The Series Mania Forum continues today with its first full day, taking shape its largest and most diverse edition to date, bringing together professionals from 74 countries in Lille, France. Yesterday, there was the ‘Series Mania Buyers Upfront’ initiative, which took place at the Chamber of Commerce (CCI), the festival's headquarters in the historic city center. This exclusive event allowed top buyers to get a first look at some of the most highly anticipated series of the year. At the Opening Party of the Forum, the first edition of the ‘Buyers Choice Award’ was held, a recognition based on the Buyers Upfront.

The award was given to "The Deal", a European-produced political drama that explores the tense nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in 2015. Selected by a jury of six content acquisition experts, the series stood out for its current relevance and its ability to blend diplomatic tension with human stories.

‘The jury and I were very impressed with the variety of genres and the quality of productions for the titles that were presented this afternoon. We chose "The Deal" as the winner as it is a very timely drama given the state of world affairs, which adds to its market appeal. Alongside the dynamics of diplomacy and the tension it brings to the drama, there were also human and personal stories that we are certain will unfold,’ commented Katie Keenan, Jury President and Group Director of Acquisitions, UK/ROI & Europe, Sky.

Yesterday, ahead of the inauguration and awards ceremony, Beta Film hosted its traditional brunch, where the German distributor presented its latest highlights. The company is responsible for one of this year’s most talked-about series in the market, "Shadow Leaks" ("Schattenseite"), a co-production by Dreamtool Entertainment for ARD Degeto Film, funk, and "Hessischer", with funding from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.

Later, the festival organizers hosted a welcome cocktail for attending professionals, where familiar faces and new executives looking for business opportunities at this year’s event could be seen networking.

Among today’s highlights, the first two co-production pitch sessions are taking place, along with the first masterclasses under the “Creative Business Inspiration” section, featuring speakers from companies like Banijay and Mediawan.

Meanwhile, the morning is packed with trend conferences. The first, “Key Trends in TV”, is organized by the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO). Ampere Analytics presents its signature session, “A Year in Series”, where Executive Director Guy Bisson delves into the latest global commissioning data for linear and streaming platforms to provide insights into the future of content. Glance also offers a session analyzing the key elements that help series succeed in international markets.

Finally, several international delegations have scheduled their central showcases: Unifrance and Audiovisual From Spain, Audiovisual Producers Finland and the Swedish Institute, KOCCA, and Flanders Image, each presenting their “Coming Next From…” sessions.

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