BERLIN SERIES 2024
OFFICIAL SELECTION
SUBMISSION OVERVIEW
Rules & Regulations: FILMFREEWAY
CALL FOR SUBMISSION for the 8th Edition of the BERLIN TV SERIES FESTIVAL. Final Submission cut-off will be April 10th 2024 Submit via FilmFreeway.
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We are dedicated to bring you even more new content, presenting amazing short films and documentaries-series + animation series, diverse and internationally reflective stories you will all love to watch!
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More about BERLIN SERIES Season 08, including terms & conditions, rules and how to submit, or to buy conference tickets, please use the button above.
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Read about ELIGIBILITY & categories below!
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DEADLINE & ENTRY FEES
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All fees are in EURO. WE will inform submitters of their status mid-May 2023
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DEADLINE​ Competition Shorts Market Screenings Animation
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Early 28. FEB 28. FEB 28. FEB 28. FEB
Deadline €35 €25 €25 €25
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Regular 10. APRIL 10. APRIL 10. APRIL 10. APRIL
Deadline €45 €35 €35 €35
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Late 10. MAY 10. MAY 10. MAY 10. MAY
Deadline €49 €49 €49 €49
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Final 15. MAY 15. MAY 15. MAY 15. MAY
Deadline
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Gold Users & Students pay less on FilmFreeway.
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"This was my first year working with the Berlin TV Series Festival. It was an honor to be asked to be a part of it. It was a fantastic experience. This Festival opened me up to brilliant producers, writers, directors and actors that I did not know about, to TV Series that I might not have ever got a chance to see. The hard part about judging was that all the participants were so good, it was so difficult to choose winners in categories, I wanted to choose them all. Which is a great testament to the caliber of participants in this festival, truly the best talent in the world were competing. It also shows how important this festival is, showcasing these amazing programs and giving them more exposure, which they all deserve. Congrats to everyone involved, and I thank the Artistic Director and the Festival for having me be a part of it.
Nick Vallelonga
Jury President 2020
"We all love murder mysteries. While the genre has its rules and conventions, we really appreciate it when the creators bring us intriguing new characters, a compelling dilemma and a fresh location. However, no matter how much you stir or shake the formula, you aren’t going to reinvent it. Unless you are the creators of Studio Tarara, which tosses all those rules and conventions out the door and brings us something so fresh and original that we very quickly come to believe that this is the way mysteries have always been told - from inside out. The writing and direction is brave and honest; the production design, cinematography, hair, wardrobe, makeup, sound - every creative craft - drops us gently into a time and world that many of us wouldn’t know but, having found, don’t want to leave - and the acting is so superior that we might think these characters were just captured on security cameras. Studio Tarara is great drama, mystery and powerful social commentary. We applaud not just the creators and artists behind the show, but the broadcasters who were brave enough to allow them to produce something really unique."
Paul Haggis - Jury President 2019
Studio Tarara (Winner BEST SERIES 2019) : a leap into the wild 90s behind the scenes of a fictional, successful sketch comedy. But it doesn‘t stop with sex, drugs and rock & roll in nostalgic decorations. We are quickly captivated by the main character, the tragic television star Rick Bolsens. Crashed, soon replaced by a successful colleague, he tries to gain recognition and a new love. The secret of the tragic death of an Ensemble member hovers over everything. An intense drama with strong characters."
Nataly Kudiabor
Member of the Jury 2019
ELIGIBILITY (to be eligible for consideration)
1. You must fully comply with these Entry Rules & Regulations, including all deadlines, episode duration, entry material and other requirements.
2. Non-English language works must have English subtitles at the time of submission (except for series in the German language). Dialogue lists will not be accepted.
3. The series must have a minimum of a “German Premiere status”.
4. All series must have been produced in 2023/2024.
5. For series that have already premiered in the Country of Origin, to be eligible for the Official-Competition, the premiere date must have been after September 1st 2023
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EPISODE DURATION
Drama Series / Comedy Series / Docu-.Series - minimum 25min - 65min
Shorts Films - minimum 5min - 39min.
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SUBMISSION CATEGORIES
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In Competition - The Series, Docu.Series and Short Film competing for the Berlin Series Award. They are projected at the Festival 's Main Theater.
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Special Mention - The selection committee chooses for these tv series & short films an environ- ment specially adapted to their particular identity, and unique storytelling.
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Official Selection - These TV SERIES are streamed on our partners platform TATATU.com, but do not compete for the main award.
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Window To The World - TV SERIES & SHORT Films selected from cultures near and far; original and different works. These TV SERIES are streamed on our partners platform TATATU.com
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Passion Stories
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Short Films - The shorts competing for Berlin Series Award.
Fandom Sections - These are alternative programmes dedicated to discovering other aspects of
tv & pop culture, classics & fandom in general.
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Critics’ Choice - focus on discovering new talents and showcasing first and second filmmakers and series makers/writers from all over the world.
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In Competition
DRAMA, COMEDY & DOCU SERIES
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BERLIN SERIES discovers, highlights and celebrates the latest episodic work, new long form pilots/series of the global TV landscape. The are part of the BERLIN SERIES Official Selection of the BERLIN TV SERIES FESTIVAL and run in Competition for the BERLIN SERIES Award.
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Official Competition World Premieres section: the series must not have been screened in any international festival nor have been broadcast in their country of origin before November 2nd 2023. Exceptions for local previews or market screenings in festivals in the country of origin and certain Partner Festivals may be considered.
All submitted series must consist of episodes intended to be at least 25 minutes in length. The festival will screen the first 2 episodes for series that exceed 40 minutes of length per episode, including credits. For series that run under 40 minutes, including credits, the festival will screen the first 3 episodes. Not longer than 1 hour, including credits.
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VIRTUAL PREMIERES (Window to the World)
The Virtual Premiere Section is there to feature all Series & Short Films looking to make their online premiere or international Premiere.
More Details to the platform soon.
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SHORT FILMS
A platform for independent filmmaking, creative expression and immersive entertainment, BERLIN SERIES supports emerging and is establishing the norm, more diversity, more female voices.
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We are curating innovative and interactive experiences, oragnizing post-screening performances, panels, and Pitch-Forum. Short films invited to participate in BERLIN SERIES Season 6 will be shown in the section determined most appropriate by Festival programmers, in their sole discretion. If you are submitting a student film, please submit via our FILMFREEWAY to get the discounted submissions fee. You will need a copy of your student ID to qualify.
ELIGIBLE PROJECTS
Short-length (under 38 minutes) narrative, documentary, animated and experimental films that have not screened publicly in the Berlin/Brandenburg region prior to BERLIN SERIES Season 08.
Submitted Shorts In Competition cannot have had ANY public screening, broadcast, distribution , or exhibition Germany before February 28th, 2024 in any country out of the origin country. All submitted shorts must not to be longer than 36 minutes in length. The festival will screen the short film including credits. We accept shorts across all genres, from annimation, docu-short to fiction. The rule of our diversity standard in that section applies: At least one actor/actress from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group must be cast in a significant role. At least one person of the general ensemble cast must be from underrepresented groups (women, racial, ethnic, LGBTQ+, or people with disabilities). At least one person of the other departmetns behind the camera must be from underrepresented groups (women, racial, ethnic, LGBTQ+, or people with disabilities). Please provide us with name and photos.
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