Italy’s “The Impossible She,” Spain’s “Detective Touré,” South Africa’s “Paradys” and France’s “Hormones” feature among 15 drama series projects selected for the Series Mania Forum’s 2022 Co-Pro Pitching Sessions.
One of Europe’s most prestigious TV competitions, with titles competing for a €50,000 ($56,000) grand prize, this year’s Sessions form part of the Forum, which runs March 22-24.
The lineup is rich in projects backed by top-tier producers and sales forces, while sluiced by large themes, such as racial and gender equality.
The latest from top Italian company Fandango, producer of “Gomorrah” and “My Brilliant Friend,” “The Impossible She” turns on young Neapolitan aristocrat Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first female Formula 1 driver.
Co-produced by Academy Award winner Tornasol (“The Secret in My Eyes”), “Detective Touré” features Touré a sub-Saharan immigrant settled in Bilbao who will become the best detective of the city, despite no badge, nor papers.
“Among this year’s trends, we notice that writers tackle burning political issues, such as the rise of the far-right movements in ‘Island of Youth’ or institutional racism in ‘A Boy Disappears.’ Another trend is the rehabilitation of forgotten female historical figures, such as in ‘The Impossible She,’” said Series Mania Forum director Francesco Capurro.
“We are also delighted to receive more ambitious teen dramas, such as ‘The Mars Project,’ and series with non-white heroes, like ‘Detective Touré’ or ‘The Winter Pack.’ Finally, we received many applications from new territories, and have selected our first South African project with ‘Paradys.’”
From TOP-The Oligarchs Productions, producer of milestone French drama “The Bureau,” MoonShaker, behind “Le Brio,” and Noé Debré, co-writer of Palme d’Or winner “Dheepan” and Matt Damon starrer “Stillwater,” “Hormones” turns on the results of the invention of the contraceptive pill.
Co-produced and distributed by Keshet International, “Paradys” features two Black detectives investigate a brutal murder in a whites-only enclave in South Africa.
The 15 titles were elected from 330 admissions from 56 countries, a record geographical range and testament to building premium drama series production in every corner of the world.
Past Co-Pro Pitching Sessions projects include “No Man’s Land” (France), “Banking District” (Switzerland), “Eden” (France), “Stella Blomkvist” (Iceland), “Warrior” (Denmark) and “The Head” (Spain).
The sessions’ jury is headed by president Antony Root, EVP, head of original production, WarnerMedia EMEA, WarnerMedia. Also serving on the jury are Noel Hedges, EVP acquisitions, international distribution at eOne; Yi Qiao, director ZDFE Drama at ZDF Enterprises, Germany; Yaël Fogiel, producer, co-founder and co-director, Films du Poisson, France; and Daniele Cesarano, head of drama, RTI Mediaset Group, Italy.
Brief details about the projects:
A Boy Disappears,” (Denmark)
Produced by Live Hide for Nimbus Film. Written by Julie Budtz Sørensen.
A six-hour series from classic major Danish production house Nimbus Film (“A Celebration,” “The Bridge”), penned by Budtz Sørensen, a writer on Netflix hit “The Rain” and “The Chosen.”
“The Accident,” (Israel)
Produced by Maya Fischer for Green Productions (Oscar-shortlisted “Summer Vacation”). Written by Matan Yair. A fatal car accident, whose causes are unpicked in this eight-part half hour thriller from Yair (“Scaffolding”). Scattered items at the tragedy will provide clues on the lives of the family and their shattered dreams.
“The Cuckoo Treatment,” (Canada)
Written by writer and graphic novelist Kris Bertin and frequent screenwriting partner Naben Ruthnum, produced by Jennifer Kawaja for Toronto and Montreal-based Sienna Films (“Cardinal,” “Ransom”), a Sphere Media Company.
“Dead End,” (Belgium)
Produced by Dimitri Verbeeck and Bert Hamelinck for Caviar Antwerp. Written by Malin-Sarah Gozin. From the Brussels-based producers of double Oscar winner, “Sound of Metal” and acclaimed TV crime drama “Before We Die.”
“Detective Touré,” (Spain)
Produced by Mariela Besuievsky and Elena Bort for Tornasol and DeAPlaneta. Written by triple Goya Award winner David Pérez Sañudo (“Ane is Missing”) and Carlos Vila (“Laura’s Miracles”), based on the books “The Detective Touré Saga” by Jon Arretxe.
“Hormones,” (France)
Produced by Alex Berger for TOP-The Oligarchs Productions and Benjamin Elalouf for MoonShaker. Created by Noé Debré and Joachim Schnerf.
Based on true events in pre-war Europe, two Dutch brothers stumble upon sexual hormones in a slaughterhouse and design the first contraceptive pill – mayhem ensues. Billed as a tale of desire, capitalist greed and female emancipation.
“The Impossible She,” (Italy)
Produced by Domenico Procacci and Laura Paolucci for Fandango. Created by Simone Manetti, Federica Pontremoli and Lorenzo Sportiello.
Set in post WWII Italy, series turns on young Neapolitan aristocrat Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first female Formula 1 driver.
“Island of Youth,” (Germany)
Produced by Daniel Hetzer for Turbine Studios. Written by Jon Atli Jonasson.
Detective Ava Klein, side-lined after a bullet is left in her skull, navigates through police corruption, far right extremist groups and the Berlin techno scene in search for a missing girl …and her own redemption.
“The Liberties,” (Ireland, Belgium)
Produced by Laura McNicholas, Peter De Maegd, Cormac Fox, Brian Durnin for 925 Productions, Vico Films, Potemkino and Greenhorn Films. Written by Gary Duggan, Brian Durnin, Pierce Ryan.
Billed as “The Gangs of New York” meets “Peaky Blinders” in 1815 Dublin, developed with the support of Screen Ireland and RTE. Set after the 1798 Rebellion in divided Dublin, three intersecting stories shed light on this little-known period.
“Little Hands,” (France)
Produced by Caroline Adrian for Delante Productions. Written by Lou Zidi, Alexandra Bialy. Two women’s emancipation story, set at Paris’ Gaumont studios in 1918 from budding writers Zidi and Bialy and Delante, producer of “The Names of Love.” Two women working on a documentary exposing war crimes find their work is in peril once their husbands return from the war and they’re expected to drop their project.
“The Mars Project,” (Germany, France)
Produced by Gregory Strouk and Henning Windelband for Wild Bunch and youngfilms GmbH & Co.KG. Written by Maxime Crupaux. Directed by Patrick Tatopoulos. Based on the short stories by Andreas Eschbach, a coming-of-age sci-fi tale about a group of teens on Mars who are bent on protecting it.
“Paradys,” (South Africa)
Produced by Nimrod Geva for Quizzical Pictures and Avi Nir (executive producer) for Keshet International. Created by Darrel Bristow-Bovey and Anton Visser. Written by Bristow-Bovey.
Two Black detectives investigate a brutal murder in a whites-only enclave in South Africa. From Quizzical, a Rose d’Or winner for “Hopeville.”
“Rank,” (Ireland, France, Australia)
Produced by Matthew Gledhill and Ailish McElmeel for Wheelhouse Productions and Deadpan Pictures. Written by Brendan Berne, Dillon Mapletoft and Oliver Taylor.
A South Pacific isle-set satire in the world of diplomacy, from Berne, former Australian Ambassador to France. Series follows the newly appointed British and Australian ambassadors to an island nation who are startled to learn that its dictator has snatched a North Korean scientist seeking asylum in the West.
“Salvation,” (Hungary)
Produced by Viktoria Petranyi for Proton Cinema. Written by Aniko Mangold.
A real event-inspired thriller, set in 1984 Hamburg, where a 19-year-old Hungarian girl is held hostage at a German Center, run by a sinister Church. A Hungarian travel agent and a diplomat team up to get her and the other hostages out.
“The Winter Pack,” (Sweden)
Produced by Moa Westeson, Anni Faurbye Fernandez and Cindy Hanson for Nevis Productions. Written by Christoffer Örnfelt. Directed by Charlotte Brändström.
A topical action thriller involving the elite Swedish Special Forces and their mission to ensure Sweden’s safety and sovereignty in the face of growing Russian aggression.
And, out of competition, winner of the Series Mania Award at this week’s Berlinale Series Market Co-Pro Series:
“The Report,” (Germany)
Produced by Michael Weber, Viola Fügen, Tobias Pausinger (development producer), Ben von Rönne (co-producer) for Match Factory Productions.
Based on true events, the series will follow a U.N. commission assigned to investigate the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister. A “multi-perspective journey into the dark heart of interest-driven Middle Eastern politics,” say Pausinger and von Rönne (“Blind Spot”).
