance, won Best Actor and Michelle De Swarte won Best Actress for her performance in Sky/HBO’s The Baby.
Meanwhile, Discovery+ Sweden’s The Dark Heart won Best Series in the International Panorama, the Special Jury Prize...
Announced at a ceremony tonight and presided over by Jury President Julia Sinkevych, Arte/Netflix’s TV series about the birth of the French rap movement beat off stiff competition from the likes of Michael Hirst’s Billy the Kid and Israel’s Fire Dance.
Based on an original idea by Katell Quillévéré and Hélier Cisterne, the show, which translates in English as World of Tomorrow, features the likes of JoeyStarr and DJ Détonateur S, who created a rebellious and euphoric form of expression and brought rap to France.
Yehuda Levi, lead in Fire Dance, won Best Actor and Michelle De Swarte won Best Actress for her performance in Sky/HBO’s The Baby.
Meanwhile, Discovery+ Sweden’s The Dark Heart won Best Series in the International Panorama, the Special Jury Prize...
- 3/25/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix and Arte’s musical show “Le Monde de Demain” (“The World of Tomorrow”) took the top prize in the International Competition of television festival Series Mania at the event’s awards ceremony Friday.
The series, created by Katell Quillévéré, Hélier Cisterne – both also directing – Vincent Poymiro and David Elkaïm, takes a look at the birth of the French hip-hop movement in the 1980s. Made with the collaboration of Laurent Rigoulet and the participation of Kool Shen, JoeyStarr and DJ Détonateur S, it was described by the organizers as “a personal chronicle about a Parisian suburban youth reaching adulthood, claiming its own space in a new France, a country to reinvent.”
In the acting categories, Michelle De Swarte was noticed for her role in the U.K.’s “The Baby,” produced by Sky, HBO and Ocs, while Israeli actor Yehuda Levi impressed the jurors with his performance in “Fire Dance,...
The series, created by Katell Quillévéré, Hélier Cisterne – both also directing – Vincent Poymiro and David Elkaïm, takes a look at the birth of the French hip-hop movement in the 1980s. Made with the collaboration of Laurent Rigoulet and the participation of Kool Shen, JoeyStarr and DJ Détonateur S, it was described by the organizers as “a personal chronicle about a Parisian suburban youth reaching adulthood, claiming its own space in a new France, a country to reinvent.”
In the acting categories, Michelle De Swarte was noticed for her role in the U.K.’s “The Baby,” produced by Sky, HBO and Ocs, while Israeli actor Yehuda Levi impressed the jurors with his performance in “Fire Dance,...
- 3/25/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Ukrainian filmmaker Julia Sinkevych, this year’s Series Mania Jury President, has spotlighted the strange juxtaposition of spending weeks helping with the war relief effort in her home country before flying to Lille for days of screenings, parties and dinners.
The Ukrainian Film Academy Co-Founder returns home this weekend after the prestigious European drama forum’s closing ceremony, which will crown a winner in the International Competition, at which point she will go back to helping with medical supplies, arranging transportation and supporting local filmmakers.
Lucky Girl, the film she is producing, was in the final touches of post-production when the Russian invasion stopped the Ukrainian creative industry in its tracks and Sinkevych initially thought she wouldn’t be able to make the trip to Series Mania when she was handed the presidency in what was a beautiful show of solidarity.
“This is a different life,” Sinkevych told Deadline during this week’s event.
The Ukrainian Film Academy Co-Founder returns home this weekend after the prestigious European drama forum’s closing ceremony, which will crown a winner in the International Competition, at which point she will go back to helping with medical supplies, arranging transportation and supporting local filmmakers.
Lucky Girl, the film she is producing, was in the final touches of post-production when the Russian invasion stopped the Ukrainian creative industry in its tracks and Sinkevych initially thought she wouldn’t be able to make the trip to Series Mania when she was handed the presidency in what was a beautiful show of solidarity.
“This is a different life,” Sinkevych told Deadline during this week’s event.
- 3/25/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Partnership aimed at strengthening ties between Europe and Taiwan.
Taiwan Creative Content Agency (Taicca) has forged a strategic alliance with French TV festival Series Mania to strengthen industry ties between Taiwan and Europe.
Announced today (March 23) at Series Mania in Lille, the partnership will see the French festival and Taicca organise co-production workshops for project teams to present at future editions of Series Mania.
Top European decision makers will also be invited to attend Taiwan Creative Content Fest (Tccf), the industry festival and market overseen by Taicca in November.
The alliance is aimed at creating a fast track for creators,...
Taiwan Creative Content Agency (Taicca) has forged a strategic alliance with French TV festival Series Mania to strengthen industry ties between Taiwan and Europe.
Announced today (March 23) at Series Mania in Lille, the partnership will see the French festival and Taicca organise co-production workshops for project teams to present at future editions of Series Mania.
Top European decision makers will also be invited to attend Taiwan Creative Content Fest (Tccf), the industry festival and market overseen by Taicca in November.
The alliance is aimed at creating a fast track for creators,...
- 3/23/2022
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The Series Mania TV fest and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (Taicca) have forged a strategic alliance that aims to deepen already strong existing industry ties between Europe and Taiwan.
Under this partnership, Series Mania and Taicca will jointly organize co-production workshops for project teams to pitch at Series Mania. Conversely, top European TV execs will be invited to attend the Taiwan Creative Content Fest held annually in November.
The agreement was signed during a Series Mania Forum event by Taicca chair Ting Hsiao-Ching and Series Mania general director Laurence Herszberg, who noted that it will “build on the extensive ties in the audiovisual industries between Europe and Taiwan.”
Ting made the trek from Asia to Series Mania in Lille, France, with a large Taiwanese delegation to introduce more than 50 projects from 24 TV production companies represented by the Taiwan Pavilion at the fest.
Tawian’s TV industry has been steadily gaining international traction.
Under this partnership, Series Mania and Taicca will jointly organize co-production workshops for project teams to pitch at Series Mania. Conversely, top European TV execs will be invited to attend the Taiwan Creative Content Fest held annually in November.
The agreement was signed during a Series Mania Forum event by Taicca chair Ting Hsiao-Ching and Series Mania general director Laurence Herszberg, who noted that it will “build on the extensive ties in the audiovisual industries between Europe and Taiwan.”
Ting made the trek from Asia to Series Mania in Lille, France, with a large Taiwanese delegation to introduce more than 50 projects from 24 TV production companies represented by the Taiwan Pavilion at the fest.
Tawian’s TV industry has been steadily gaining international traction.
- 3/23/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
HBO Max Content Boss Antony Root has set out his team’s stall to “broaden the appeal” of the streamer “beyond the die hard Euphoria fan.”
Speaking alongside his European commissioning and production chiefs at Series Mania, Root said the international team is looking to attract new subs to the platform who “might not otherwise have thought to subscribe” by commissioning “fresh” content and pushing into new genres such as competition formats and adventure shows.
His four pillars are “local first,” “broad appeal,” “distinctive storytelling” and “diverse slate.”
Root and his production team pointed to upcoming shows from new voices such as Spain’s Garcia from Sara Antuña and Carlos de Pando and Sweden’s Lust co-created by three established actresses.
“We want to broaden the appeal of what we do in local original programming beyond the die hard Euphoria fan,” he explained.
Root positioned the team as “very much...
Speaking alongside his European commissioning and production chiefs at Series Mania, Root said the international team is looking to attract new subs to the platform who “might not otherwise have thought to subscribe” by commissioning “fresh” content and pushing into new genres such as competition formats and adventure shows.
His four pillars are “local first,” “broad appeal,” “distinctive storytelling” and “diverse slate.”
Root and his production team pointed to upcoming shows from new voices such as Spain’s Garcia from Sara Antuña and Carlos de Pando and Sweden’s Lust co-created by three established actresses.
“We want to broaden the appeal of what we do in local original programming beyond the die hard Euphoria fan,” he explained.
Root positioned the team as “very much...
- 3/23/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Ticking multiple boxes, and a competition frontrunner, “Paradys” walked off on Tuesday night with the Series Mania Forum Best Project Award, the biggest industry plaudit at one of Europe’s largest TV festivals.
A novel crime drama “Paradys” is produced by South Africa’s Quizzical Pictures and Keshet International, which also handles international distribution. The project was pitched at Series Mania by Quizzical producer Nimrod Geva and creator-writer Darrel Bristow-Bovey.
Carrying a €50,000 cash prize, the award marks a triumph for Keshet International’s ever more expansive production reach, and for Johannesburg-based Quizzical Pictures, part of South Africa’s burgeoning premium series production scene and a Rose D’Or-winning production company for “Hopeville.”
The series is also the first from South Africa selected for the Forum’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, its industry centrepiece.
Also created by Anton Visser and executive produced by Avi Nir for Keshet International, “Paradys” turns on two...
A novel crime drama “Paradys” is produced by South Africa’s Quizzical Pictures and Keshet International, which also handles international distribution. The project was pitched at Series Mania by Quizzical producer Nimrod Geva and creator-writer Darrel Bristow-Bovey.
Carrying a €50,000 cash prize, the award marks a triumph for Keshet International’s ever more expansive production reach, and for Johannesburg-based Quizzical Pictures, part of South Africa’s burgeoning premium series production scene and a Rose D’Or-winning production company for “Hopeville.”
The series is also the first from South Africa selected for the Forum’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, its industry centrepiece.
Also created by Anton Visser and executive produced by Avi Nir for Keshet International, “Paradys” turns on two...
- 3/22/2022
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Series Mania has combined with European content powerhouse Beta Group on an initiative to encourage filmmakers to move into TV.
Two feature film teams will be handed a €50,000 grant as part of the Series Makers program at Series Mania 2023 to work on a new scripted series, whittled down from a shortlist of 10 budding TV creatives who will be given training and mentoring over the next year. The two winning teams will then present their projects at the Series Mania forum.
Director-producers or director-writer teams will be eligible and entrants will need to have had one or two features screened in an official selection of A-list film festivals.
Beta Film Cco Koby Gal Raday will lead Series Makers in partnership with Series Mania, coming as this year’s Lille event gets ready to begin its three-day forum of panels and sessions.
“Television series have become a desirable destination for feature filmmakers...
Two feature film teams will be handed a €50,000 grant as part of the Series Makers program at Series Mania 2023 to work on a new scripted series, whittled down from a shortlist of 10 budding TV creatives who will be given training and mentoring over the next year. The two winning teams will then present their projects at the Series Mania forum.
Director-producers or director-writer teams will be eligible and entrants will need to have had one or two features screened in an official selection of A-list film festivals.
Beta Film Cco Koby Gal Raday will lead Series Makers in partnership with Series Mania, coming as this year’s Lille event gets ready to begin its three-day forum of panels and sessions.
“Television series have become a desirable destination for feature filmmakers...
- 3/21/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Series Mania Forum, the festival’s industry sidebar, is joining forces with Jan Mojto’s Beta Group to launch Seriesmakers, a creative initiative to support feature film directors venturing into scripted drama.
Seriesmakers will select 10 projects which will participate in a tailor-made training program focused on the development of a full pitch deck. Mentored by renowned directors, showrunners, writers and producers, each team will deliver a series bible.
Those eligible for Seriesmakers include directors who have have their first or second feature film play in the official selection of A-category film festival.
A special jury will award two projects during Series Mania Forum in 2023. These will receive a Beta Development grant of €50,000 each to develop a pilot script and a full package. The winning teams will receive additional support, such as script consulting and packaging, offered by Beta’s content division, led by chief content officer Koby Gal Raday. In addition,...
Seriesmakers will select 10 projects which will participate in a tailor-made training program focused on the development of a full pitch deck. Mentored by renowned directors, showrunners, writers and producers, each team will deliver a series bible.
Those eligible for Seriesmakers include directors who have have their first or second feature film play in the official selection of A-category film festival.
A special jury will award two projects during Series Mania Forum in 2023. These will receive a Beta Development grant of €50,000 each to develop a pilot script and a full package. The winning teams will receive additional support, such as script consulting and packaging, offered by Beta’s content division, led by chief content officer Koby Gal Raday. In addition,...
- 3/21/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Returning barely six months after its 2021 edition, which wrapped in September, French TV festival Series Mania welcomed Jury President Julia Sinkevych,who arrived in Lille from war-torn Ukraine.
“I didn’t know if I would be lucky enough to be here tonight,” said Sinkevych to a standing ovation, with Laurence Herszberg, Series Mania general director, observing that culture cannot be insensitive to what is happening.
“The whole world is now admiring our resistance, the resistance of the Ukrainian people. But there is another battlefield, which is culture, and I want us to be noticed, recognized and admired on the cultural battlefield, too,” added Sinkevych.
“This [conflict] has been going on for a long time and there have been many episodes in this TV series. Now, Europe and the rest of the world should work together on its grand season finale.”
President of the International Panorama Jury, French writer and actress Anne Berest,...
“I didn’t know if I would be lucky enough to be here tonight,” said Sinkevych to a standing ovation, with Laurence Herszberg, Series Mania general director, observing that culture cannot be insensitive to what is happening.
“The whole world is now admiring our resistance, the resistance of the Ukrainian people. But there is another battlefield, which is culture, and I want us to be noticed, recognized and admired on the cultural battlefield, too,” added Sinkevych.
“This [conflict] has been going on for a long time and there have been many episodes in this TV series. Now, Europe and the rest of the world should work together on its grand season finale.”
President of the International Panorama Jury, French writer and actress Anne Berest,...
- 3/19/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
It may only be six months since 2021’s pandemic-delayed edition of Series Mania took place, but the annual Lille, France-based drama festival returns once again but this time in its traditional slot of March 18-25.
It’s been “challenging” for the Series Mania team to pull together 2022’s program so soon after last year’s event, says general director Laurence Herszberg.
However, it hasn’t been hard to attract projects to the festival. In a reflection of both Series Mania’s growing stature and the buoyant state of the scripted TV market, the event had 331 submissions from 46 different countries to the competition program. She says Series Mania, which was created in Paris in 2010 and moved to Lille in 2018, is very different from a giant TV sales market, which she reckons the industry is shifting away from. Rather it’s a place where scriptwriters, producers and platforms can build relationships and make connections,...
It’s been “challenging” for the Series Mania team to pull together 2022’s program so soon after last year’s event, says general director Laurence Herszberg.
However, it hasn’t been hard to attract projects to the festival. In a reflection of both Series Mania’s growing stature and the buoyant state of the scripted TV market, the event had 331 submissions from 46 different countries to the competition program. She says Series Mania, which was created in Paris in 2010 and moved to Lille in 2018, is very different from a giant TV sales market, which she reckons the industry is shifting away from. Rather it’s a place where scriptwriters, producers and platforms can build relationships and make connections,...
- 3/17/2022
- by Tim Dams
- Variety Film + TV
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