Many stars, 54 new series, including 32 world premieres! The 6th Lille edition of Series Mania opens its doors this Friday until March 24 in the capital of Hauts-de-France with “a very rich program”, promises the general manager of the event, Laurence Herzberg.
“We are starting very strong with a highly anticipated French series”, rejoices Frédéric Lavigne, the artistic director of the festival, namely “ Greek saladthe sequel to the trilogy The Spanish inn by Cédric Klapisch” for Prime Video. An opening series that sums up the program of the Lille event well, illustrating the vitality and ambition of French series.
Two French fictions in international competition
“For two years, we have put in place a new regulatory framework for the audiovisual and cinematographic sector which allows the series to flourish in our country with new investment obligations given to platforms”, welcomes the president of the CNC, Dominique Boutonnat.
In international competition, two French series compete: Thankstragedy of Arte on a family of dockers confronted with drug trafficking carried away by Olivier Gourmet and Panayotis Pascot and The Drops of Godco-production between France Télévisions, Hulu Japan and Apple TV+, based on the eponymous best-selling manga, on oenology.
The icon Brigitte Bardot told on the small screen
In French competition, France Télévisions will present Hinny, reconstruction of the young years of the icon of French cinema signed by Danièle Thompson and her son Christopher. “A vintage cinephile pleasure”, according to Frédéric Lavigne. The public group will also show Splitthe first fiction by feminist author Iris Brey, which depicts the trouble between an actress and her understudy on a set.
TF1 will unveil Fanny Riedberger’s new drama (Toulouse-Lautrec high school), The Hikers with in particular Alix Poisson, Clémentine Célarié and Camille Chamoux, “a funny and touching portrait of six women with cancer hiking in the high mountains”, according to Frédéric Lavigne.
Audacious French comedies
Arte is betting on two comedies, Polar Park“a very singular detective comedy” with Jean-Paul Rouve and Guillaume Gouix and political satire Under control which stages Léa Drucker in the skin of an “NGO director suddenly promoted to Minister of Foreign Affairs”.
OCS offers drama Aspergirl, where a single mother (Nicole Ferroni), is diagnosed with spraying at the same time as her son and in comedy competition, Grinningwhich depicts a futuristic world where laughter is forbidden and Need love about a declining porn actor.
Blockbusters made in France
Series Mania also offers out of competition season 3 of HIP in the presence of the flamboyant Audrey Fleurot, season 2 of Jeune et Golri, prize of the French competition 2021, Red Bracelets, new generationwith a new band of hospitalized teenagers, So far, so goodthe first series by comedian Nawell Madani, but also the co-production Abyssblockbuster ecological disaster worn by Cécile de France.
Finally, Series Mania will roll out the red carpet to the favorite actors of French spectators such as the unforgettable interpreter of Thierry La Fronde Jean-Claude Drouot or the iconic patroness ofEmily in Paris Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu. There is no doubt that Series Mania is a “superb soft power tool” as Anne Bouverot, the new president of the festival, points out.