In 2021, GERMAN FILMS will for the first time have a German focus at Europe's largest international series festival SÉRIES MANIA in Lille in cooperation with the regional film funding institutions: with a physical presence in the form of a booth in the Grand Palais at the SÉRIES MANIA FORUM, the B2B Industry part of the festival, and two events featuring the latest series from Germany.

COMING NEXT FROM GERMANY - SERIES PITCHES
Monday, 30 August, 10.30 a.m.
Five brand-new high-end series will be presented live on stage by producers, directors and broadcasters: While the period drama ELDORADO KADEWE (ARD) tells a lesbian love story in Berlin’s Roaring 20ies, the German-French co-production ALGIERS CONFIDENTIAL (ZDF, ARTE), based on the novel by Oliver Bottini, is a political thriller series set in present-day Algiers. The dark comedy THE WASP (SKY Germany) shows the comeback attempt of Eddie, a loser and dart player, and in the drama series PARADISO (SKY Germany) a journalist is drawn into the mysterious life of a writer. Finally, based on the story of the infamous Worms Trials that shook the German legal system, THE ALLEGATION (VOX, TV NOW) by lawyer-turned-bestselling author Ferdinand von Schirach, asks the question: what happens to justice when public outrage becomes more powerful than the truth?
A highlight trailer with seven other series highlights of the 2021/22 season rounds off the presentation, which will be moderated by series expert Torsten Zarges (chief reporter DWDL.de).

FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMMAKERS: SERIOUS ABOUT SERIES
Tuesday, 31 August, at 11.00 a.m.
Six German filmmakers discuss their experiences in the German series business and present their current projects.

Each year, the FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMS campaign shines a spotlight on young, emerging, and influential names in the German film and TV industry. In 2021, FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMS - THE FILMMAKERS focuses on a wide range of film talent from different professions in its current sixth edition.

Launched at the Berlinale 2021 as part of the EFM, the campaign now continues its journey by sending three of its ambassadors to Lille. Together with three other female filmmakers currently working on exciting German TV series, they will discuss trends and developments in the German series market. The discussion will be moderated by journalist François-Pier Pélinard-Lambert from the French trade magazine Le Film Français.

THE SIX GUESTS ON THE PANEL:
Sarah Blaßkiewitz (director, DRUCK), Tua El-Fawwal (actress, DRUCK), Lorna Ishema (actress, BREAKING EVEN, THE HEIST), Marlene Melchior (screenwriter, LOVING HER, MAKING OF UNORTHODOX), Sabine Steyer-Violet (screenwriter & producer, UNORTHODOX, CULPA, ELDORADO KADEWE), and producer Flora Rumpler, who is expanding the series division for RAZOR FILM and is currently part of SERIES' WOMEN, the first career development program for female producers of European drama series, combining curated mentoring and coaching, state-of-the-art training and exclusive networking opportunities. SERIES' WOMEN is a project of the Erich Pommer Institute (EPI). The EPI is one of the leading providers of professional training for the German and European media industry and organises more than 30 training events with almost 900 participants every year.

GERMAN FILMS will be present at the Grand Palais in Lille from Monday, 30 August to Wednesday, 1 September. The events can be viewed online via livestream by festival visitors with an industry accreditation. In addition, trailers and a German series catalogue will be available via the Virtual Booth at SÉRIES MANIA.