24/09/2026 - The awards will return to NEM Zagreb on 7 and 8 December, introducing a new competition for unscripted formats alongside their two established categories for scripted series

The previous edition of NEM Zagreb

The NEM Awards will return to the Croatian capital on 7 and 8 December as part of NEM Zagreb, bringing together television creators, producers and industry professionals from across Europe. Held at the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, the event will recognise emerging projects and completed productions while introducing a third competitive category dedicated to original unscripted formats from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

The awards will encompass three distinct areas of television production, ranging from scripted projects in their earliest stages of development to completed series seeking international exposure. The newly introduced Pitch & Play Live! competition will expand this scope to include unscripted entertainment, offering creators from the CEE region an opportunity to present their concepts to an international industry audience.

The Best Pre-Development TV Series in Europe category will focus on original scripted projects that are still at an early creative stage. Designed to identify promising concepts with international potential, the competition will give creators and producers the opportunity to introduce their projects to prospective partners, decision-makers and buyers, potentially opening the door to further development and collaboration.

Meanwhile, the Best Finished TV Series in CEE category will recognise completed scripted productions from Central and Eastern Europe. By showcasing series that combine creative ambition with the potential to reach audiences beyond their domestic markets, the competition aims to increase the international visibility of the region's television industry and its creative talent.

The principal novelty of this year's edition is Pitch & Play Live!, a live pitching competition dedicated to original unscripted formats developed in the CEE region. Eligible concepts must have been created between May 2025 and May 2026 and will be assessed by a five-member international selection committee according to three criteria: originality, universality and international potential.

The three highest-scoring projects will be selected to participate in the final at NEM Zagreb, where their creators will pitch their concepts live before an audience of television professionals and an international industry jury. The new category will thus provide a platform for unscripted ideas originating in Central and Eastern Europe to seek opportunities beyond their countries of origin.

Submissions are currently open for all three categories. The deadline for Pitch & Play Live! is 23 October, while applications for Best Pre-Development TV Series in Europe and Best Finished TV Series in CEE will close on 11 November.

Organised by the Croatian marketing and television industry agency Mediavision, NEM Zagreb was launched in 2019 as an event dedicated to creativity in television, complementing the established New Europe Market gathering in Dubrovnik. Through its three awards categories, the 2026 edition will bring together different stages of television creation, from the development of original scripted ideas to the international presentation of completed series and new entertainment formats.