In a move to strengthen the Baltic series ecosystem and connect local talent with Europe’s leading TV markets, the Series Mania Institute has launched Serial Bridges Baltics, a brand-new professional training programme for screenwriters and producers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Organised in partnership with the Institut Français and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the initiative will unfold between 13 and 17 November as part of the TV Beats Forum in Tallinn. The news was first reported by Variety.

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The workshop will bring together six writer-producer duos, including some of the most dynamic voices in the region’s serialised drama landscape: Latvia’s Juris Kursietis (Oleg [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Juris Kursietis
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intervista: Kārlis Arnolds Avots
scheda series]), Estonia’s Raoul Suvi (the writer of Traitor and My Dear Mother) and Lithuania’s Gabija Siurbytė (Troll Farm).

Pierre Ziemniak, director of programmes at the Series Mania Institute, emphasised the growing potential of Baltic storytelling: “Despite tighter budgets than in Western Europe, Baltic series are being increasingly recognised and appreciated by the international market, as exemplified by Soviet Jeans. This is a dynamic we wish to support and consolidate through Serial Bridges Baltics.”

Petri Kemppinen, co-head of TV Beats Forum, added: “Bringing this partnership to life was both fast and exciting. The workshop format, which includes expert mentorship and a closing pitching session, will undoubtedly help Baltic creators refine their skills and open new doors to international co-production.”

The participating teams will receive guidance from high-profile mentors such as Gábor Krigler (formerly of HBO Europe), Jemina Jokisalo (Money Shot), Emmanuelle Guilbart (About Premium Content), Emmanuel Eckert (formerly of Mediawan Rights) and Patrick Nebout (Whiskey on the Rocks [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Björn Stein
scheda series]).

Ziemniak noted that the selected projects showcase “a remarkable variety of genres and tones, from thrillers and geopolitical dramas to comedies, fantasy and horror,” adding that many proposals “ingeniously connect local stories with international perspectives while retaining cultural specificity.”

The workshop will end on 17 November with a pitching session delivered to a professional jury. The winning project will earn automatic selection in next year’s Series Mania Forum.

Serial Bridges Baltics is backed by the Estonian Ministry of Culture, the Estonian Film Institute, Elisa Eesti, LRT and Latvian Television, among other entities.

The full list of selected projects:

Shadows of the Swamp (6×52’) (Latvia)
Directors: Lauris Abele, Raitis Abele
Producers: Raitis Abele, Sebastian Weyland (Tritone Studio)

Midnight Stories (8×25’) (Lithuania)
Directors: Ernestas Jankauskas, Gabija Siurbytė
Producers: Viktorija Rimkutė, Gabija Siurbytė (Dansu Films)

Therapies (7×30’) (Lithuania)
Directors: Birutė Kapustinskaitė, Marija Kavtaradzė, Eglė Vertelytė
Producer: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė (Just a Moment)

The Outskirts (8×50’) (Latvia)
Director: Vlads Kovalovs
Producer: Lelde Kovalova

Aurora Newsroom (6×52’) (Latvia/Estonia/Finland)
Director: Juris Kursietis
Producers: Gints Grūbe, Inese Boka-Grūbe, Elīna Gediņa-Ducena (Mistrus Media); Riina Sildos; Petri Kemppinen

Codename: Lighthouse (6×42’) (Estonia)
Director: Raoul Suvi
Producer: Jaan Laugamõts (Downtown Pictures)