Laurent Puons, CEO, and Cécile Menoni, Executive Director of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, announced, aprogram details of the prestigious event taking place June 14-18, 2024 in Monaco. The opening of the Festival will be marked by the world premiere screening of "The Gray House", a series produced by Republic Pictures in collaboration with Territory Pictures, Revelations Entertainment and Big Dreams Entertainment.
The first episode will be broadcast following the Opening Ceremony at Monaco's Grimaldi Forum on Friday June 14 at 7:00 p.m., in the presence of executive producers Morgan Freeman ("The Shawshank Redemption", "Million Dollar Baby", "Invictus…"), Leslie Greif ("Hatfields & McCoys") and Lori McCreary ("Madam Secretary"), as well as actors Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds", "The West Wing"), Daisy Head ("Harlots"), Amethyst Davis ("Kindred") and Ben Vereen ("Roots").
Based on the novel of the same name by Mariam Petrosyan, "The Gray House" focuses on the true story of the unsung women who turned the tide of the American Civil War in favour of the North. A Virginia Socialite, her mother, a former enslaved Sister-in-Arms, and the city’s most notorious courtesan operate deep inside the corridors of Confederate power. They transform their Underground Railroad into an effective and even more dangerous Underground Spy Network, risking life and liberty to help win the war and preserve American Democracy. Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Leslie Greif and Lori McCreary are executive producers. Roland Joffé is executive director of the series, while Darrell Fetty, Leslie Greif and John Sayles write the scripts and screenplays.
The Business Content program was announced in detail. Once again, this year, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival will offer professionals a series of conferences, bringing together experts from different areas of the global audiovisual production sector to present and exchange solutions to the challenges facing international programming today. Topics focusing on the TV industry include: Repercussions from the 2023 Strike: Paucity in Content Creation & Production; Bringing the World to Light Through TV Drama; New Formats, Genres & Focus on Local TV “Platformization”; How AI Tools Can Help with Creation & Distribution; New Narratives for Documentaries: The Blur Between Reality & Fiction; The Value of Marketing in Television; Being a Producer: How do They Manage Ever Increasing Responsibilities ; What’s New in International CoPro’s? will all be at the heart of discussions from June 15 to 17.
After Théo Christine in 2022 and Julia de Nunez last year, British actress Simone Ashley will receive the Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent, an award that honors the exceptional talent of an emerging and promising actor and the international recognition of their work. Following the Opening Ceremony, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco will present actor and producer Morgan Freeman with the prestigious Crystal Nymph, in recognition of the outstanding television career of a world-renowned actor. The Closing Ceremony will be held at the Grimaldi Forum on Tuesday June 18, and will be presented by Laury Thilleman, former Miss France and now TV presenter, in the company of French singer and actor Vincent Niclo. A host of talented actors and leading industry professionals, as well as members of the fiction and News and Documentaries juries, will be in attendance.
The 2024 Official Selection of the Golden Nymph Competition, which rewards the best in international television production, was also announced. This remarkable selection includes 18 programs from 12 countries in the Fiction, Documentary & News categories, including four world premieres, seven international premieres and three French premieres. The Honorary Golden Nymph, the Festival's highest distinction, awarded to a renowned professional for his or her extraordinary contribution to the entertainment industry, will be presented to the French actor and director Olivier Marchal ("36 quai des Orfèvres", "Ne le dis à personne", "Braquo, Bronx...") at the Closing Ceremony on Tuesday June 18.
Cécile Menoni referenced the importance of the festival:"The Monte-Carlo Television Festival, a pioneer in Europe, sets itself apart by merging the major genres of fiction, documentary and news. Thanks to the 12 countries represented by the 18 programs selected for the Golden Nymph Awards, the Festival is yet again a truly international event, with another eclectic edition packed with previews", remarked.
FInally, Laurent Puons highlighted the trajectory of the awardees: “Once again this year, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival proves its ineluctability by honoring two great professionals, Morgan Freeman and Olivier Marchal. The Principality is where the talent of international TV production converge" added.