People

At Series Mania 2025 in Lille (March 24–27), we caught up with Marco Spagnoli, the director behind the upcoming Italian Global Series Festival (IGSF) and he explained a little bit more about it: “Rimini and Riccione are two wonderful cities on the Italian Riviera. It’s summer, so you can enjoy the beach, but also enjoy our series, our shows, our events. We will have a focus on Italian productions, with awards for released titles and a sort of upfront for upcoming projects. We’ll have talents attending, and it’s open to the audience. We’ll also have a focus on extraordinary women — women who changed the world. Our idea is to understand how series tell the stories of these important women who made our world much better.”

Indeed, one of the festival’s signature themes will be a dedicated focus on "Extraordinary Women" — an exploration of how series and films narrate the stories of women who have left a profound mark on history, culture, and society.

The Italian Global Series Festival aims to bridge the gap between the creative industries and the wider public, while promoting Italy as a vital hub for global TV production. With its picturesque seaside setting, cultural depth, and international vision, IGSF promises to be not just a celebration of storytelling, but an immersive experience that blends entertainment, innovation, and Italian style.

The event will take place from June 21 to 28, the Italian Riviera will host a brand-new international celebration of television and storytelling: the Italian Global Series Festival (IGSF). Organized by APA – Associazione Produttori Audiovisivi, in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Culture and SIAE (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers), and curated by renowned journalist and filmmaker Marco Spagnoli, this week-long festival marks the rebirth of the much-loved Roma Fiction Festival that captivated audiences from 2007 to 2016.

The festival will be set between Rimini, the birthplace of Federico Fellini, and Riccione, with events held at prestigious venues including Cinema Fulgor, Teatro Galli, and Corte degli Agostiniani in Rimini, and PalaRiccione and Multiplex CinePalace in Riccione. Together, these iconic cities by the Adriatic Sea will become the stage for a vibrant mix of screenings, premieres, panels, and industry events – open not only to professionals, but also to the public.

IGSF’s program is ambitious and wide-ranging, featuring competitions for international series, limited series, TV movies, and comedies, along with a spotlight on Italian productions. Several special awards will honor Italian titles already released, and an “upfront-style” showcase will preview upcoming projects in development – offering producers, distributors, and broadcasters a first look at what’s next.