29/03/2018 - A tantalising programme is on the cards for the ninth edition of the festival, which will unspool in Lille for the first time from 27 April-5 May

On the heels of the CoPro Pitching projects (see the news) included in the European Project and Talent Forum, the Séries Mania Festival, which for its ninth edition (27 April-5 May) is shifting from Paris to Lille (in the Hauts-de-France region), has now unveiled the entirety of its top-notch programme, with the world premiere of the US series Succession by Jesse Armstrong (starring Brian Cox and Hiam Abbass) serving to open proceedings.

The international competition, the jury for which will be chaired by Canada’s Chris Brancato (the co-creator of Narcos and Hannibal, among others), will see ten series lock horns, all of which will be screened as world premieres. Standing out among them is Ad Vitam by France’s Thomas Cailley (whose feature debut, Love at First Fight [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Cailley
film profile], was the star attraction of the Directors’ Fortnight in 2014 and also won three César Awards in 2015, including Best First Feature Film) with the collaboration of Manuel Schapira, which boasts a stunning cast (Yvan Attal, Garance Marillier, Niels Schneider, Rod Paradot, Hanna Schygulla, Ariane Labed and Anthony Bajon, to name but a few).

Other titles duking it out include The Split by New Zealand’s Jessica Hobbs (created and penned by British screenwriter Abi Morgan, who won myriad awards with the series The Hour and also co-wrote Steve McQueen’s Shame [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and the Italian production Il miracolo, which was co-directed by Niccolò Ammaniti, Francesco Munzi (in competition at Venice in 2014 with Black Souls [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Francesco Munzi
film profile] after taking part in the 2008 Directors’ Fortnight with Il resto della notte [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Lucio Pellegrini. The remaining European hopefuls are the Danish series Warrior by Christoffer Boe (Caméra d’Or at Cannes in 2003 for Reconstruction, took part in the Giornate degli Autori at Venice with Allegro [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Offscreen [+see also:
trailer
film profile] in 2005 and 2006, selected in the Directors’ Fortnight in 2010 with Everything Will Be Fine [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and The Rain by Kenneth Kainz and Natasha Arthyde.

Eight series will enjoy their world premieres in the French competition: Thanksgiving by Nicolas Saada (Taj Mahal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicolas Saada
film profile]), Kepler(s) by Frédéric Schoendoerffer (Braquo), Insoupçonnable by Fred Garson and Christophe Lamotte, Maman a tort by François Velle, Nu by Olivier Fox, Vingt-cinq by Bryan Marciano and Aux animaux la guerre by Alain Tasma.

The third competition will bring together nine series in various short formats (also having their world premieres), and the very well-stocked programme of the first Lille-based edition of Séries Mania, which will come to a close with the German series Babylon Berlin (directed by big names such as Tom Tykwer), will also offer an International Panorama of 19 series (including the world premieres of Spain’s Matar al padre by Mar Coll and Germany’s Arthur’s Law by Christian Zübert), a “Best of USA” section, a focus on unseen new seasons, and eight series gathered together under the “Comedy Marathon” umbrella.

International Competition

Ad Vitam (France)
Director: Thomas Cailley with the collaboration of Manuel Schapira
Creators and writers: Thomas Cailley, Sébastien Mounier
Producers: Kelija, Arte France
French and German broadcaster: Arte

American Woman (USA)
Director: Alex Hardcastle
Producer: John Wells Productions in conjunction with Warner Horizon Scripted
US broadcaster: Paramount Networks

An Ordinary Woman (Russia)
Director: Boris Hlebnikov
Creators: Valeriy Fedorovich, Evgeniy Nikishov
Writers: Marina Melenevskaya, Denis Utohkin
Producers: 1, 2, 3 Production, TV3 Channel
Russian broadcaster: TV3 Channel

Autonomies (Israel)
Director: Yehonatan Indursky
Creators and writers: Yehonatan Indursky, Ori Elon
Producer: United Studios of Israel
Israeli broadcaster: Hot 

Il miracolo (Italy)
Directors: Niccolò Ammaniti, Francesco Munzi, Lucio Pellegrini
Creator: Niccolò Ammaniti
Writers: Niccolò Ammaniti, Francesca Manieri, Francesca Marciano, Stefano Bises
Producers: Sky, Wildside, Arte France, Kwaï
Italian broadcaster: Sky
French and German broadcaster: Arte

Mystery Road (Australia)
Director: Rachel Perkins
Writers: Michaeley O’Brien, Steven McGregor, Kodie Bedford, Jon Bell, Tim Lee
Producers: Bunya Productions, ABC
Australian broadcaster: ABC Australia

On the Spectrum (Israel)
Director: Yuval Shafferman
Creators: Dana Idisis, Yuval Shafferman
Writer: Dana Idisis
Producer: Sumayoko Mtd
Broadcaster: Yes

The Rain (Denmark)
Directors: Kenneth Kainz, Natasha Arthyde
Creators: Jannik Tai Mosholt, Christian Potalivo, Esben Toft Jacobsen
Writers: Jannik Tai Mosholt, Mette Heeno, Marie Østerbye, Poul Berg, Lasse Kyed Rasmussen
Producer: Miso Film
Worldwide broadcaster: Netflix

The Split (UK)
Director: Jessica Hobbs
Creator and writer: Abi Morgan
Producer: Sister Pictures in co-production with Sundance TV
UK broadcaster: BBC One

Warrior (Denmark)
Director: Christoffer Boe
Writers: Christoffer Boe, Simon Pasternak
Producer: Miso Film
Danish broadcaster: TV2

(Translated from French)