Nordic series and collaborations shine bright at Seriencamp amid Cologne turmoil

While Cologne grappled with the largest evacuation since World War II owing to the discovery of unexploded bombs, the city’s annual Seriencamp drama showcase carried on undeterred.

This year’s edition of the gathering, which took place from 3 to 5 June, doubled down on co-productions, with organisers touting the programme as “a glimpse into the future of European serial storytelling”. As U.S. financing becomes less reliable, producers and broadcasters across Europe — particularly from the Nordics — are forging new alliances and intensifying their collaborative efforts.

According to Seriencamp artistic director Gerhard Maier, “The main focus at this year’s conference was on innovation: In an industry with increasingly smaller budgets, stiffer competition and growing technological disruption, how can writers, producers and decision-makers find ways to stay ahead of these developments. The still growing importance of coproduction, the emergence of new business models and finding ways how to identify, develop and connect with audiences were some of the most notable aspects that found their way into this year’s edition.” He added that, in light of hits like The Last of Us, Arcane and Fallout, “a special focus was placed on the intersection of games and series in terms of cross-media IP development and exchanges around workflows, tools and storytelling philosophy”.

In addition to a strong presence in the industry sidebar, the Nordics were also in the spotlight within the festival’s programme. The line-up featured The Danish Woman (Danska konan), a genre-blending action dramedy led by Trine Dyrholm, which follows a retired Danish secret agent who channels her formidable skill set into solving neighbourhood problems in a Reykjavik apartment block — part Rambo, part Pippi Longstocking. The show is a Nordic-French-German co-production courtesy of Slot Machine, ZDF, ARTE, Marianne, Gullslottid, Zik Zak Filmworks, RUV, DR, Yle, Truenorth, and Wild Bunch Germany.

Moreover, Iceland’s Reykjavik Fusion premiered with cast and crew in attendance, including Ólafur Darri Ólafsson. The series sees the Trapped (Ófærð) star shift gears to play a former inmate-turned-chef trying to win back his ex-fiancée while laundering money through a high-end restaurant venture. A French-Nordic co-production, the project is staged by Act4, ARTE France, Helsinki-filmi Oy, Wild Sheep Content, and Skot Productions.

Both series are top financed by Nordisk Film & TV Fond (NFTVF).

Commenting on the region’s contribution, Maier mentioned four series, which all also are supported by NFTVF: “For me personally, the Nordic region is still one of the creative and artistic powerhouses of the world as series like Pressure Point (Smärtpunkten), Dates in Real Life, Families Like Ours (Familier som vores) or Queen of Fucking Everything prove. I find it noteworthy that it seems like the region is in certain regards much more future-proof for the current market climate through a traditionally collaborative spirit, outstandingly strong artistic visions, and brave storytelling choices.”

The co-production pitching forum also featured two compelling Nordic projects: BRKN (from Iceland’s Glassriver), a gritty thriller about a missing teen and systemic corruption; and Helsinki 1939 (produced by Finland’s Take Two Studios), a historical drama chronicling the struggles of wartime correspondents during the Finnish Winter War. The projects were selected by an international jury of top drama executives.

At the Work In Progress, the NFTVF-supported project We Come in Peace (from Sweden's Black Spark Film & TV) was pitched.

Reflecting on the current climate, Maier noted that while it’s “hard to gauge purely from the perspective of conference curation”, the appetite for unique voices remains strong. He highlighted that the co-production and writer’s vision pitch sessions were “more in demand than ever at Seriencamp”. With Hollywood’s influence waning and global series production on the rise, he observed that European players appear “stronger and more cooperative than ever – not least through individual initiative and co-pro networks”. Still, he warned that the landscape is rapidly evolving: “The hunger for series is still strong, but the shifting parameters guiding their production call for constant re-evaluation processes and agility to stay on top of the market trends.”

Meanwhile, the New8 alliance — an innovative partnership which sees the participation of all the Nordic pubcasters — SVT, DR, Yle, RÚV, and NRK — also made a splash at Seriencamp. Despite shrinking budgets, these public broadcasters reaffirmed their commitment to original, high-end series. Among the upcoming titles presented were Henki (NRK), a nostalgic drama set in 1985 Oslo, and The Cold Song (SVT), a chilling mystery that probes long-buried family secrets.

“Public service media has a duty to remain a cornerstone for national storytelling,” said NRK’s Marianne Furevold-Boland during one of the event’s panel discussions involving several European commissioning editors. Yle’s Jarmo Lampela echoed this, suggesting that the New8 model could inspire similar international collaborations to navigate a fragmented market.

Maier outlined four key takeaways from this year’s gathering. First, he stressed that “co-production and collaboration – especially on a European level – becomes more important than ever before to stay competitive and relevant”. Second, he pointed to the growing focus on intellectual property — “what it exactly is, how it can be developed, and how it can be translated into success” — as vital to creating lasting value for creatives and producers. He also highlighted the need for an ongoing dialogue with audiences, particularly younger viewers, who are “accustomed to being included in collaborative storytelling and design processes similar to those that they are used to from e.g. games and newly emerging literary forms”. Lastly, he warned that the industry is facing major disruption from technology, especially AI, which “will be enormous, and will fundamentally change value chains, workflows, creative processes and aesthetics, as some of the showcases at the conference have proven”.

When asked about shifting transatlantic dynamics, Maier noted growing caution towards U.S. partners. “Hard to say, especially in light of the current developments in the United States,” he said, but conversations at Seriencamp revealed “a greater wariness towards how reliable they are as partners”. This scepticism, he added, stems not only from issues around data transparency and their sensitivity to global market fluctuations, but also from questions about “how aligned they truly are with core European values, as some of the internal policy-changes around DEI have shown”.