Based on her experience of writing YA series, Kirsten Loose gives an insight into the joys and challenges of creating for young viewers.

The presentation will offer insight into the CANAL+ brand-building strategy, the adventurous successful journey of the local content abroad, and potential plans for upcoming internationally competitive projects.

Join the award-winning creators of Good Enough for an engaging pitch of their R-rated dramedy about a Polish woman navigating perimenopause, immigration, and blended family chaos in Norway. Dynamic duo of creators will show you how to balance the funny in the serious and the serious in the funny while tackling taboo topics with humour and heart.

It created a bit of a storm in the teacup when Elisa Estonia announced its first original series back in 2019. Looking back, the new fish in the pool wasn’t well-received by most TV channels. Elisa’s Head of Content, Toomas Ili, will tell you more.

What makes a story worth telling week after week in an era of six-episode seasons and tightly bound series? This session explores the evolving status of screenwriters, the craft of shaping ideas that truly work for TV, and why some stories belong in books or films rather than series form.

Session was rescheduled and will take place on Thursday 25.9. at 17:30.

The world has become a universe. Let’s take a look at the upcoming projects of the new Czech platform Oneplay.

Portuguese showrunner Pedro Lopes (Glória) shares how the showrunner model is reshaping European television by empowering writers and amplifying local stories for global audiences. (by Pedro Lopes)

Since 2022, the European Showrunner Programme has been examining, discussing, and helping to shape the practice of showrunning in Europe. This presentation offers insight into the threefold initiative that is funded by Creative Europe MEDIA and supported by FOCAL. (by Carolin Große Hellmann)

Czech Television proudly presents an exclusive look at its newest original series in development.

Adjusting environments, lighting, weather, or camera movements in real time – and seeing the instant results? Welcome to the world of Virtual Production.

Cristina juggles her reckless marriage with Radu, illicit affair with her sister-in-law Nana, and life under Ceausescu’s dictatorship – all with dark humour and desperate imagination.

Brno’s Tuke.TV presents bold initiatives – like training Romani women screenwriters – showing how inclusion and diverse voices benefit both industry and viewers.

Filter follows fifteen-year-old Matty, who falls in love with another boy, Radek, during his high school entrance exams – a first relationship that could change both of their lives. This six-part coming-of-age series will premiere on Czech Television in the spring of next year.

The session will present Telekom Srbija’s company profile and highlight its upcoming content line-up, showcasing new projects across different genres.

From Soviet Jeans to The Last Divorce of Communism. Stanislavs Tokalovs and Teodora Markova present their new project, a 6-episode comedy-drama about a couple who stage a sham divorce in 1988 Soviet Riga. The session explores how local stories can be told with humour, intimacy and international reach.

How are the drama series Monyová and the documentary series Love Doesn’t Hurt related? The authors of both projects will discuss their development and production. The discussion will focus on the specifics of working in a writers’ room, the ethics of adapting stories based on true events, and the responsibility of portraying challenging topics.

Jan Maxa, the Director of the VOD platform prima+, will present the latest series and projects that are either about to air or are still in development.

Child on Fire is a seven-part road-movie thriller blending mystery, comedy, and fantasy, where a fractured family faces a paranormal phenomenon that forces everybody to finally grow up.

What’s next for Ukrainian storytelling? Discover new stories and fresh creative insights from Ukraine’s largest media group. This session showcases Starlight Media’s upcoming season and introduces bold scripted projects in development, reimagining Ukrainian IP for international audiences.

The session will highlight the Heart of Europe International TV Festival and Forum, organised by Polish Television since 2021. Dedicated to Central and Eastern European countries, the festival combines project pitches, international juries, and thought-provoking discussion panels.

Burning Witches, a dark comedy series about witch burnings in development. And 10 reasons why you should want to make this series.

A daring new Slovak true-crime series brings eight bestselling books to the screen, blending gripping storytelling with the harsh realities of a fragile media market. Can Slovak creators rival Czech productions and prove world-class quality can be born in a smaller industry?

Projects Coordinator at Conecta FICTION & ENTERTAINMENT Adriano Canella gives an overview of the Spanish audiovisual industry and showcases the freshest and upcoming Spanish series throughout 2025.

Password is a six-part miniseries where a single password unleashes secrets, jealousy, and hidden desires. Each episode reveals how the digital world reshapes love, family, and trust in today’s relationships.

MEDIA PLAY is an international film and television industry forum held annually in Sofia, Bulgaria, fostering collaboration & strengthening the visibility of local productions on the global stage.

Granting the Progressive Killer Recognition to an outstanding personality from the Central and Eastern European region. Venue: Tržnice / Market Hall (Zelný trh 14).

Hyppe Salmi and Veera Ojola share how Yle’s Areena Stories transforms young adults from social media talents into co-creators, producing dozens of micro-series each year and cultivating a vibrant community that reflects its audience.

Join Emmy Award-winning producer Daniel Lägersten as he challenges the conventional narrative that AI is a threat to creativity. He will show you why the real story is that filmmakers & storytellers are the most valuable asset in the new AI investment boom, proving that our human skills are not just relevant—they are essential.

Patti Linnett, Global Research Manager from the international media consultancy K7 Media, will provide a focused insight into what is happening in the world of television and video, focusing on fiction.

Join Victoria Elmacioglu for an inside look at NATPE’s continued impact on the international television business – and why these markets remain unmissable.

Director and co-writer of El’Sardines, Zoulikha shares the challenges and creative strategies of how to balance installation and narration, how a pilot carries a distinct identity from the rest of the series, and much more.

It’s hard to think of drama series these days that manage to cut through the colossal mass of programmes that don’t take a risk or provoke. To do this requires courage and to flirt bravely with the reality of failure. But if the venture is not a risky gambit for the filmmaker, why should the audience bother tuning in?

Insight from distinguished Swedish producer, former Head of Scripted Content at TV4 & Head of Drama at SVT, with more than 30 years of experience within the industry.

How can Central and Eastern European productions succeed in the challenging Western European market? Discussion with Gub Neal, who discovered Queer as Folk for Channel 4, and Johnathan Young, former Executive Producer at HBO Europe, who has been involved in the production of several premium drama series from the region.

How can the new generation of creators get to produce dramatic content without the fear of failure constraining both commissioners and producers? Jarmo Lampela, Head of Drama at Finnish Yle, on how they support young creators towards the A-league.

When the body of an infant is discovered in an attic, 87-year-old Martha confesses to the crime. The series follows her family as buried secrets begin to surface – revealing how different generations carry, conceal, and confront the past in their own ways. A deeply human drama, filled with warmth, emotional complexity, and a sense of recognition across generational divides.

The climate emergency is all over our breaking news, but as an industry, we don’t know how to talk about it. C21Media’s special projects editor, Louise Bateman, presents the facts and C21’s response to the issue, The C21 Big Picture Climate Consensus.

Investigate the latest and greatest drama series from All3Media International, one of the UK’s leading distributors and home of Vraždy v Midsomeru. Rachel Glaister, EVP Brands, will reveal new thrillers, detectives, wider entertainment and scripted format opportunities from the current slate.

Clémentine Trolong-Bailly on three-year initiative aiming to enhance the geographical and thematic diversity of audiovisual storytelling by strengthening international co-production practices through financial support for high-quality, independently produced series.

The U.S. is a huge market, but success there doesn’t automatically translate worldwide – Europe’s cultural and business dynamics demand tailored approaches. In Central Europe, AMC Networks International excels by ‚thinking global, but acting local,‘ blending U.S. strength with strong local focus.

In an era where propaganda and disinformation dominate the media landscape, the session focuses on the need to fight back through the power of entertainment.

Katrin Merkel, Head of Studies at Serial Eyes, briefly presents the renowned training programme based at the dffb in Berlin. Together with her guest, Serial Eyes alumna Elena Lyubarskaya, they talk about Elena’s show City of Blood created for Disney+.

Not only Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, Disney, and National Geographic, but also the first Polish – and indeed Central European – original series Breslau, the new series Alien: Earth, and Ryan Murphy’s new show All’s Fair. Disney+ will present all this and much more.

A round-up of what’s going on right now in the wonderful world of unscripted television with K7 Media’s Global Head of Unscripted TV, Alice Hinett.

Are streaming originals the core driver of growth for every platform? Or is it just the cream of the crop, which is visible in marketing but not in revenue? Tomáš Vyskočil, founder of FlixPatrol, examines how streaming originals are popular on streaming platforms and what it reveals about them.

A showcase on the co-production “Sternstunde der Mörder” (based on Pavel Kohout’s Novel “Hvězdná hodina vrahů”) and a discussion on the chances of equity investments as a financing instrument for international co-productions.

Session has been replaced by rescheduled sesssion from Wednesday:

From 22 to 6: The Modern Screenwriter in a Compressed TV Landscape
Hanna Szentpéteri, Screenwriter & Director, Slovenia
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Founder & CEO of the Serial Killer festival interviews the acclaimed Emmy winner behind killer series such as House of Cards, Sex and the City, The Office (USA), Desperate Housewives, Parks and Recreation, Julia or The Tudors.

AVOD is growing faster than SVOD and brings new opportunities. Through concrete examples, we will demonstrate its increasing importance.

Summary of the Kantar study for APA in 2024, which maps the viewing habits of the Czech population – from watching films and series to visiting cinemas – supplemented by current findings from the Czechs on the Net study.

Marketing Director of Czech Television Štěpánka Sunková on the public broadcaster’s aim to strengthen the modern, open, and viewer-oriented image of Czech TV.

What was behind this transformation, which fundamentally changed the Czechoslovak audiovisual market? Andrej Slaninka, Senior Digital Brand Manager, presents a marketing case study on the creation and strategy of the new platform.

Screenwriter, content creator and journalist Samya Hafsaoui takes you through a quick and comprehensive guide on how to use social media to research and develop your next TV series.

In an era of content abundance, the success of a series depends not only on compelling storytelling but increasingly on the ability to effectively reach its target audience. This session offers insights into the distribution strategies for the ZDFneo series and shares key learnings from their work.

YouTube has become a stage for original audiovisual storytelling. Explore how a traditional broadcaster adapts to the platform – using trends, data, and community interaction to shape content strategy and redefine what television can be today.

In-depth exploration of the craft of Charles McDougall, the award-winning director behind groundbreaking TV dramas such as House of Cards, Desperate Housewives, The Office (USA), Sex and the City and Parks and Recreation. Get unique insights into his storytelling approach, visual style, and directing techniques that have shaped some of the most acclaimed series of the past two decades.

Dive into the creative genius of Mike Reiss, Emmy-winning writer and co-creator behind The Simpsons, the longest-running animated series in TV history. Session is a recording of Mike’s masterclass from Serial Killer in Bratislava.

Jak se mění podpora televizní tvorby v České republice? Nová rada Státního fondu audiovize otevírá dialog o vizích, prioritách a praktickém fungování nového systému podpory.