Event round-up: Denver’s SeriesFest unveils line-up; MIA sets 2023 dates for Italian event

SeriesFest

Denver’s SeriesFest unveils line-up

US-based SeriesFest has revealed the full lineup for its ninth edition, with BBC Studios creative chief Mark Linsey and TelevisaUnivision CEO Wade Davis among those featuring.

The six-day event, which takes place 5-10 May in Denver, Colorado, includes a slate of in-competition screenings, panels, workshops, as well as never-before-seen sneak peeks and TV premieres.

Amazon Freevee’s Primo will make its world premiere, with creator, writer and executive producer​​ Shea Serrano attending alongside stars Ignacio Diaz-Silverio and Christina Vidal, while Phil August Jackson will attend a special season two screening of NBC’s Grand Crew, which he created and executive produced.\

There will also be a Q&A around RuPaul’s Drag Race with executive producers Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey and Tom Campbell, who will receive SeriesFest’s ‘Impact in Television Award’, while the festival’s closing night on 10 May at Red Rocks Amphitheatre will feature a special screening of Animal Control from Fox with star Joel McHale.

The International Spotlight strand will feature eight original works making their US or world debut, with stars and showrunners in attendance including Elle’s Kitchen (France) showrunner Lucie Moreau and star Annabelle Lengronne, as well as Grace Dove from Bones Of Crows (Canada).

Additional projects and countries represented include Traitor (Israel), The Aerobics Project (France), Dark Angel (Singapore), The Architect (Norway), Detective No. 24 (Sweden) and Snow (Germany).

Panels will explore how the industry needs to improve access for those with disabilities, as well as the work of comedy showrunners and the rise of international coproductions, with Secuoya Studios president of commercial & distribution, Sergio Pizzolante, among those appearing.

A ‘State of the Industry’ discussion will feature Color Creative president Talitha Watkins, Propagate co-CEO Ben Silverman, BBCS’s scripred president Mark Linsey and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the national executive director and chief Nnegotiator for SAG-AFTRA.

“We’re excited to celebrate such incredible content and bring together industry luminaries from around the world to inspire audiences and engage in conversations about the ever-changing television landscape,” said Randi Kleiner, co-founder and CEO at SeriesFest.

MIA sets 2023 dates for Italian event

MIA International Audiovisual Market has confirmed its ninth edition will again take place in Rome from 9-13 October.

The event, which saw attendance grow by 20% last year, is focused on audiovisual contents’ co-production, financing strategies and business models, sales and distribution, talents and projects circulation.

Film and TV bodies ANICA and APA are again backing the event, which will return to Rome’s Barberini District (Barberini Theater and Palazzo Barberini’s Museum) for five days.

The event is again being directed by directed by Gaia Tridente and will feature a raft of networking opportunities, panels and a market to support the production and distribution of animation, documentaries, factual, feature films and drama.

Room will also be given to technologies and to the Innovation for Creative Industries’ program, as well as the B2B Exchange program, which is aimed at increasing work between those in European countries.