Series Mania unveils 16 projects for Forum

Drama projects from Italy’s Indigo Film, Finland’s Funfar Film and the UK/Canada’s Reel One Entertainment are among the projects set to be pitched at the Series Mania Forum.  

The Lille-based festival – whose well-respected Forum event looks to connect high-end European and international drama projects with finance partners – has revealed a slate of 16 titles selected from 400 submissions across 41 countries.

The projects in the official selection are as follows:

• Capital Punishment, Black Sheep Film Productions, Israel
• Extravagance, Les Films du Trèfle in co-production with AT-Production, Zeitsprung Pictures, France/Belgium/Germany
• Faraya, Déjà Vu Beirut Sarl, Lebanon
• Femen, Wild Horses, France
• Gymnasts, Indigo Film, Italy
• Influence, Studio Lambert, United Kingdom
• Low Season, Akka Films, Switzerland
• Purple, Mother Production in co-production with Silex Films, France
• Reset, Brutal Media, Spain
• Ride Out, Funfar Films Oy, Finland
• The Attack, Network Movie Film, Germany/France
• The Dreamers, Deux Beaux Garçons Films, Israel
• The Fortress, Maipo Film, Norway
• The Kollective, Submarine, Netherlands/US
• The Rise & Fall of the Somali Pirates, De Mensen in co-production with Reel One Entertainment, Belgium/United Kingdom

Elsewhere, Satel Film and Superfilm’s Big Bones will be pitched out of competition, as per the partnership with Berlinale’s Drama Series Days.

For the third year running, a five-member jury will determine the top project, which will be awarded a grand prize of €50,000 ($57,000) to help develop the winning show.

This year’s jury (pictured top, L-R) includes CBS Studios International SVP of co-production and development Meghan Lyvers; France Télévisions’ director of acquisitions and international fiction Nathalie Biancolli; SVT Sweden head of programmes for film and TV drama Anne Croneman; Banijay Rights’ head of scripted Caroline Torrance; and Fremantle UK’s EVP and creative director for global drama Christian Vesper.

Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania, said: “Co-pro pitching sessions remain the most highly anticipated event at Series Mania Forum. To date, more than a dozen previously pitched shows have been brought to the screen thanks to co­-production deals or agreements finalised at Series Mania. This year, the selection is very diverse, and I hope that it will inspire our participants and our elite team of jury members. We are very proud of the 2019 slate which highlights the very best series of tomorrow.”

The Forum will take place from 25 to 27 March.