The Berlin Film Festival has unveiled the six titles that will take part in the latest edition of Berlinale Series. The shows will screen online during the first week of March when the European Film Market runs, and the team are currently discussing plans for presenting some of the shows during the festival’s planned summer event.
The line-up includes Philly D.A., the strand’s first docuseries, which follows the most controversial District Attorney in the U.S. and will arrive from its premiere at Sundance. Deadline recently revealed that Dogwoof has boarded the project, which comes from Oscar-nominated duo Josh Penn and Michael Gottwald.
Latin American TV will be represented for the first time with two titles: Amongst Men (Entre Hombres), an Argentinian HBO production, and The Last Days of Gilda (Os últimos dias de Gilda) from Canal Brazil.
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'Eyimofe (This Is My Desire)': Debut Trailer For Nigerian Drama Screening At LFFRussell T Davies’ drama set during the AIDS crisis, It’s A Sin, which as we reported today recently launched to fanfare in the UK, is also selected. The show features Olly Alexander, Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Fry and Keeley Hawes and will be broadcast by HBO Max in the U.S..
Local TV is represented by Me and the Others (Ich und die Anderen) from David Schalko, who previously was at Berlinale Series with M – A City Hunts a Murderer in 2019. Finally, Scnadi series Snow Angels from Mette Heeno will also be screened.
Full details of all six projects are below, the showcase is slimmed down from the eight titles that were selected last year.
Over at the European Film Market, the line-ups for the Co-Pro Series and the Series Market & Conference programs have been announced.
For the seventh year, the Berlinale Co-Pro Series Market will invite producers, distributors and financiers to pitches and meetings, running March 2-5. A total of 10 projects are selected this year, including series from Julia von Heinz, who helmed this year’s German Oscar entry And Tomorrow The Entire World, and an anthology show featuring directors Wim Wenders and Joachim Trier. Full line-up below.
The Berlinale Series conference will feature talks from It’s A Sin creator Russell T Davies and Maurício Mota of Wise Entertainment. An ‘Upcoming Series from Germany’ program will showcase new shows out of Germany, while the newly-created Berlinale Series Market Selects program will highlight projects with strong commercial potential. More details below.
Berlinale Series Titles, Market & Conference
Berlinale Series:
Entre Hombres (Amongst Men)
Argentina
Director: Pablo Fendrik
with Gabriel Goity, Nicolás Furtado, Diego Velázquez, Diego Cremonesi, Claudio Rissi
Broadcaster: HBO
4 episodes of 60’
A VHS recording of a senator participating in an orgy with a tragic ending unleashes a path of death, destruction and madness as he tries to recover the lost tape. It’s 1996, and the underground world of Buenos Aires is controlled by gangs and corrupt police officers.
Ich und die Anderen (Me and the Others)
Austria, Germany
Creator: David Schalko
Director: David Schalko
with Tom Schilling, Lars Eidinger, Katharina Schüttler, Sophie Rois, Mavie Hörbiger, Martin Wuttke
Broadcaster: Sky
6 episodes of 40’
What is the relationship between “I” and “the others”, and what would change if you could define the rules of the game at will? David Schalko’s absurd satire explores these questions with razor-sharp dialogue and a delight in escalation.
It’s a Sin
United Kingdom
Creator: Russell T Davies
Showrunner: Russell T Davies, Nicola Shindler
Director: Peter Hoar
with Olly Alexander, Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Fry, Keeley Hawes, Nathaniel Curtis, Lydia West, Callum Scott Howells, Omari Douglas
Broadcaster: Channel 4, HBO Max with All3Media International
5 episodes of 48’
A story of love, life and loss. A group of queer young men come together in London in the early 1980s. They are all searching for themselves and a future filled with freedom and love. But the onset of the AIDS crisis confronts them with harsh realities.
Os últimos dias de Gilda (The Last Days of Gilda)
Brazil
Creator: Gustavo Pizzi
Director: Gustavo Pizzi
with Karine Teles, Julia Stockler, Antonio Saboia, Ana Carbatti, Lucas Gouvêa
Broadcaster: Canal Brasil
4 episodes of 30’
Gilda loves cooking, men and life. But for her narrow-minded, religious neighbours this self-confident, independent woman who butchers pigs in her garden and has more than one lover, is increasingly becoming a thorn in the flesh.
Philly D.A.
USA
Creators: Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, Nicole Salazar
Directors: Ted Passon, Yoni Brook
with Larry Krasner
8 episodes of 54’
Documentary form
Promising to reform law enforcement and reduce the number of people who are incarcerated, the progressive Larry Krasner is elected District Attorney of Philadelphia in late 2017. But his plans are not universally welcomed.
Snöänglar (Snow Angels)
Sweden, Denmark
Creator: Mette Heeno
Director: Anna Zackrisson
with Josefin Asplund, Eva Melander, Maria Rossing, Ardalan Esmaili, Cecilia Nilsson
Broadcaster: SVT, DR
6 episodes of 58’
The disappearance of a five-week-old baby at Christmastime plunges the child’s mother Jenni into despair and brings police officer Alice onto the scene. The two are not the only ones whose lives are touched by the case.
Berlinale Co-Pro Series
Afterparty (Writer: Dora Šustić; Director: tbd), Antitalent, Croatia
Speed (Creator/Director: Martin Lund; Writer: Thorkild Schrumpf), Ape&Bjørn, Norway
Until I Find You (Writer: Kaleena Kiff, based on the novel by John Irving; director: tbd), Big Blue, The Netherland & Curiosity Pictures, Canada
Richter (Writers: Anna McPartlin & Michael Bennett; Director: tbd), Blinder Films, Ireland & Kingfisher Films, New Zealand
Eldorado KaDeWe (Writers: Julia von Heinz, John Quester, Sabine Steyer-Violet & Oskar Sulowski; Director: Julia von Heinz), Constantin Television & UFA Fiction, Germany
Balaton Brigade (Creators: Gábor Krigler, Balázs Lengyel & Balázs Lovas; Director: Ildikó Enyedi), Joyrider & Film Force, Hungary
This Is Music (Creator and writer: Bjørn Olaf Johannessen; Director: Wim Wenders, David Byrne, Julie Andem & Joachim Trier), Oslo Pictures, Norway
Hinterland (Creator & Director: Sven Bohse), Ringel Film, Germany
58 Seconds (Creators: Jeremy Brock & Paul Unwin; Director: tbd), The Mediapro Studio, Spain & BlackBox Multimedia, United Kingdom
Project in partnership with Series Mania: Good People (Creators: Matthieu Donck, Stéphane Bergmans & Benjamin D’Aoust), Hélicotronc, Belgium & Unité, France
Berlinale Series Market Selects
Aftertaste
Australia
Creator: Julie De Fina, Matthew Bate
Director: Jonathan Brough
with Erik Thomson, Natalie Abbott, Rachel Griffiths
Production company: Closer Productions
Broadcaster: ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
World Sales: ABC Commercial
Episodes 1-3 of 6
When his latest outburst goes viral, volatile celebrity chef Easton West flees back to his hometown and tries to reinvent himself through an unlikely partnership with his 19-year-old pastry wunderkind niece.
Alfa (Grow)
Denmark
Creator: Milad Avaz
Director: Milad Avaz
with Lars Mikkelsen, Andreas Jessen, Sebastian Jessen
Production company: SF Studios Productions, Rocket Road Pictures
Broadcaster: TV2 Denmark, TV4 Sweden
World Sales: ZDF Enterprises
Episodes 1 and 2 of 8
A stockbroker remembers his family roots in organised crime and dives ever deeper into the world of Danish biker gangs. His ambition is only matched by the efforts of his brother, a drug enforcement officer, to save him.
Сны Алисы (Dreams of Alice)
Russia
Creator: Anastasia Volkova
Showrunners: Valeriy Fedorovich, Evgeniy Nikishov
Director: Andrey Dzhunkovskiy
with Alina Gvasaliya, Aleksey Rozin, Ekaterina Vilkova
Production company: 1-2-3 Production
Broadcaster: TV-3
World Sales: 1-2-3 Production
Episode 1 of 8
Teenage girl Alice lives in a small town where everything seems ordinary at first sight. She can’t wait to get away from it: the bullying at school, the fights with her mother – and the bloody premonitions that keep haunting her. But what if there is no way to leave?
Los Espabilados (Alive and Kicking)
Spain
Creator: Albert Espinosa
Director: Roger Gual
with Álvaro Requena, Marco Sanz, Sara Manzano, Aitor Valadéz
Production company: Movistar+ in co-production with Dynamo Audiovisual
Broadcaster: Movistar+
World Sales: Beta Film
Episodes 1 and 2 of 7
Four teenagers escape from a psychiatric institution. With a detective on their heels, they take on life with their very own wit, humor and charm – challenging our conception of sanity.
Finding Alice
United Kingdom
Director: Roger Goldby
with Keeley Hawes, Joanna Lumley, Nigel Havers
Production company: Red Production Company
Broadcaster: ITV
World Sales: STUDIOCANAL
Episodes 1 and 2 of 6
The night Alice and her family move into the dreamhouse her husband Harry built, he has a fatal accident. His sudden death kicks up a storm of secrets, debt and suspicion which Alice is forced to confront in order to survive.
Katakomben (Echos)
Germany
Creators: Jakob M. Erwa, Florian Kamhuber
Showrunner: Jakob M. Erwa, Florian Kamhuber
Director: Jakob M. Erwa
with Lilly Charlotte Dreesen, Sabine Timoteo, Mercedes Müller
Production company: NEUESUPER
Broadcaster: ProSiebenSat.1, JOYN
Word Sales: Beta Film
Episodes 1 and 2 of 6
When a group of bored high-society kids meets the invisible lower class in the Munich catacombs, everything crashes.
Io ti cercherò (Standing Tall)
Italy
Creator: Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli
Director: Gianluca Maria Tavarelli
with Alessandro Gassman, Maya Sansa, Andrea Sartoretti
Production company: Publispei
Broadcaster: RAI
World Sales: ZDF Enterprises
Episodes 1 and 2 of 8
An ex-police officer investigates into his estranged son’s alleged suicide. With the help of old allies and facing the demons of his past, he risks everything to keep the promise he made to his only child.
Mon Fils (Son of Mine)
Canada
Creators: Michel D’Astous, Anne Boyer
Director: Mariloup Wolfe
with Antoine L’Écuyer, Élise Guilbault, Patrice Godin
Production companies: Quebecor, Duo Productions
Broadcasters: Club Illico, TVA
World Sales: Oble
Episode 1 and 2 of 6
18-year-old Jacob’s life is shattered by the sudden onset of schizophrenia. His once-bright future is irretrievably shaken by this unforgiving mental illness. As is his mother Marielle’s life, who won’t give up on her son and is determined to help him to get onto the road of recovery.
Outlier
Norway
Creators: Arne Berggren, Kristine Berg
Showrunners: Arne Berggren, Kristine Berg
Directors: Ken Are Bongo, Arne Berggren, Kristine Berg
with Hanne Mathisen Haga, Stein Bjørn, Eila Ballovara Varsi
Production Company: Shuuto Norway
Broadcaster: A Media
World Sales: REinvent International Sales
Episodes: 1 and 2 of 8
A criminology student returns to her home town in Northern Norway to throw herself into the investigation of what turns out to be a serial killer case.
OVNI(s) (UFOs)
France
Creators: Clémence Dargent, Martin Douaire
Director: Antony Cordier
with Melvil Poupaud, Michel Vuillermoz, Géraldine Pailhas
Production company: Montebello Productions
Broadcaster: CANAL+
World Sales: STUDIOCANAL
Episodes 1-4 of 12
1978. Didier, a brilliant space engineer, is assigned a new task after his rocket launch went awry: As the head of GEPAN, he has to solve the many mysteries of UFO sightings and lead his team of misfits to efficiency and success.
Pørni (Suck it up)
Norway
Creator: Henriette Steenstrup
Directors: Gunnar Vikene, Charlotte Blom
with Henriette Steenstrup, Nils Ole Oftebro, Gunnar Eiriksson
Production company: Monster Scripted
Broadcaster: Viaplay
World Sales: TBA
Episodes 1-3 of 6
Pørni has two daughters, an irresponsible ex, a father and a nephew she took in after a family tragedy, a job in child welfare and a house and garden. Why would she have trouble finding time for herself – especially her love life?
Seeds of Deceit
Netherlands
Director: Miriam Guttmann
Production company: De Familie Film & TV
Broadcaster: VPR
World Sales: Dogwoof
Episodes 1-3 of 3
Documentary Form
Dr. Karbaat, a pioneer in artificial insemination, became subject to controversy when evidence accumulated that he used his own semen for the process. The documentary series portrays the shocking revelations and the people whose lives were affected by this.
