News

Over the next six months, the selected teams will participate in two intensive residential workshops and online consultations, each focusing on a key stage of development:

• June 23-30, 2026 – The program begins with a deep dive into concept and structure development, helping participants refine their core ideas, build compelling worlds, and establish a strong foundation for their series.
• September 22-28, 2026 – The second workshop is focused on industry strategies and final pitching, preparing participants for professional engagement with industry decision-makers. The program will conclude with a presentation at the Series Killer festival in Brno, where the creative teams will showcase their projects to the key industry professionals gaining visibility and potential collaborations. 

The 2026 edition will be led by a team of esteemed industry experts:

• Gabor Krigler, writer, producer, and founder of Joyrider TV.
• Steve Matthews, development executive with extensive industry experience.
• Donna Sharpe, writer and creator of high-end European drama series
• Tatjana Samopjan, story consultant specializing in narrative development 

This year’s selection brings together a diverse range of voices from across Europe, presenting compelling stories with strong creative visions. The selected projects and their teams are:

Growing Up / Croatia 
Sara Grgurić, Writer, Director
Karla Leko, Writer
Dana Budisavljevic, Producer

If it Were / India
Vinamra Pancharia

The Concierge / Greece
Antigoni Tsiakka, Creator, Writer 

A Dance Like this in the Middle of the Field is My Desire / India, Czech Republic
Sahraa Karimi, Writer, Director
Anu Singh, Writer
Ishita Dave, Producer

The Bala Incident / UK-Wales
Ciron Gruffydd, Writer

it’s bettie, again / Canada
Annick Sheedy McLellan, Creator, Writer
Taras Lesiuk, Producer

Inside the Aftermind / Czech Republic, Slovakia
Terézia Halamová, Writer, Director
Josef Kokta, Writer
Natália Pavlove, Producer

Desiogas / Austria
Matteo Sanders, Writer 
Tobias Resch, Writer

OUTLOUD / the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Belgium
Aiman Hassani, Creator, Writer, Director

Introducing the Script Consultant Trainees

In addition to the selected projects, we are also welcoming three Script Consultant Trainee Participants, who will become part of the six-month creative process of developing a new European series.

• Nuno Soler / Portugal
• Katerina Papanastasatou / Greece
• Tommaso Muffato / Italy, United Kingdom

These participants will learn from Script Consultant mentor Tatjana Samopjan gaining hands-on insight into communication, and story development. They will work closely with the project teams enhance their industry expertise and refine their approach to series development.

Series Launch continues to bridge Central and Eastern European talent with the wider European and global TV industry, helping shape the next generation of engaging, market-ready series.

A huge thank you to our program funders: Creative Europe – MEDIA, the Czech Audiovisual Fund, and the Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, as well as our valued program partners: Serial Killer Brno, Göteborg Film Festival, MIA Market, Agora (Thessaloniki IFF), Sofia Meetings, Seriencamp, Series Mania, Heart of Europe, and Serial Eyes.