On the 20th of November, TV Beats Forum, focusing on scripted series as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, will launch the first ever TV Beats Screening Day that showcases five outstanding drama series to sales agents, distributors and local TV and film industry professionals. The selection includes a world premiere of the Estonian historical crime series Von Fock.
According to Toomas Ili, curator of the Screening Day, TV Beats Forum has always focused strongly on drama series produced in the Baltic Sea region and Eastern Europe. "The Screening Day is an excellent opportunity for distributors, broadcasters, and industry professionals to have a first-hand look at the fresh new titles", he added.
The Screening Day hosts a first viewing of the historical crime series Von Fock, shot mostly in Estonia, directed by Arun Tamm and produced by Jevgeni Supin. The series follows a court assessor Paul von Fock, heir to Sagadi Manor, navigating a web of murders, missing fortunes, and identity puzzles with the aid of the mysterious Maria von Nottbeck.
The selection also includes a Serbian political thriller series Operation Sabre, created and directed by Vladimir Tagić and Goran Stanković and produced by Snezana van Houwelingen and Beta Film. Based on an event that marked a turning point in recent Serbian history - the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić - the eight-episode drama follows a journalist investigating the event. Her search for the truth takes her to the very heart of the corrupt state apparatus.
TV Beats Screening Day also presents the Lithuanian psychological crime drama A Wolf's Palate, written and directed by Emilis Velyvis and produced by Asta Likaityté. The series reveals the dark cultural relationships between the inhabitants of a small town, the reasons behind their conflicts, and explores the mindset and archetypes of the collective subconsciousness in modern society. In addition to Lithuanian actors, the cast includes a British actor Edward Holcroft, known for his roles in The English Game and Kingsman, and award-winning actor Tommi Korpella from Finland.
The gripping Latvian mini-series Mutiny is based on the real-life Cold War events that inspired Tom Clancy's novel The Hunt for Red October. According to the director and producer Andrejs Ekis, Mutiny is a mad, true story of idealism and a call to action that is perhaps more relevant today than ever.
The selection also includes a Finnish six-part Elisa Viihde Original series Valhalla Project, directed and produced by Juha Wuolijoki and L.A. and Helsinki-based Snapper Films. The storyline follows a lead character Alina Railo joining an expedition to Finnish Lapland, seeking access to a parallel universe potentially holding solutions to the climate crisis. Also, her late father investigated the universe before vanishing there decades ago. Valhalla Project was 1 of 10 dramas selected for the 2024 MIP Drama Showcase.
Screening Day 2024 titles are:
A Wolf’s Palate (Lithuania). Producers: Daiva Varnaitė-Jovaišienė and Asta Liukaitytė Production company: Kino Kultas
Mutiny (Latvia). Producers: Andrejs Ekis and Dita Cimermane
Operation Sabre Producer (Serbia): Snezana van Houwelingen. Production company: Beta Film, This and That Productions
Valhalla Project (Finland) Producer: Juha Wuoliojoki
Von Fock (Estonia). Producer: Jevgeni Supin Production company: Zolba Productions
TV Beats Forum will take place in Tallinn and online on 18-20 November 2024 as part of Industry@Tallinn&Baltic Event. Check out the programme here