25th March 2022

'The Baby''s Michelle de Swarte wins Best Actress at Series Mania


PARIS & LILLE, FRANCE – March 25, 2022 – With Series Mania 2022 coming to a close, Ms. Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania, announced this evening the winners of the Series Mania Festival and the final number of participants.

“As we close the doors to an incredibly successful edition, we would first like to thank the public and the professionals who attended in record numbers, but also want to thank the city of Lille and the Hauts-de-France Region for their unwavering support of Series Mania,” commented Herszberg. “We are delighted to be announcing our new dates for 2023, and in terms of final numbers, our numbers far exceeded our expectations for the Forum, and we could not be prouder.”

“While the highlights are numerous from this year for the Festival, Forum, and Lille Dialogues, I certainly want to acknowledge our Jury President and my dear friend, Ukrainian producer film producer Julia Sinkevych, who was truly an inspiration to everyone who met her. I’d also like to congratulate all the Festival winners, as well as the team from Paradys, winner of the Forum’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Lille in March 2023.”

SERIES MANIA WINNERS:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

The international jury, chaired by the Ukrainian producer Julia Sinkevych, surrounded by Marc Dugain (director, novelist, France), Christian Berkel (actor, Germany), Shira Haas (actress, Israel), Berkun Oya (screenwriter, director, writer, Turkey), Yseult (author-composer-performer, France), awarded 3 prizes among the 9 series presented in world or international premiere in the presence of their teams:

> Grand Prize: LE MONDE DE DEMAIN (France)

- Created by: Katell Quillévéré, Hélier Cisterne, Vincent Poymiro, David Elkaïm. With the collaboration of Laurent Rigoulet. Based on an original idea by Katell Quillévéré and Hélier Cisterne. With the participation of Kool Shen, JoeyStarr and DJ Détonateur S.

- Screenplay: Katell Quillévéré, Hélier Cisterne, Vincent Poymiro,, David Elkaïm, Raphäel Chevènement, Nour Ben Salem, Ruddy-Williams Kabuil.

- Director: Katell Quillévéré, Hélier Cisterne

- Production : Les films du Bélier, Arte France

- Broadcasting: Arte, Netlfix

> Best Actress: MICHELLE DE SWARTE in THE BABY (UK)

-Creation: Siân Robins-Grace, Lucy Gaymer

-Screenplay: Siân Robins-Grace, Sophie Goodhart

-Director: Nicole Kassell, Stacey Gregg

-Production: Sister, Proverbial Picture

-Broadcasting: HBO, Sky

> Best Actor: YEHUDA LEVI in FIRE DANCE (Israel)

Created, written and directed by: Rama Burshtein-Shai

Production: Kuma Studios

Broadcasting Yes TV

International Sales: Yes Studios

INTERNATIONAL PANORAMA

The International Panorama, presided over by the French screenwriter and writer Anne Berest, surrounded by Roni Alter (singer, Israel), Sophie Deraspe (screenwriter, producer, Canada), Sofia Essaïdi (actress, singer-songwriter, France/Morocco), Eshref Reybrouck (director, Belgium), Greer Simpkin (producer, Australia), awarded 3 prizes among the 13 series presented in French, European, and world previews:

> Best series: THE DARK HEART (Sweden)

Creation: Oskar Söderlund, Gustav Möller

Screenplay: Oskar Söderlund

Director: Gustav Möller

Production: FLX

Broadcasting: Discovery + (Sweden)

International Sales: Reinvent International Sales

> Special Jury Prize: SUNSHINE EYES (Germany)

Created, written and directed by Maria Von Heland

Production: Maze Pictures, Red Balloon Film GMBH, Tindra Film

> Special mention - The Responder

> Best series awarded by the Student Jury: FUNERAL FOR A DOG (Germany)

Creation: Hanno Hackfort, Bob Konrad, Thomas Pletzinge

Screenplay: Hanno Hackfort, Bob Konrad and Thomas Pletzinger, adapted from his novel of the same name.

Director: David Dietl, Barbara Albert

Production: Flare Entertainment GMBH, Sky Germany

Broadcasting: Sky

International Sales: Sky Studios/NBCU

FRENCH COMPETITION

The international press jury composed of Kaleem Aftab (journalist The I, BBC, writer, producer UK), Marta Balaga (Episodi, Variety- Poland), Patrick Heidmann (FAZ, Germany) and May Synnöve Rogne (Aftenposten, Norway), awarded 4 prizes among the 6 French series presented in World Premiere in the presence of their teams:

> Best Series: CHAIR TENDRE

Created and written by: Yaël Langmann

Director: Yaël Langmann, Jérémy Mainguy

Production: Jerico TV in co-production with Big Band Story and Famela

Broadcasting: France.tv Slash

International sales: France TV Distribution

> Best Actress: the 3 actresses INÈS OUCHAAOU / CHARLIE LOISELIER / ASSA SYLLA in REUSSS

Creation: Jérôme Larcher, Catherine Regula,

Screenplayt Jérôme Larcher, Estelle Koenig, Salif Cissé, Joël N'sita, Thomas Ducastel

Director: Mohamed Chabane, Théo Jourdain

Production: Lizland Films

Broadcasting: France.tv Slash

International sales: France TV Distribution

> Best Actor: AXEL GRANBERGER in LES PAPILLONS NOIRS

Creation and screenplay: Bruno Merle, Olivier Abbou

Director: Olivier Abbou

Production: GMT Production, Jack N'a Qu'Un Oeil, Arte France, Pictanovo, With the support of the Hauts-de-France region.

Broadcasting: Arte, Netflix

International sales: Mediawan Rights

> Best original music: Clément DOUMIC, Antoine WILSON, Sébastien WOLF from the group FEU! CHATTERTON for TOUTOUYOUTOU

Creation: Géraldine de Margerie, Maxime Donzel, David Coujard

Screenplay: Géraldine de Margerie, Maxime Donzel, Benjamin Adam

Director: Julien Patry

Production: Ex Nihilo

NIGHT OF COMEDIES

> Best Series - High School Jury: BLOODY MURRAY (Israel)

Written and directed by Stav Idisis

Director: Yogev Yefet

Production: Kastina Communications

Broadcasting: Yes TV

International sales: Yes Studios

> Special Mention- Visitors ( Francais)

SHORT FORMATS

This competition is awarded by an international jury composed of David Hourrègue (producer, director, France), Alice Gruia (actress, director, Germany), Pablo Padovani (writer-composer, director, France), Hanna Van Vliet (actress, Netherlands).

> Best Series: FLOAT (UK)

Created, written by Stef Smith

Director: Arabella Page Croft

Production: Black Camel Pictures

Broadcasting: BBC Scotland

International Sales: Unannounced Film Company Ltd

>Special mention at 18H30 – NEW SEASON (France)

AUDIENCE'S PRIZE

This prize is awarded to the audience's favorite series among all the titles in competition – except for Short Formats- voted on at the end of the screenings.

> Best series: THE BIRTH OF DANIEL F. HARRIS (UK)

- Created, written by Pete Jackson

- Director: Alex Winckler, Alexandra Brodoski

- Production: Clerkenwell Films

- Broadcasting: Channel 4

- International Sales: BBC Studios

SERIES MANIA FINAL NUMBERS:

This edition brought together more than 70,000 participants for the Festival and 3,300 accredited persons on-site from 64 countries for the Forum (2021 Forum edition was 2,100 on-site; 2019 edition was 2,700 on-site). The visits to the Series Mania Website and Series Mania Digital Platform totaled 260,000 views.