Serie Series to spotlight Invincibles, talents Anita Briem and Amy Black Ndiaye

A hot spot at the beginning of the summer for European TV drama professionals, Série Series will give a voice this year to European creators and talents that take the pulse of the world around us and take steps to shape it-for the better. Many of those taking action, and empowering others are women, as shown by the list of guest speakers in Fontainebleau.

‘How to Encourage a New Creative Breath’ will be discussed by renowned SKAM exec producer Marianne Furevold-Boland from NRK Drama and creator Amy Black Ndiaye behind the rapsical I am Earth, which received strong reviews when it premiered on NRK TV last February. Furevold-Boland and Black Ndiaye will discuss both how to offer a safe space for artists in the creative process, and the importance of music in the series.

Indeed in I am Earth rap music is woven within the story and invites audiences into the narrative in a totally innovate way. We follow Odile from Bergen who is turning 30. Her friends are settling and having a family. But for her it might be time to tell her dad she is lesbian.

The topic of ‘Female Gaze and Women’s Voices’ will be tackled by Iceland’s actress/screenwriter Anita Briem and producer Hordur Rúnarsson (Glassriver), through their upcoming series As Long as We Live.

Set to start filming this summer, the show is inspired by Briem’s personal experience. The actress plays a former queen of pop, now a struggling mom in a stale marriage, longing for the thrills of her past life. When a young man enters her home and introduces her and her husband to flirting games, the couple’s relationship gets rekindled, but their marriage is put to test. The six-part series ordered by Stöð 2 Iceland has been pre-bought by C More. Eccho Rights handles global sales.

Other TV drama executives invited for inspirational talks include Ellie Haworth, Head of BBC Media Action, and Sevda Shishmanova, Bulgarian director, former journalist and Head of drama at BNT, who will share their experience in the Eastern European context for the session ‘Empowering communities through drama’.

Elsewhere, Ukrainian producer Kateryna Vyshnevska and Israeli-US producer of Ukrainian origin Maria Feldman, will share their views on the impact of war and adversity in the session ‘Can Drama be Outside of Politics?’ and the creators of the Belgian series Lost Luggage (inspired by the Brussels airport attack of March 22, 2016) will tackle ‘Can Drama Heal the Souls?’.

More than a dozen top European broadcasters and global players will join the discussions on positive thinking in drama, including France’s TF1, Arte, France Television, Switzerland’s RTS, and Disney.

The popular works in progress sessions has invited creators and producers of seven major upcoming series. The only Nordic representative this year is the Finnish political thriller The Invincibles (Rosvopankki) produced by Moskito Television for Elisa Viihde. Co-creator/director Matti Kinnunen (nominated for the Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize 2021 with Cargo) and co-creator/Moskito executive producer Mari Kinnunen will present the 8x42’ series set to premiere in 2023

The series is inspired by the true events of Finland’s banking crisis of the early 1990s, which had long-lasting effects on the country. It focuses on questions of justice, human dignity, and the might of money and power.

In the starring roles are Amanda Pilke (Purge), Pekka Strang (Mister8, Dogs Don’t Wear Pants), Hannu-Pekka Björkman (Shadow Lines) and Wanda Dubiel (Omerta 12/6). The show is produced in association with Aurora Studios.

For the full programme of Séries Series, check: https://www.serieseries.fr/en/