The Italian Global Series festival is a celebration of international television, and this year's edition promises to be a star-studded affair. The event, which takes place in Rimini and Riccione, Italy, from July 3 to July 11, will showcase a diverse range of series, with a special focus on the 60th anniversary of Star Trek. This year's festival is a testament to the global appeal of television and the power of storytelling across borders.
One of the highlights of the festival is the celebration of Star Trek's 60th anniversary. The iconic science fiction series, which has captivated audiences for decades, will be honored with a special preview screening of an episode from its spin-off, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. This is a testament to the enduring legacy of Star Trek and its impact on popular culture.
The festival also features a range of other notable events, including a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth, a landmark in TV history. The series, which was originally intended to be written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, will be honored with a special event featuring Robert Powell. Additionally, the festival will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Un posto al sole, Italy's longest-running soap opera, with the series' cast presenting and discussing an episode with actress, director, and stand-up comedian Michela Giraud.
The festival's International Competition is a showcase of the best series from around the world. This year, the competition received more than 160 submissions from 15 countries, including Europe, Asia, North America, and Latin America. The final selection includes 21 series, with a diverse range of genres, including drama, comedy, and limited series.
The drama section features a range of compelling series, including Benidorm Is Murder, a U.K./Spanish production directed by Simon Delaney and starring John Hannah; Emergency 53, an adrenaline-fueled medical series from Brazil; Secret Service, a political spy thriller directed by Oscar winner James Marsh and starring Gemma Arterton; Speaking Dead, a Korean thriller; Burden of Justice, a Swedish legal drama; I casi di Teresa Battaglia – Figlia della cenere, an Italian drama by Kiko Rosati that stars Elena Sofia Ricci; and The Terror With Devil in Silver, an anthology series produced by Scott Free, with appearances set for Riccione by its two leads, Judith Light and CCH Pounder.
The limited series section features a range of compelling series, including Le Rouge et Le Noir, a new adaptation of Stendhal's novel The Red and the Black, starring Victor Belmondo and featuring Camille Razat and Virginie Ledoyen, both of whom will be traveling to Rimini alongside director Gaël Morel; Falling, the first romance by Jack Thorne and directed by Peter Hoar; The Widow Killer, a noir set in Prague in 1945; Raza Brava, an epic tale of rebellion set in the world of Santiago's ultras, beginning during the Chilean General Augusto Pinochet dictatorship; Laura's Treatment, starring Valérie Bonneton, from France; One of Us by Andrea Rebuzzi, starring Raoul Bova; and The Tribute, a twist-filled family drama starring Elsa Pataky, with a cameo by her husband, Chris Hemsworth.
The comedy section features a range of compelling series, including Boho, a generational portrait set in the multicultural neighborhood of Borgerhout in Belgium; The Flaws, a German comedy created by a theater collective and produced by Razor Film; Happily Ever After from Canada, which challenges the myth of "forever" at age 25; Una piccola formalità, an Italian series by Davide Marengo and starring Pilar Fogliati; Leonard and Hungry Paul, an Irish comedy starring Alex Lawther and featuring the voice of Julia Roberts; Riot Women from the U.K., which bears the signature of creator Sally Wainwright, who will be attending the festival alongside star Tamsin Greig; and Cell Block B, a prison comedy originating from the Czech Republic.
The festival also features a range of conversations and events, including a session with Carlton Cuse, entitled "Lost in Fellini," which will be joined by Oscar-winning writer and showrunner John Ridley; a conversation between executive producer David W. Zucker and producer Steve Stark about the future of international production; an event with married Turkish film and social media stars Ozge Gürel and Serkan Çayoğlu, in which they will discuss their work and their lives in the public eye; a conversation with actress Jeri Ryan, known for her role in the Star Trek universe, about contemporary female role models in TV and in science fiction in particular; and a chat between Zucker and Nicholas Meyer, director of several Star Trek films.
The Italian Global Series festival is a celebration of the power of storytelling and the global appeal of television. It is a testament to the creativity and talent of the international television industry, and it promises to be a memorable event for all who attend.
