SERIES MANIA 2021 Series Mania Forum
Red Rainbow is crowned the winner of the Series Mania Pitching Sessions
- The Russian, 8 x 50-minute project, steered by AR Content/Non-Stop Production, was singled out by the jury at the close of the Series Mania Forum pitching sessions
Out of the 15 selected projects presented yesterday at the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions - which have been unfolding within the Series Mania Forum (read our interview with director Francesco Capurro), the professional sidebar unspooling within the wider Series Mania festival (running 26 August to 2 September – read our article) - the jury presided over by Polly Williams (flanked by Daniel Campos Pavoncelli, Sened Dhab, Mar Diaz and Maria Feldman) unanimously crowned Russian project Red Rainbow (8 x 50’) its winner.
The €50,000 prize was awarded to producer Alexander Rodnyansky (AR Content/Non-Stop Production) and screenwriter Matt Jones. Based on a true story which unfolded in 1979 and which was the result of a series of errors and misunderstandings, Red Rainbow follows three young, homosexual activists from West Berlin who are invited to Moscow on an official visit. Thrilled at the chance to discover the land of their socialist dreams, they’re oblivious to the fact that, in Russia, it’s a crime to be gay.
"It was the brilliant story and LGBTQIA+ aspects of Red Rainbow which led to our unanimous decision. It was a highly original pitch and there was real warmth at the heart of the story. It’s also a story which is still very topical today and which really truly to be told", Polly Williams remarked.
More than one hundred projects have been presented within the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions since their creation in 2013, notably including The Head (Mediapro/Hulu), No Man’s Land (Arte/Hulu) and Devils (Sky). What’s more, three series hailing from the very same Co-Pro Pitching Sessions - Blackport [+see also:
interview: Olivier Wotling
series profile], Jerusalem and The Last Socialist Artefact -have been chosen for Series Mania’s official selection this year.
(Translated from French)
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