Series Mania Moving to Lille

Series Mania is relocating from Paris to Lille, France, where the event will take place April 20 to 28, 2018.

Laurence Herszberg, founder of Series Mania, and Xavier Bertrand, the president of the Hauts-de-France region, have joined efforts for the relocation. Herszberg will be stepping down from her position as general director of Forum des Images to assume the helm of Series Mania in Lille.

Series Mania will now see an increased budget, more screening rooms, as well as The European Project and Talent Market, a new business initiative. The industry arm of the Series Mania Festival, the Co-Production Forum, is set for April 23 to 25.

The new edition of Series Mania will be backed by France’s government via the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma), the Hauts-de-France region and the city of Lille. In addition to Herszberg, Frederic Lavigne, the artistic director of Series Mania; Francesco Capurro, the head of the Co-Production Forum; and Jeff Bledsoe, the head of production, will oversee Series Mania in Lille.

Herszberg commented: “Lille is a city where we are currently witnessing enormous creativity and strength in business development. Thanks to the funding from the government, as well as the support of the CNC and the Hauts-de-France region, Lille will give Series Mania the opportunity to flourish and take this must-attend event to new levels.”

“On the Co-Production Forum front, we will be introducing The European Project and Talent Market in Lille,” added Herszberg. “Since 2013 the Series Mania European Co-Production Forum has proven to be the preeminent meeting place in Europe to co-finance TV series projects in development. The European Project and Talent Market will now go a step further to create a unique marketplace not only to find projects in development but also to meet original talent and gifted scriptwriters, to discover new series available for the international market, to network with the best European enterprises, to offer an intense program of pitching sessions, training programs, film and TV school presentations, conferences…all in one exceptional hub identifying the best content yet to come.”