The third edition of Seriesly Berlin (14-17 September) has announced the winners of its Seriesly Pitches Awards, recognising three projects across its Co-Pro and Writers’ Pitch sections at a ceremony hosted at CUPRA Garage. The conference programme, meanwhile, is once again being held at Berlin’s Fotografiska venue.

The Co-Pro Pitch Award, endowed with post-production services worth €25,000 from CX Postproduction GmbH, went to The Man Behind a Mask from Latvia. Created by Anna Kalnina and produced by Serge Serpuhovs for Baltic Pine Films, the project follows celebrated Soviet reconstructive surgeon Nikolay, who pioneers groundbreaking procedures, including the USSR’s first sex reassignment surgery, before the KGB blackmails him into espionage. His missions take him across Europe and beyond, turning each medical breakthrough into a covert operation.

According to the jury, The Man Behind a Mask is “an engaging story about power and vulnerabilities, set in an original arena and based on true events, which uses spy-thriller elements to create a highly entertaining show for an international audience with the potential to run for multiple seasons”.

The Writers’ Pitch Award, endowed with €1,000, was presented to Hands Up, created and written by Neta Weiner, Samira Saraya and Michal Cooper Keren. The musical drama is rooted in lived experiences of migration and Berlin’s vibrant hip-hop scene, following Geva, an Israeli musician, and Manal, a Palestinian singer, who are brought together for a high-stakes collaboration by Petra, a former music-industry figure seeking a comeback of her own. As Geva and Manal’s music gains traction, however, their growing fame turns dangerous, leaving them caught between political pressure, family expectations and public scrutiny, and forcing them to risk their relationships, futures and even their lives for the freedom to be heard.

The jury commented: “Hands Up has all the ingredients to be a great series: a clear central conflict, extraordinary characters, and even great music. It is a perfect example of a hyper-local premise that can serve as a metaphor, touching audiences around the world. This story shows us that creative collaboration can bridge impossible borders, providing a path to mutual understanding in troubled times.”

Finally, the SteinbrennerMüller Award, which honours the German-language project from either pitch section considered to have the greatest potential to connect with audiences, went to I AM GOD, created by Hanna Doose, and produced by Zorana Mušikić and Nicolas Chevaillier for German production company Mayana Films. The series, which took part in Co-Pro Pitches, follows eight people in midlife who come together at a spiritual festival on the German-Polish border in search of healing, love and a fresh start. Amid cacao ceremonies, breathwork and psychedelic rituals, relationships begin to unravel, families drift apart and old wounds resurface. As the festival organisers ignore warnings of an approaching tornado, inner and outer storms collide. In the eye of the storm, there is nowhere left to hide, and each of them is forced to confront who they truly are.

The jury stated: “The premise is a very clear promise of entertainment: world-building set in a nature reserve on the border between Germany and Poland. I AM GOD explores social issues in a light-hearted yet relevant way through exaggeration. This closed setting allows for the creation of characters that reflect all facets of society and with whom a wide audience can identify, combined with plenty of fun. Hovering over it all is the looming threat of an approaching tornado, which could wipe out all those ‘first-world problems’ in an instant.” The SteinbrennerMüller Award comprises a communication consultation and concept worth €2,000 during the production phase.

Here is the list of Seriesly Berlin 2026 award winners:

Co-Pro Pitch Award
The Man Behind a Mask (Latvia)
Creator: Anna Kalnina
Producer: Serge Serpuhovs (Baltic Pine Films)

Writers’ Pitch Award
Hands Up (USA/Germany)
Creators/writers: Neta Weiner, Samira Saraya, Michal Cooper Keren

SteinbrennerMüller Award
I AM GOD (Germany)
Creator: Hanna Doose
Producers: Zorana Mušikić, Nicolas Chevaillier (Mayana Films)