The Seriencamp Festival kicked off its first edition in Cologne
Together with the main funding partners, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as the main partner Prime Video, the organisers of Germany’s first and largest series festival marked the grand opening of the ninth edition of the Seriencamp Festival with a German premiere in front of around 400 invited guests from the film and TV industry at the Cinenova cinema in Ehrenfeld. Damian Hardung, Sonja Baum, Ronald Kukulies, Hanno Friedrich, Alice Gruia, Timon Ballenberger, Moritz Führmann, Judith Bohle, Madieu Ulbrich and Petra Nadolny were among the guests celebrating the successful start of a week chock full of series late into Tuesday evening. Cinenova’s three cinemas were open to the public from Wednesday: visitors to the Seriencamp Festival have free admission to the screenings to get their first glimpse of over 40 international series highlights, including numerous world and German premieres.
Cologne, 14 June: The fact that there wasn’t a seat free at the opening event of the Seriencamp Festival showed around 400 guests from the worlds of politics and media that Germany’s largest festival for series and TV culture has made a smooth relocation. After eight successful years in Munich, Seriencamp’s organisers Simone Schellmann, Malko Solf and Gerhard Maier were joined by Petra Müller, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and Nathanael Liminski, Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and Media of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and Head of the State Chancellery, in welcoming their audience to the event in Cologne for the first time. The German premiere of the feted US comedy "I’m a Virgo" ensured that the numerous prominent guests, including Damian Hardung, Sonja Baum, Ronald Kukulies, Hanno Friedrich, Alice Gruia, Timon Ballenberger, Moritz Führmann, Judith Bohle, Madieu Ulbrich and Petra Nadolny, were in good spirits as the evening took on a hilarious turn in the Cinenova cinemas.
Media Minister Nathanael Liminski: "The Seriencamp’s relocation from Munich to Cologne is a great sign of North Rhine-Westphalia’s appeal as a media hub. The presentation of high-quality series and in-depth discussion forums at the Seriencamp festival offers a special mixture of a festival for the general public together with an industry event. The Seriencamp creates a unique meeting place for series fans from all over Germany and gives a boost to the wide range of media events held in North Rhine-Westphalia."
"A warm welcome! We’re delighted that the Seriencamp is now in Cologne," said Petra Müller, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW. "Over the next few days, the industry will be meeting at the No. 1 production hub to exchange views at panel discussions, roundtables and workshops about current issues affecting the series market. The weekend will then see German and world premieres attracting series fans to the cinemas. We would like to congratulate the organisers Simone Schellmann, Gerhard Maier and Malko Solf on the new start in NRW and wish all the Seriencamp’s visitors a great time!”
The opening ceremony was hosted by the presenter Serkan Kaya, who, together with a top-notch jury, was also able to announce the first award winners: the prize for the best Digital Short Form Series went to the dreamy-surreal Canadian coming-of-age series "Martine À La Plage" about a teenage girl who begins to see the world through new eyes thanks to her obsession with her optician.
It was also fitting that the Official Competition’s prestigious Main Prize, which is also awarded by a prominent jury of experts, went to the series that opened the Seriencamp Festival: the endearing and hilarious coming-of-age story "I’m a Virgo" about a 4 metre-tall teenager discovering the world convinced the jury just that bit more than the Iranian series "The Actor" which received an Honourable Mention.
Official Competition Award: "I’m a Virgo" (USA 2023)
Digital Short Form Award: "Martine À La Plage" (CAN 2023)
The organisers of the Seriencamp Festival are very pleased about the move to the media city of Cologne and a sold-out Seriencamp Conference. With almost 700 participants attending, the industry event will now go down as the most successful in the festival’s history. The Seriencamp Conference’s extensive programme is attracting professionals from the national and international TV and series industries as well as numerous series fans to Cologne from 14 to 16 June and offers numerous networking opportunities in addition to inspiring formats.
"We are very pleased about this wonderful start here in Cologne and are looking forward to the coming days. We hope that all those participants coming from the industry will have exciting and inspiring days with good conversations and that the series fans from Cologne and the surrounding area have a great time with our programme. The courage and work that went into making the move to Cologne already seem to have paid off. We are happy to have had so much positive feedback," says Simone Schellmann, the festival’s director.
About the Seriencamp Festival
The Seriencamp Festival is the first and largest festival for series in Germany and is being held from 13 to 17 June for the ninth time, however this will be the first time in the Cologne suburb of Ehrenfeld. More than 40 series from all over the world will be shown – with free admission – including numerous German and world premieres. The screenings will be rounded off by an extensive supporting programme with numerous panels, podcasts, lectures and audience activities. The accompanying industry event, Seriencamp Conference, will also be held in the Cinenova cinema and at Herbrand’s next door from 14 to 16 June. Accreditation for the Seriencamp Conference can be purchased at https://www.seriencamp.tv/conference/tickets/. The Seriencamp Festival and Conference are supported by the Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and Media of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and Head of the State Chancellery as well as the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.
For more information about Seriencamp Festival 2023, please visit www.seriencamp.tv.
