human and powerful stories
Every year, more than 100,000 visitors go to Lille (North) for the Séries Mania event. Supported by the Nordic city and the Hauts-de-France region, the 9th edition of this highlight dedicated to series took place from March 20 to 27, 2026. More than fifty productions were presented free of charge in Lille cinemas and theaters, while masterclasses and meetings were organized, mainly for audiovisual professionals.
“This year, I saw a dozen series in competition and Babies is by far my favorite,” confides Nicolas, a festival-goer from Val-d’Oise, after the screening of the first two episodes out of six. This British BBC drama explores the hopes and struggles of a couple wanting to start a family. “I couldn’t hold back my tears,” continues the former library employee turned screenwriter. It’s a heavy subject, treated with a lot of humanity and truth. »
Prizes distributed
Among the series in the running, the public finally awarded its prize to the Australian production Dustfallwhich will be broadcast on the American platform ABC by the end of the year, featuring a detective confronted with failing justice.
In terms of international competition, the prize for the best series was awarded to Proud. Produced in Poland, and expected on the HBO Max platform, it relates the life of a young, free and brazen homosexual model. Forced to take care of his niece, he will discover what love, friendship and family are.
The French competition, for its part, praised the series Grandiosesoon to be broadcast on TF1. Led by actress Catherine Frot, it offers immersion in a school and care establishment for young adults suffering from anorexia and bulimia. For the International Panorama category, the prize for best series went to comedy Small Prophetsfeaturing a father creating spirits capable of predicting the future. Finally, the short format prize was awarded to Ayer’s Cliffa Canadian production expected on the ICI Tou.tv platform, looking back on the life of disco singer Martin Stevens.
Human and striking stories
In addition to these screenings, the Séries Mania festival organized conferences and discussion times for the profession within its forum, installed in the heart of the Lille Grand Palais. It brought together more than 5,200 professionals from 75 countries and highlighted trends in the sector.
Among them: that of depicting, through humans, the realities of a harsh world. “This year, we are offering humanist series,” explained Agnès Olier, director of fiction at Arte France, during the annual presentation of the Franco-German channel’s programs. They explore courage and value difference. » For example, the series Ettypresented out of competition during the festival, looks back on the fate of Etty Hillesum, a young Dutch woman murdered at Auschwitz, whose story has been transposed into contemporary Amsterdam. It will be available on Arte.tv from May 13, 2026.
“In 2026, our bias is to highlight significant life stories,” insists Stéphane Sitbon-Gomez, director of France Télévisions antennas. Outside of the series Chainedpresented in competition in Lille and recounting the fate of slaves on a plantation on Bourbon Island in 1806, the public group announced the broadcast of the series Rally 82 in co-production with HBO Max, with Ana Girardot in the role of motor sportswoman Michèle Mouton.
Shorter series
In addition to substance, trends are also observed in form. “The series are becoming shorter and shorter,” analyzes Godefroy Vujicic, the general director of Pictanovo, an association responsible for cinematographic and audiovisual policy in Hauts-de-France. From eight to ten episodes, they went to six, even four episodes. »
This is the case of the historical series Red and black produced by France Télévisions and expected this year. In four episodes, she will deliver an adaptation of Stendhal’s work with Virginie Ledoyen and Victor Belmondo.
Collaborations between platforms
Another trend: collaboration between platforms, allowing players to pool production costs and expand audiences. In 2026, France Télévisions will broadcast the series of four episodes in collaboration with the Prime Video platform. A Tale of Two Citiesadapted from the eponymous novel by Charles Dickens, with François Civil and Kit Harington (Game of Thrones).
For its part, Arte announced the broadcast of the series Matar has a oso. Co-produced with the Spanish platform Movistar Plus+, it will feature the resolution of an investigation into the death of the bear Cachou in the Val d’Aran, poisoned in 2020.
If you missed this festival or want to come back next year, Séries Mania has already announced the dates of its tenth edition: it will be held from March 19 to 26, 2027. And to wait until then, discover the series of the 2026 edition soon on your screens. In the pages of Pilgrim as on its website, you will soon find the editorial staff’s favorites.
