Series Mania Unveils 2026 Prize Winners

Series Mania, which ran from March 21 to 28, announced its top awards winners, with HBO Max’s Polish drama Proud taking the grand prize in the international competition and ABC TV, BBC and ZDF’s Dustfall winning the audience award.

Also in the international competition, best screenplay went to Dennis Kelly for Waiting for the Out (BBC). Amanda Jansson won best actress for her role in My Brother (SVT, DR, NRK, Yle, RÚV), and Ignacy Liss won for his role in Proud. The winners were selected by a jury chaired by Icelandic showrunner, director and actor Benedikt Erlingsson, alongside Brazilian actress and producer Alice Braga, Belgian actress Cécile de France, French actor and rapper Hatik, Iranian director Ida Panahandeh and British screenwriter and director Luke Watson.

In the French competition, best series went to TF1’s All Shape of Us (Grandiose). Manon Kneusé took home the best actress award for Camarades (ARTE), and Karim Leklou won for Eldorado (ARTE/RTBF). Best original score went to Amine Bouhafa for Privilèges (HBO Max). The French competition jury was composed of international journalists Arabella Wintermayr (Germany), Irene Crespo (Spain), Miina Väisänen (Finland), Justyna Mis (Poland) and Barry Levitt (U.K.).

The best series prize in the international panorama was presented to Small Prophets (BBC), and Lauren Patel won best actress for her role in the show. Best director was awarded to Arne Feldhussen for The Flaws (ZDF), and best actor went to Maxime Le Flaguais for Welcome to Kingston Falls (ICI Radio-Canada). The jury was chaired by French author and illustrator Pénélope Bagieu and featured Italian director and screenwriter Enrico Maria Artale; Norwegian producer Synnøve Hørsdal; French comedian, actor, director and screenwriter Thomas Ngijol; and Czech producer and creator Kamila Zlatusková. A student jury also awarded its prize to Variola Vera (TVP).

The short-form competition was led by a jury chaired by German showrunner, screenwriter and producer Ceylan Yildirim, alongside Lebanese actress, screenwriter and director Mounia Akl; actor, rapper and director Younès Boucif; and Swedish actor Simon Lööf. The best series award went to Ayer’s Cliff (ICI Tou.tv Extra). A student jury presented its prize to La Dernière Heure (ARTE).

The audience award, given to the audience’s favorite series from all the titles in competition, except for short-form, was won by Dustfall (ABC TV, BBC, ZDF).

“We are delighted that the awards list confirms the trends we observed: the strong presence of the United Kingdom and the quality of Polish series, both awarded three times, as well as the notable presence of Quebec,” said Laurence Herszberg, founder and managing director of Series Mania. “We are also particularly pleased that such a unique series as The Flaws has earned its place among the winners. Finally, we commend the presence of two fully female teams in their creation, production and direction—My Brother and Dustfall. We warmly thank all of our partners, without whom this event could not take place, including the Hauts-de-France Region, the CNC, the MEL, the City of Lille and Crédit Mutuel Nord Europe.”