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The winner of the second edition of the Series Mania Buyers Upfront, held yesterday, is R91, a French thriller-action series (6 x 52’) produced by Next Episode and distributed internationally by SND Groupe M6. Set aboard France’s nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, the story follows a high-stakes investigation triggered by a suspicious death and a disappearance at sea. As military investigator Paul Fischer joins forces with second-in-command Helena Duval, the confined environment of the vessel becomes the stage for escalating tension, where paranoia spreads among 2,000 crew members and a murder case evolves into a broader geopolitical threat.
The Series Mania Co-Pro Pitching Sessions—one of the Forum’s cornerstone events—awarded its €50,000 prize to Red Pants (10 x 60’), a drama-action project from Kyrgyzstan, marking the emergence of a new territory on the Series Mania stage. Produced by Erke Dzhumakmatova for Studio Oymo, with Pavel Feldman and Alexander Seliverstov co-producing for Human Films, and written by Tilek Cherikov, the series is set in late 1970s Soviet Kyrgyzstan. It follows Aisha, the daughter of a military officer, who forms the first all-female criminal gang to avenge her father’s death and confront an oppressive regime, blending personal revenge with broader socio-political conflict.
Finally, the SeriesMakers Award, presented in association with Series Mania Institute, went to the Canadian project Chachachá! (8 x 30’), created by writer-director Alison Fairweather Murray and produced by Jennifer Weiss (Nice Picture!).
