South African drama "Paradys" wins Series Mania Forum's Co-Pro Pitching Sessions

South African drama "Paradys" was the winner at Series Mania Forum’s annual Co-Pro Pitching Sessions this year among other 15 projects. Producer Nimrod Geva for Quizzical Pictures and creator/writer Darrel Bristow-Bovey has received €50,000 price by the jury team. The drama was created by Bristow-Bovey and Anton Visser; written by Darrel Bristow-Bovey; produced by Nimrod Geva for Quizzical Pictures; with Executive Producer Avi Nir for Keshet International.

“The jurors were impressed by the wide range and high-quality of the fifteen pitches they watched from 56 different countries. There were some comedies, some dramas, some crime series, some horror series, and some futuristic fantasy. Each project was considered for its own intrinsic qualities, for its originality for audiences, and for its potential to travel outside its country of origin,” commented professional jury president Antony Root.

Added Root, “The jury’s final decision was unanimous that the award should be given to 'Paradys' from South Africa. The project was presented with passion and precision, and we hope the Series Mania award will allow it to be developed further and start the journey towards production. Although the setting is local, we believe the story, its themes and its characters will also resonate for audiences outside South Africa. The country is well known for the high quality of the international productions that shoot there. To see the same standards applied to a distinctive and ambitious local project will be very exciting.”

“The Co-Pro Pitching Sessions are one of the most anticipated part of the Series Mania Forum. We are delighted to be giving the €50,000 prize to Nimrod and Darrel for their drama 'Paradys'. This is the first time a South African drama has won the Best Project Award and we are delighted to be honoring this series which encompasses intriguing locations, complex characters, and timely and relevant issues. I have no doubt this series will soon find the perfect partners,” stated Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania.

More than a hundred projects have been pitched through this program since its creation in 2013, including the winners from last year’s Festival Blackport (Best Series International Competition) and The Last Socialist Artifact (Best Series International Panorama). This year, two previous Co-Pro Pitching Sessions entrants are part of the official Festival selection: "Des Gens Bien" (Belgium/France) and "Hors Saison" (France/Switzerland).
The Forum’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions has also been a launchpad for such series as "No Man’s Land" (France), "Banking District" (Switzerland), "Eden" (France), "Keeping Faith" (Great Britain), "Manor House" (Czech Republic), "Stella Blomkvist" (Iceland), "Tabula Rasa" (Belgium), "Trepalium" (France), "Warrior" (Denmark), "Devils" (Italy), "The Head" (Spain), "Ever After" (Italy), and "We Got This" (Sweden).