The Italian Global Series Festival (IGS) has come to Cannes to celebrate an ambitious event aimed at strengthening Italy’s position as an international television player, announcing the highlights of its second edition, which will be held from July 3 to 11 in the coastal cities of Rimini and Riccione.
During a Variety Global Conversations panel, IGS Artistic Director Marco Spagnoli announced that Oscar and Emmy-nominated writer and director Nicholas Meyer will chair the limited series jury. Veteran American producer Marti Noxon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) will serve as the drama series’ jury chair. French actor Bruno Gouly (“Emily in Paris”) will serve as president of the jury for the comedy series.
Also present at the panel discussion were Chiara Sbarigia, President of the Italian Television Producers Association APA, Lucia Borgonzoni, Italy’s Undersecretary of Culture, and the event’s “ambassador”, actress Mathilde Gioli, who recently starred in Prime Video’s Tuscan-set original No Place To Be Single, which was released worldwide earlier this month.
“The festival is growing, as you can see from the guest announcements,” Svarigia said. “This is truly a high-level festival that is moving into the industry and rivaling other events of its kind.”
Sbarigia noted that during the Berlinale Series Market earlier this year, producers approached her and Spagnoli with “offers and offers to participate in the series,” stressing that “this is a great result considering it has only been officially launched for two years.”
The IGS initiative, which aims to help promote the Italian television industry, aims to build the foundation for the highly acclaimed RomaFictionFest, which ran from 2007 to 2016.
Borgonzoni, who oversees the country’s film sector and is a passionate advocate of the local film and television industry, stressed that all IGS screenings and masterclasses are free and open to the general public. “I believe it is essential to continue to create opportunities for audiences to truly be at the heart of the creative process,” she said.
“This festival celebrates the best Italian and international works, but at the same time looks to the future by supporting new voices, new talents and new visions,” Borgonzoni added.
Spagnoli also announced that “Lost” co-showrunner Carlton Cuse is one of this year’s Maximo Excellence Career Award recipients. Italian author Francesco Piccolo (My Brilliant Friend), producer Roberto Sessa (Beyond the Sea), actors Robert Powell (Jesus of Nazareth), Lino Banfi (An Medico in Familia), Sabrina Ferilli (The Great Beauty) and Marco Giarini (Rocco Schiavone) will also be celebrated.
Other talent expected to join IGS include British actors John Hannah (Hamunaptra, Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Bertie Carvel (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and the upcoming Harry Potter series). Italian actress Stefania Spampinato (Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19) and Star Trek icon Jeri Ryan.
The first IGS titles revealed by Spagnoli include the world premiere of “Ashes: The Case of Teresa Battaglia,” the third season of the crime series about a brilliant police profiler suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and the international premiere of James Marsh’s “The Secret Service,” starring Gemma Arterton.
Entries in the fest’s limited series category include the coming-of-age drama “One of Us,” a new Italian production for Italy’s RAI Fiction directed by Andrea Rebuzzi and starring Raul Bova. International bow of the German event series “The Widow Killer”. the French show “Lola’s Treatment,” directed by Achim Isker, and the Spanish psychological thriller “The Tribute,” directed by Sergio Canovas, starring Elsa Pataki and Manu Ríos. Spagnoli’s first comedy series is RAI’s “Una Piccola Formalita,” directed by Davide Marengo and starring Pilar Foliati, Alessio Boni and Lorenzo Richelmi.
IGS is planned and organized by APA with the support of the Italian Ministry of Culture, Emilia-Romagna, the cities of Riccione and Rimini, SIAE, AGIS and Enel. The event will be held under the auspices of RAI Fiction and in media partnership with national broadcaster RAI, which recognizes Italy’s Global Series as an event of national importance.
