Ten international series, including Darius Jabloński’s spy thriller “Fortel” and Kadri Kõusaar’s historical thriller “Stormbird,” have been selected for the Tallinn TV Beats Co-Financing Market. Running from November 16–17 as part of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, the projects will compete for a €50,000 Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award.
Essential Takeaways For Industry Insiders
- The Stakes: Fifty submissions from Eurimages member states were narrowed down to 10 finalists vying for the €50,000 Council of Europe development fund.
- Geographic Reach: The selected projects hail from Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, and co-production partner Canada.
Tallinn Welcomes Industry Slate Amid Regional Tension
Variety reported that the upcoming TV Beats Co-Financing Market has locked its official selection, highlighting a large number of big names and companies. Co-headed by Roosa Toivonen and Petri Kemppinen, the forum serves as an industry bridge connecting the Baltics, Central Eastern Europe, and the Nordics. Applications were heavily led by projects originating from Czechia, Finland, and Estonia.
Creators are seeking cross-border co-production partners to lift early-stage developments off the ground. Never before have we welcomed that many big names and companies,
said Petri Kemppinen, co-head of TV Beats, alongside Roosa Toivonen. Obviously the hefty €50,000 development award from the Council of Europe is a major draw in today’s touch times for indie producers who struggle to gather development money when commissioners and public funders are cutting back. They need co-production partners to lift their projects,
Kemppinen added.
| Project Title | Format | Creator / Director | Country of Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Breaking the Ice” | 6 x 45’ | Leana Jalukse, Joachim Friedmann / Jevgeni Supin (Prod.) | Estonia |
| “Fortel” | 8 x 45’ | Dariusz Jabłoński (Creator/Showrunner) | Poland |
| “Happy New Year!” | Lithuania | ||
| “Kalmann” | Iceland, Finland, Estonia | ||
| “Intimacy on Prescription” | 8 x 60’ | Jiří Havelka (Director) / Kristina Májová (Head Writer) | Czechia |
| “Stormbird” | 5 x 42’ | Kadri Kõusaar | Estonia |
| “Tanner” | 6 x 50’ | Keith Hodder (Creator) / Damian McCann, Sarah Gordon | Ireland, Canada |
| “The Inheritance” | 6 x 45’ | Alexandra Jans, Jan Van Dyck / Kato Maes, Kristoffel Mertens, Karlijn Van de Cruys (Prod.) | Belgium |
| “The Woman Who Roared” | Finland | ||
| “When Devils Rule” | 6 x 35’ | Nano Arrieta (Creator/Producer) | Spain |
Espionage and Historical Oppression Shape the Lineup
Poland’s entry, “Fortel,” is a spy thriller from creator and showrunner Dariusz Jabłoński.
Estonia’s dynamic television market is represented by Kadri Kõusaar’s historical thriller “Stormbird,” which chronicles a young female fugitive in 1949 under Soviet occupation. Alongside it, Estonian producer Jevgeni Supin brings the youth-focused sports drama “Breaking the Ice,” examining abuse within youth sport.
Industry Tallinn Events Host Pitching Sessions for Development Grant
The entire market operates under the umbrella of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival’s professional industry branch, Industry Tallinn & Baltic Event, which runs concurrently from November 9 through November 20. Pitching sessions for the ten co-financing contenders will take place specifically on November 16 and 17, where international panels will determine the recipient of the Council of Europe development grant.
