The Series Mania Festival joins forces with ACMI – Australian Centre for the Moving Image – and Film Victoria (Australian government agency for film, television, and digital media) to create the first edition of Series Mania Melbourne, from July 20 – 24, 2017. This partnership illustrates the establishment of Series Mania on the international scene and its expertise, fast becoming an undisputed reference in the field of television.
Series Mania Melbourne is the first event dedicated to TV series in this region of the globe. Over 4 days, the best of the 8th season of Series Mania will be presented: series that won awards during the official competition and in the international showcase, including web and digital series. It will also be the occasion for the public to discover very recent French productions, given that series such as Republican Gangsters (Baron noir), Spiral (Engrenages) or Versailles are already broadcast on Australian channels.
Like its French cousin, Series Mania Melbourne will include a professional sector, devised by Film Victoria, providing a broad insight into the vibrant Australian production scene and its key stakeholders.
This partnership emerged naturally from the close ties the festival has woven with the Australian audiovisual sector since its creation, both with its artists and other industry professionals.
Each year, the festival has selected series with bold writing, deeply rooted in problematics inherent to the society of the country-continent, and has invited their talented authors to Paris. Among them, Vincent Sheehan and Vicki Madden, the creators of The Kettering Incident (Special Jury Prize in the 2016 official competition), Tony Ayres (The Slap) whose new fiction Seven Types of Ambiguity will be in competition this year, Ryan Griffen (Cleverman), Imogen Banks (Tangle, Puberty Blues), the actors Alex Dimitriades (The Principal), Simon Burke (Devil’s Playground), and producer Todd Abbott (Please Like Me).
Series Mania Melbourne combines the desires of the Forum des images, ACMI, and Film Victoria to strengthen connections and discussions around the tremendous creativity of contemporary television.
“We are very enthusiastic about this new partnership with ACMI and Film Victoria. It affords the opportunity for Series Mania to showcase the best international series with a passionate audience and to develop professional relationships with the highly creative Australian industry,” explains Laurence Herszberg, general director of Series Mania Festival.
ACMI CEO and Director Katrina Sedgwick said: “We are experiencing a golden age of television around the world right now, as this medium rapidly expands into new platforms. We're delighted to partner with Film Victoria to bring Series Mania to Melbourne. Our audiences will preview some of the best series coming to our screens in the year to come – and discover stunning international TV that we might not ever see otherwise.”
Film Victoria CEO Jenni Tosi said “Victoria is the home of fantastic Australian drama so bringing the best of Series Mania 2017 to Melbourne is a real coup. Film Victoria and ACMI are natural partners for this event, and we know Melbourne audiences and filmmakers will relish the opportunity to view and discuss the best of TV drama from around the world.”
ACMI (AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR THE MOVING IMAGE)
ACMI is Australia's national museum of film, TV, video games, digital culture and art – situated at the very heart of Melbourne, in Fed Square. The world’s most visited moving image or film museum, ACMI exists to celebrate, support and explore the past, present and future of the moving image through a vibrant calendar of exhibitions, screenings, installations and commissions, festivals, workshops, as well as public and education programs, in Australia and beyond. More at acmi.net.au
FILM VICTORIA
Film Victoria is the State Government agency that provides strategic leadership and assistance to the film, television and digital media sectors of Victoria.
It aims to increase screen activity in Victoria and be a responsive advocate for the screen industry through funding the production and development of screen content, industry placements, filming incentives, location assistance, industry events, partnership activities and other support, all which help develop and strengthen the Victorian screen industry.
More at film.vic.gov.au
