Details of the new festival showcasing TV series, which will take place next year, were unveiled yesterday, at the presence of Cannes mayor David Lisnard.
The rich festival programme will host an international competitive section, various screenings, masterclasses with worldwide actors, creators and producers, debates, and retrospectives, as well as a writers’ residency and training in digital series creation, launched in partnership with UCLA for 20 students.
Fleur Pellerin, France’s former Culture and Communication minister, in the second Valls government, will chair the Festival Association together with Benoît Louvet festival’s managing director. The 8-day festival will be launched two days before MipTV 2018 and parallel celebrations of the traditional content market will be held.
Unlike MipTV, which is a B2B event, Cannes Series will be open to the public: theatres and cinemas across town will play the shows and organise conferences, while TV viewers and public in general will be able to vote for their favourite series. In total, Cannes Series will host more than 200 free screenings, including an all-night event, called the Night of the Serivores.
The new festival will include an official selection and a competitive section together with web series and a jury composed of at least five people. Cannes Series opening and closing ceremonies will also be broadcast on Canal Plus.
