56 series to grace the Series Mania showcase

by Fabien Lemercier

09/02/2023 - The world’s leading festival for series will unspool in Lille between 17 and 24 March with an XXL selection, notably including 33 world premieres

56 series to grace the Series Mania showcase

Haven of Grace, directed by Vincent Maël Cardona

Female strength conveyed by often radical, emancipated characters, major ethical and environmental questions, and a journey back in time to the ‘80s and ‘90s (seen as either a golden age or the root of all evil) are the major thematic tendencies distinguishing the selection of the 6th Lille-based Series Mania Festival, unspooling 17 – 24 March.

Insisting on the importance of diversifying stories in the context of a global series market tending towards a certain standardisation of storytelling approaches, the Series Mania team steered by Managing Director Laurence Herszberg and Artistic Director Frédéric Lavigne have selected 55 series hailing from 24 countries (out of 396 series submitted this year from 63 different countries), 33 of which are set to world premiere in the northern city, notably Greek Salad [+see also:
interview: Cédric Klapisch
series profile] (created by Cédric Klapisch for Prime Video) in the opening slot and Transatlantic (created for Netflix by Anna Winger, whose recent works include Unorthodox [+see also:
series review
series profile]) which is set to close the event, whilst various names steal focus on the special guests list, including British showrunner Michael Hirst (The Tudors, Vikings), American actress Marcia Cross, Mathieu Kassovitz, Isabelle Nanty and Nathalie Baye.

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For its part, the international competition jury (led by American Lisa Joy, who will be supported by French actress Emmanuelle Béart, Indian director Anurag Kashyap, English showrunner Chris Chibnall, Israeli actor Yehuda Levy and French-British singer-songwriter and actress Lou Doillon) will be tasked with deciding between nine series (eight in world premieres and one in an international premiere). Stealing focus amongst these is the French-Belgian series Haven of Grace (read our article), directed by Vincent Maël Cardona, the French-American-Japanese co-production Drops of God (an adaptation of the eponymous cult manga), Spanish show Fleeting Lies [+see also:
series review
interview: Esther García
series profile] (article – produced by El Deseo), Greek work Milky Way [+see also:
interview: Vasilis Kekatos
series profile] and Norwegian movie The Fortress [+see also:
interview: John Kare Raake
series profile] (article). The line-up will be rounded off by one series each from the UK, Israel, Iran and the USA.

The French competition will consist of six series screening in world premieres, including Bardot [+see also:
interview: Danièle and Christopher Tho…
interview: Manuel Alduy
series profile] (created, scripted and directed by Danièle and Christopher Thompson), Polar Park (steered by Gérald Hustache-Mathieu) and Under Control by Erwan Le Duc (notably starring Léa Drucker and Samir Guesmi).

And 12 titles will be battling it out in the International Panorama competition (whose jury will be led by French writer Hervé Le Tellier), including Swedish series Blackwater, Denmark’s Nordland, Germany’s A Thin Line, and Spanish works Offworld [+see also:
trailer
interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Isabe…
series profile] and La ruta.

Also worth a mention on this especially rich festival agenda are competitions for comedies and short formats, special screenings, the New Seasons Premieres section (notably featuring The Kingdom Exodus [+see also:
series review
trailer
interview: Asta Kamma August
interview: Hubert Toint and Mark Denes…
series profile]), masterclasses (courtesy of Cédric Klapisch, Lisa Joy, Cécile de France, Brian Cox and Philippine Leroy Beaulieu), conferences, a multitude of guests, and Series Mania’s copious and incredibly popular professional sidebar (alongside the Forum section and Lille Dialogues line-up), whose detailed programme will be unveiled at a later date.

The selection is as follows:

Opening Series

Greek Salad [+see also:
interview: Cédric Klapisch
series profile] (France – Prime Video)

Closing Series

Transatlantic (Germany/USA – Netflix)

International Competition

Haven of Grace (France/Belgium - Arte)
Drops of God (France/USA/Japan - Apple TV+, France Télévisions, Hulu Japan)
Fleeting Lies [+see also:
series review
interview: Esther García
series profile] (Spain - Paramount +)
Milky Way [+see also:
interview: Vasilis Kekatos
series profile] (Greece – Mega TV)
Red Skies (Israel – Reshet 13)
The Actor (Iran – Filimo, Manava)
The Fortress [+see also:
interview: John Kare Raake
series profile] (Norway - Viaplay)
The Power (USA - Prime Video)
Best Interests (UK - BBC One)

French Competition

Aspergirl (France/Belgium - OCS)
Bardot [+see also:
interview: Danièle and Christopher Tho…
interview: Manuel Alduy
series profile] (France/Italy - France Télévisions)
Six Women (France – TF1)
Polar Park (France – Arte)
Under Control (France – Arte)
Split (France.tv slash)

International Panorama

A Body That Works (Israel – Keshet TV)
Offworld [+see also:
trailer
interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Isabe…
series profile] (Spain – Movistar+)
A Thin Line (Germany – Paramount+)
Limboland (India/Pakistan/UK)
Blackwater (Sweden – SVT)
Disobey (Canada – Crave)
Funny Woman (UK – Sky Max, OCS)
Innermost (Israel/Germany)
La ruta (Spain – Atresplayer Premium)
Little Bird (Canada- Crave, APTN lumi)
Nordland (Denmark – DR)
Tengo que morir todas las noches (Mexico – Paramount+)

Comedies Competition

Rictus (France - OCS)
Love is All (France - OCS)
Call Me Dad [+see also:
interview: Christian Dyekjaer
series profile] (Denmark - Viaplay)
Everyone Else Burns (UK - Channel 4)
Romantic Getaway (UK - Sky Max)
The Lovers (UK - Sky)

Short Format Competition

A Strange Summer (Finland - YLE)
Self Defense (Spain - Filmin)
Canis Familiaris (France - arte.tv)
The Universe Conspires (Uruguay - UN3)
Five Years (Czech Republic, Ceska televize)
Latecomers (Australia - SBS)
Nichole (Canada - Télé-Québec)
One of the Boys (Denmark – Viaplay)

Out of Competition Selection

Documentary

Les génériques de séries (France – Canal+)

Special Screenings

Black Santiago Club (Benin/Senegal/France - Canal+ Première)
Duty after School (South Korea - TVING)
Jusqu'ici tout va bien (France - Netflix)
Nolly (UK - ITVX)
Rabbit Hole (USA - Paramount+)
The Swarm [+see also:
series review
trailer
interview: Leonie Benesch
series profile] (Germany/France/Italy/Belgium – ZDF, France Télévisions, Viaplay, RAI, Hulu Japon, ORF, SRF)