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Studio Lambert to pitch at Series Mania

Series Mania judges LR Meghan Lyvers, Nathalie Biancolli, Anne Croneman, Caroline Torrance and Christian Vesper

Drama series from the UK’s Studio Lambert, Belgium’s De Mensen and Indigo Film in Italy are among the contenders for the coproduction pitching sessions at next month’s Series Mania in Lille, France.

Following almost 400 entries from more than 40 countries, 16 have been selected to pitch at the event in a bid to secure financial partners.

A five-member jury, headed by Meghan Lyvers, senior VP of coproduction and development at CBS Studios International, will decide the best project from the 16 and award a grand prize of €50,000 (US$56,752) to help develop the series.

All3Media-owned Studio Lambert, which is best known for its unscripted output, will pitch Influence; De Mensen, coproducing with Reel One Entertainment in the UK, is bringing The Rise & Fall of the Somali Pirate; and Indigo Film is taking Gymnasts.

The other projects to be pitched include Capital Punishment from Israel’s Black Sheep Film Productions; Extravagance from Les Films du Trèfle, in coproduction with AT-Production and Zeitsprung Pictures; Déjà Vu Beirut’s Faraya; and Femen from French outfit Wild Horses.

Maipo Film in Norway will bring The Fortress, Funfar Films Oy in Finland will pitch Ride Out and Switzerland’s Akka Films will offer Low Season.

Further series from France, Spain, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands and the US are all in contention, along with an out-of-competition pitch from the recent Berlinale event, Big Bones from Satel Film and Superfilm.

The judging panel of international industry execs will comprise Nathalie Biancolli, director of acquisitions and international fiction at France Télévisions; Anne Croneman, head of programme film and TV drama at SVT; Caroline Torrance, head of scripted at Banijay Rights; and Christian Vesper, executive VP and creative director for global drama at Fremantle.

“To date, more than a dozen previously pitched shows have been brought to the screen thanks to coproduction deals or agreements finalised at Series Mania,” said Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania. “This year the selection is very diverse and I hope it will inspire our participants and our elite team of jury members.”

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