‘Wrong Kind of Black.’
Robert Connolly’s international spy thriller Deep State and Catriona McKenzie’s Indigenous web series Wrong Kind of Black are on the line-up at this year’s Series Mania Melbourne.
The second edition of the TV festival staged by ACMI and Film Victoria will showcase numerous linear and online series from around the world, with more titles to be announced.
The sister event of France’s Series Mania will run at ACMI from July 19-22. The inaugural Series Mania Melbourne hosted sold-out screenings and world premieres of shows such as Sunshine, Tabula Rosa, Ozark and Get Krack!n, alongside in-depth discussions with Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan.
The BBC, US cable network Epix and SBS are among the broadcasters which acquired Deep State, an eight-part series co-directed by Connolly and creator/showrunner Matthew Parkhill, which stars Mark Strong as Max Easton, a retired Secret Service operative and former member of an elite MI6/CIA team called The Section.
He’s coaxed back into action by Section head George White (Alistair Petrie) to avenge the death of his estranged son Harry (Game of Thrones’ Joe Dempsie).
The ABC’s iview commissioned Wrong Kind of Black, which follows the journey of Boori Monty Pryor, who grew up in Townsville as the self-described ‘wrong kind of black.’
Produced by Princess Pictures, the four-part series follows his experiences with the cops and crocs of Queensland, the blood-spattered disco dance floors of Melbourne and the Human Rights Commission.
Among the other titles announced this week is the pilot episode of American Woman, a drama series created by show runner, producer and creator John Wells, starring Alicia Silverstone as an unconventional mother struggling to raise two kids after leaving her husband amid the rise of second-wave feminism in 1970s Los Angeles.
France’s Maman a Tort (Mother is Wrong) is adapted from Michel Bussi’s popular book about a three-and-a-half-year-old boy who says his mother is not his real mummy, a claim that seems impossible but is believed by the psychologist at his school.
On Series Mania Industry Day on July 20, Stories Without Borders will look at key trends, challenges and opportunities for industry professionals looking to create premium TV content for the global marketplace. Presented by Film Victoria and ACMI, the program will draw on the expertise of local and international key speakers yet to be named.
ACMI CEO and director Katrina Sedgwick said: “Building on the success of the inaugural Series Mania Melbourne, ACMI will again host the latest in local and international series content. From Deep State to Wrong Kind of Black, from industry panels to free public screenings, we give audiences a sneak peek at the latest trends and must-watch shows before they hit screens.”
Film Victoria CEO Caroline Pitcher added: “Series Mania Melbourne taps into the knowledge of some of the best creators and executives in the TV biz whilst highlighting the incredible capabilities of Victorian creatives and the depth of screen culture in our state.