Series Mania has established itself as the biggest dedicated TV festival in all of Europe. This year’s edition of the prestigious event picked up high profile projects as the most promising new TV pitches.
The 15th edition of the Mania, organised in Lille, France kick-started on 15th March, 2024. Since then the Beta Development Award, a cash prize of €50,000 sponsored by the European production and sales company Beta Group has been awarded to Kevin Macdonald’s George Blake, a real-life spy thriller, and Erik Matti’s The Squatter, a story about the teaming up of a Filipino maid and an unshakeable Ukrainian detective.
On the other hand, Sleeping Swans by German director Barbara Albert, was felicitated with the Kirch Foundation / HFF Award worth another whopping €20,000. Set in Eastern Germany, it follows an expert trying to work out why children are mysteriously falling into an inexplicably deep sleep.
A total of ten projects were selected for this year’s Seriesmakers. The recipients of the Beta Development Award will work with Beta’s Content Division to develop the pilot script and a full package.
In the words of Barbara Albert, series allow directors and makers delve deeper into characters because of extended time. Was it infact, this very reason that led to the grand success of these series directors?