Series Mania Unveils Selections for Co-Production Forum

PARIS: Out of more than 300 submissions, 16 projects have been selected for the Co-Production Forum taking place at Series Mania Festival this year.

The Series Mania Festival is slated for April 18 to 21 in Paris. The Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, as part of the Co-Production Forum, are intended to help high-end European drama projects find financial partners. The 16 selections will be pitched to a panel of broadcasters, distributors, producers and public and private investors. The jury for the Co-Production Forum will present the producer of the best project with a grant of €50,000. The members of this year’s jury are Francesca Orsi, co-head of drama at HBO; Thomas Bourguignon, producer at KWAI; Piv Bernth, head of drama at DR; Henrik Pabst, managing director of Red Arrow International; and Pilar Perez Roel, head of acquisitions at DCD Rights.

“This year, with the reputation of the Series Mania Co-Production Forum getting bigger and bigger, we are expecting over 500 international TV series executives to be on hand for this must-attend event,” said Laurence Herszberg, the general director of Forum des Images and founder of Series Mania. “Our informal, yet business-focused, friendly environment is the perfect blend for today’s busy executives.”

The 16 selections are David (Lemming Film, The Netherlands), Dead Meet (Eleventh Hour Films, U.K.), Fertile Crescent (Masha Productions/Spiro Films/Haut et Court TV, Israel/France), Freud (Bavaria Fernsehproduktion, Germany/Austria), Girl on a Wire (Studio Lambert, U.K.), M.A.D. (Arena Film, Denmark), Milites Christi (Wild Horses, France), Neo Paris (Tabo Tabo Films, France), Romans in L.A. (Endemol Shine Italy, Italy), The Alert (Wrong Men, Belgium), The Conductor from St Petersburg/Moscow Noir (Black Spark Film & TV, Sweden), The Faction (Submarine, The Netherlands), The Head (Mediapro, Spain), The Last Socialist Artefact (Kinorama, Croatia), The Steins (Newen/Keshet International, France/Israel), Twin (Nordisk Film Production, Norway).

“Scaling down from over 300 entries to the 16 titles chosen is no easy task but we are confident these are some of the best series in development today,” added Herszberg. “Additionally, the caliber of our jury members this year is top-notch and we look forward to working with them in Paris as they determine this year’s best project and winner of €50,000. What a great time to be a jury member!”