Highlighting Excellence: Series Mania Festival 2023
This year’s Series Mania festival in Lille showcased a remarkable lineup of talent, culminating with the Spanish family drama Querer taking home the prestigious award for Best Series in the international competition. This accolade reflects the show’s compelling narrative and its impactful portrayal of complex familial relationships.
A Gripping Tale of Betrayal and Choice
Querer, produced by the Spanish pay-TV network Movistar+, centers on a woman who, after three decades of marriage, embarks on a transformative journey. She publicly accuses her husband of criminal behavior, which forces their two adult sons into a heart-wrenching dilemma: whom should they trust in the wake of such explosive allegations?
Celebrating Individual Talent
The festival’s international jury, chaired by acclaimed actress Pamela Adlon, recognized exceptional performances, awarding Best Actress to Lili Reinhart for her work in Hal & Harper, directed by Cooper Raiff. Meanwhile, Luca Marinelli grabbed the Best Actor award for his portrayal in Joe Wright’s political biopic Mussolini: Son of the Century.
Outstanding Writing and Political Narratives
In a testament to the power of storytelling, the Best Writing award was given to Moshe Zonder and Ronit Weiss Berkowitz for their poignant work in The German. The European political drama The Deal also received special recognition from the jury, highlighting its significant themes in contemporary discourse.
Audience Favorites and Local Triumphs
The Audience Award, reflecting the preferences of festival attendees, was presented to the Quebecois series Empathy, demonstrating its resonance with viewers. In the French competition, 37 Secondes emerged as the best series, while Elsa Guedj and Arthur Dupont secured awards for Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively, for Le Sens des Choses and La Famille Rose. The outstanding original score was recognized in the work of Anthony D’Amario and Edouard Rigaudière for Log Out.
Extended Recognition for Global Talent
In the international panorama, the Spanish series Celeste won Best Series, while Belgian production Putain received special mention. The impressive Carmen Machi from Celeste was honored as Best Actress, and Matthew Gurney was recognized as Best Actor for his role in the British crime drama Reunion. Best Director was awarded to Ida Panahandeh for her work on the Iranian series At the End of the Night.
Record-Breaking Attendance and Future Dates
Series Mania reported a record attendance with 108,000 spectators over the festival’s week-long run, marking a noteworthy increase of 10,000 attendees from the previous year. The Forum section for industry representatives accommodated 5,000 professionals, including 500 buyers from 75 different countries, highlighting a robust 20% rise in industry participation. The festival has already confirmed its dates for next year, with the events scheduled from March 20 to 27 in 2026, and the Forum taking place from March 24 to 26.