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SERIES MANIA 2021

Series Mania launches a counter-attack

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- After stumbling over the health crisis of 2020, the festival will make its comeback in Lille from 26 August to 2 September with a very rich selection, the Series Mania Forum and the Lille Dialogues

Series Mania launches a counter-attack
Anna by Niccolò Ammaniti

Forced to cancel last year’s edition due to the health crisis, Series Mania had remarkably bounced back by offering an online edition for industry professionals (read the news). It will return to its usual physical format for its 4th Lille-based edition, unfolding from 26 August to 2 September 2021. On the menu of the Festival, which will open with the British thriller Vigil, are more than 50 series, 25 of them having their world premiere at the festival. And among the invited guests shine, among others, Fanny Herrero (the French creator and showrunner of the three first seasons of Call My Agent) and her fellow countryman Olivier Marchal (Braquo), as well as American guests Chris Brancato (creator of Narcos), Clyde Phillips (showrunner on several seasons of Dexter) and the actress Audra McDonald (The Good Fight).

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Presided by Hagai Levi from Israel (The Affair, BeTipul), the international competition jury will have to decide between eight series, including Anna by Italian creator Niccolò Ammaniti (whose Il Miracolo was very well received), having its world premiere at the festival and produced by Wildside with Arte and Kwai for Sky Italia and Arte.

Also having their world premiere in international competition are the Danish production Kamikaze (produced by Profile Pictures for HBO Max), the Norwegian series Furia (produced by Norwegian company Monster Film and German company X Filme with Viaplay and ZDF as broadcasters), the Icelandic title Blackport [+see also:
interview: Olivier Wotling
series profile
]
(produced by Vesturport with Turbine Studios and with broadcaster RÚV and Arte France) and the franco-italian co-production Germinal (produced by Banijay Studios for Salto and France 2).

The French competition will consist of six series having their world premiere at the festival, and the Panorama International (whose jury will be presided by journalist and writer Florence Aubenas) will present 15 titles, including the Swedish series Dough (produced by Nexiko), the Norwegian series Pørni (produced by Monster Scripted), and The Last Socialist Artefact [+see also:
series review
series profile
]
(which brings together Croatia, Finland, Serbian and Slovenia with Kinorama, Sense Production, Perfo Production and Citizen Jane).

Also worth noting among other events are special screenings, New Season Premieres, the Midnight Comedies section and an online Short Forms competition.

But attention will also be paid to the festival’s professional section, the Series Mania Forum (30 August - 1 September), with 16 projects in development (15 in competition, one out of competition) selected in its co-production market for its Co-Pro Pitching Sessions. Also on the menu are multiple conferences and panels featuring, among others, Simone Emmeliusa (ZDF), Christian Vesper (Fremantle), Moritz Potler (Windlight Pictures), Synnøve Hørsdal (Maipo Film), Anna Croneman (SVT) and David Michel (Cottonwood Media/Federation Entertainment) on topics such as the keys to European diversity, series for pre-adolescents and the obstacles to original ideas. There will also be exclusive sessions for Netflix, Disney+, Newen, Warner Media and Arte.

Finally, the Lille Dialogues will explore the question of the audiovisual sector’s place at the heart of European revival through three round tables: on streaming (European content in a fragmented market), the future of television (linear broadcasters facing the transformations of the sector) and the European strategy for public service). These topics will be addressed with guests Hanna Stjärne (SVT), Delphine Ernotte-Cunci (France Télévisions), Jan Mojto (Beta Film), Bruno Patino (Arte), Anders Jensen (Nordic Entertainment Group), Gilles Pélisson (TF1), Priya Dogra (Warner Media), Nicolas de Tavernost (M6), Superna Kalle (Starz), Stéphane Courbit (Banijay Group) and French Culture ministre Roselyne Bachelot.

The Programme:

Opening
Vigil (Royaume-Uni – BBC One)

International competition
Anna (Italy - Sky Italia, Arte)
Blackport [+see also:
interview: Olivier Wotling
series profile
]
(Iceland - RÚV, Arte)
Furia (Norway/Germany – Viaplay, ZDF)
Germinal (France/Italy - Salto, France 2)
Hamlet (Turkey - Gain Medya)
Jerusalem (Israel - Hot)
Kamikaze (Denmark - HBO Max)
The Echo of Your Voice (Israel - Kan)

French Competition
Jeune et Golri (France - OCS)
Le code (France - France 2)
L’Opéra (France/Belgium)
Nona et ses filles (France - Arte)
Or de lui (France - France.tv)
Rebecca (France - TF1)

Panorama International
Bête Noire (Canada - Séries Plus)
Dough (Sweden - SVT)
Dr Death (USA - Peacock, Starzplay)
Kevin Can F…Himself (USA - AMC, Amazon Prime Video)
Mouse (South Korea - TVN)
Pørni (Norway - Viaplay)
Sort of (Canada - CBC)
The Bite (USA - Viacom CBS Global Distribution Group)
The Last Socialist Artefact [+see also:
series review
series profile
]
(Croatia/Finland/Serbia/Slovenia - HTR)
The Unusual Suspects (Australia - SBS)
Time (UK - BBC, Canal+)
The Vampires of Midland (Russia - Start)
Vida de Colores (Colombia - Canal Telecaribe)
Wakefield (Australia - ABC)
We Are Lady Parts (UK - Channel 4, Brut X) 

Special Screenings Out of Competition
La corde (France, Belgium - Arte)
On The Verge (France/USA - Canal+, Netflix) 
Rencontre avec Fanny Herrero : Drôle (France, Netflix)

New Season Premieres
La casa de papel Part 5 (Spain - Netflix)
Les Petits meurtres d’Agatha Christie (France – France 2)
Mytho saison 2 (France - Arte, Netflix)
Les engagés : XAOC (France/Belgium – Frence-tv)

Midnight Comedies
Bloods (UK - Sky One)
Brigade mobile (France - Arte)
Fisk (Australia - ABC)
Frank of Ireland (Ireland/UK - Channel 4, Amazon Prime Video)
Hacks (USA - HBO Max)
Les tribulations de Georges et Fernand (France)
Starstruck (UK - BBC Three)

Co-Pro Pitching Sessions
Amal (8 x 60 min – Israel)
Gold Train (6 x 45 min – Germany) 
Mozart Mozart (6 x 45 min – Germany)
Prison Boy (6 x 50 min – Canada)
La Palma (6 x 45 min – Norway)
Liberty’s (8 x 52 min – France) 
Nous étions des légendes (6 x 52 min – France) 
Noble Cause (6 x 52 min – Ireland, Switzerland)
Moresnet (6 x 50 min – Belgium) 
Picadero (6 x 50 min – Espagne, Colombia)
Rabbi (6 x 50 min – Israel) 
In 1942 (6 x 52 min – France)
Crude (8 x 45 min – UK) 
Error (8 x 50 min – Iceland, Portugal)
Red Rainbow (8 x 50 min – Russia)
Balaton Brigade (8 x 50 min - Hungary) (Out of Competition - Partnership with the Berlinale) 

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(Translated from French)

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