The upcoming Series Mania Forum is expected to witness a rise in attendance this year as the global television industry increasingly looks toward partnerships, co-productions and shared financing to navigate a changing scripted content landscape. The forum, the industry-focused segment of the Series Mania Festival, takes place in Lille, France, and continues to attract professionals from across the global television ecosystem.

According to a report by Deadline, Francesco Capurro, director of the Series Mania Forum, believes the current environment — marked by the end of the so-called “peak TV” era and increasing media consolidation — has created a stronger need for collaboration among producers, broadcasters and platforms. Capurro noted that despite industry challenges, events like Series Mania have become even more relevant as companies search for new financing opportunities and international partnerships.

The forum typically welcomes around 5,000 participants each year. While fewer U.S.-based executives are expected to attend in person this time, several global streaming platforms will still have representatives on the ground through their European teams. Among the prominent speakers scheduled to appear are Angela Jain, Head of Content for EMEA at Disney+, who will deliver her first major public address since taking on the role.

Other notable industry figures set to speak include Monty Sarhan, CEO of SkyShowtime, which is jointly owned by NBCUniversal and Paramount Global. Executives from Prime Video — Nicole Morganti, Head of Originals for Southern Europe, and Thomas Dubois, Head of French Originals — will also participate in a session discussing global storytelling strategies.

In addition, Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Programming at HBO Max, will be present at the event. From the production sector, Jennifer Mullin, CEO of Fremantle, along with the company’s COO Andrea Scrosati, are also scheduled to take part in discussions during the forum.

Capurro pointed out that the event’s growing global reach is reflected in the increasing number of participants arriving from regions such as Japan, Brazil, Canada, Singapore and South Korea. This year, South Korea has been named the forum’s first-ever Country of Honour, highlighting the country’s expanding influence in global content production.

The recognition also coincides with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and South Korea. However, the focus in Lille will remain firmly on television storytelling and industry collaboration. Capurro said Korean content already enjoys a strong fan base across Europe and that the forum hopes to encourage greater creative collaboration between Korean creators and international partners.

A key highlight of the forum remains the Co-Pro Pitch, a major co-production initiative that showcases emerging television projects. This year, 16 projects have been shortlisted from more than 400 submissions. The winning project will receive a €50,000 prize, and past winners have included notable series such as Keeping Faith, Stella Blomkvist, Tabula Rasa and La Palma.

The selected projects this year come from across Europe, with France and Spain the only nations with two entries each. Other participating regions include Canada, Chile, Israel and South Africa, while the lineup also features the first-ever project from Kyrgyzstan.

Capurro observed that producers are becoming increasingly mindful of budgets as commissioning spending tightens. As a result, many projects now lean toward smaller-scale productions with shorter episode runs of four to eight episodes, while genres such as crime dramas, thrillers and lighter “cozy” dramas remain particularly attractive to broadcasters and platforms.

Over the years, the Series Mania Forum has evolved from a traditional co-production meeting place into a full-scale industry market. One of the newer initiatives is the Buyers’ Upfront, an invitation-only event where acquisition executives review upcoming series presented to potential buyers. At the previous edition, the Buyers Choice Award went to the drama The Deal.

The forum will also feature Innovation Talks examining the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in television production, as well as the Lille Dialogues, an international summit that brings together policymakers and industry leaders to discuss the future of the audiovisual sector.

As the global television business continues to shift, Series Mania Forum has steadily established itself as a central meeting point for creators, producers, broadcasters and streamers. With the industry navigating consolidation and changing audience habits, the gathering in Lille is once again expected to play a key role in shaping the next phase of international television collaboration.