Šesto izdanje događanja Series Rough Pitch – The Balkan Way održano je online 30. listopada 2026., a devet projekata TV serija u razvoju iz sedam zemalja predstavilo se međunarodnom žiriju stručnjaka iz industrije te publici od 803 gledatelja koji su ovogodišnje izdanje pratili uživo na Facebook stranicama i YouTube kanalu DKE – Ureda MEDIA Hrvatske. Prije pitchinga timovi su sudjelovali na intenzivnoj online radionici (19. – 24. listopada) koju su vodile mentorice Valeria Richter (scenaristica) i Helene Granqvist (producentica).
Svi koji su propustili prijenos uživo, snimku ovogodišnjeg pitchinga mogu pogledati ovdje: CED - MEDIA Office Croatia
Kako ističe Martina Petrović, voditeljica Desk Kreativne Europe – Ureda MEDIA Hrvatske i inicijatorica događanja:
„Ovogodišnje izdanje pokazalo je zašto The Balkan Way postoji. Devet timova otvorilo je svoje priče s povjerenjem i hrabrošću koja se ne može odglumiti, a to je moguće samo u prostoru u kojem se autori osjećaju sigurno, podržano i saslušano. U vremenu u kojem je sve manje mjesta za nove glasove, posebno one iz malih zemalja, ovih devet priča dokazuje da podrijetlo nije ograničenje, nego blago. Čestitam svim dobitnicima od srca, ali još više, čestitam svima koji su stali pred kameru i podijelili s nama svoju priču. Njihove priče tek kreću na svoj put, a mi ćemo ih s ponosom pratiti dalje."
Glavna nagrada za najbolji pitch u iznosu od 6.000 eura za daljnji razvoj projekta pripala je projektu Where the Old Gods Sleep (Hrvatska) autorice Mateje Božičević. Iz obrazloženja žirija:
„Pobjednički projekt ima snažnu priču o djevojačkom suparništvu i prijateljstvu koja zadire u korijene sukoba - osobne unutarnje borbe koje se prelijevaju u društveno nasilje. Bilo iz ponosa ili nesigurnosti, zidovi koji razdvajaju i pokreću naše protagonistice ne popuštaju sve dok djevojke ne pronađu zajednički cilj i ne prepoznaju zajedničku ljudskost. Smještajući priču u razdoblje odrastanja, u kojem društvo djevojke često utiskuje u nezdrave kalupe iz kojih izrastaju nezdrave žene, pozvani smo da se uzdignemo i odrastemo zajedno s njima. Žiri u ovom projektu vidi snažan potencijal.“
WIFT Sweden Peace Prize (3.000 eura), koju osigurava Wade Channell u ime Damn Fool Productions, pripala je projektu Rust (Srbija) Tanasija Ćakića, Olivere Guconić i Nikole Kljajića:
„Sukob često nastaje iz nesporazuma. A nesporazum može proizaći iz loše komunikacije ili iz odluke nekih da ne slušaju glasove koje ne žele čuti. U Rustu, neurodivergentna žena otkriva da njezine potrebe i boli ignorira društvo koje se ne želi potruditi nadići vlastite predrasude i čuti njezine vapaje za pomoć. Na jednoj razini, to je univerzalna sudbina žena u patrijarhalnom svijetu, a ova priča ide i dublje, ističući ljudsku sposobnost da tuđe potrebe ignoriramo okrivljujući žrtvu. Naša snažna protagonistica možda jest drugačija, ali nije slijepa: njezina joj shizofrenija daje kaleidoskopsku leću kroz koju vidi stvarnosti od kojih se drugi skrivaju. Ona njihove zahrđale duše iznosi na svjetlo, a mir je moguće pronaći tek kad priznamo nepravdu koju treba očistiti da bismo mogli dobro živjeti zajedno.“
Posebna priznanja mentorica ove godine dijele dva projekta. Kako su istaknule Valeria Richter i Helene Granqvist:
„Prije svega, moramo reći da je svatko od sudionika napravio velike i duboke korake tijekom ovogodišnjeg Series Rough Pitcha i da su svi do kraja otvorili svoje priče i povezali ih s tom čudnom vježbom koju zovemo pitching - veliki bravo svima.“ Prvo posebno priznanje odlazi projektu Seventyn (Hrvatska): „Visokokonceptna priča koja miješa žanrove i komične elemente s ozbiljnom temom, s glavnim likom kojeg vidi samo publika. Andrea i Ivore, u završnom ste videu neke ideje podigli na višu razinu, razjasnili pravila svijeta priče i pogodili ton, humor i, recimo, kompliciran odnos dvaju glavnih likova. Oduševili ste nas.“ Drugo posebno priznanje odlazi projektu The Hungarian Look (Mađarska): „Tim koji isporučuje na svim razinama, s pričom koja uranja u nevidljive i nečujne glasove i donosi novu perspektivu na razdoblje koje se pamti kao procvat - no koja je bila njegova stvarna cijena i kako se zrcali u današnjem svijetu? Nóra i Zsolte, spajate disciplinu i dinamičnu energiju, znate što želite već u ovoj ranoj fazi i znate slušati - osjetljivu, važnu i tešku temu tretirate s velikom znatiželjom, poštovanjem i ambicijom. Ne sumnjamo da ćete ovaj projekt dovesti do cilja.“
Akreditacija za Series Mania Forum 2027. (Lille, Francuska), koju dodjeljuje Bastien Gave, zamjenik direktora Series Mania Foruma, pripala je projektu Memory (Švicarska) Fanny Nussbaumer i Azre Djurdjevic:
„Vrlo dobar pitch i snažan pokretač priče - priča sa ženskom junakinjom kakvu bismo rado gledali na ekranu! Oduševljeni smo što možemo pozvati dvije autorice da ovu obećavajuću seriju predstave potencijalnim međunarodnim partnerima na Series Mania Forumu. Ovaj misterij obećava čitav raspon emocija dok kao gledatelji pokušavamo razumjeti neobičnu protagonisticu i ono što je pokreće. Snažna žena koja ponekad donosi loše odluke osvježavajući je odmak od stereotipne naivke koja se predvidljivo zaljubljuje u junaka.“
Akreditacija za TV Beats Forum 2027. (Tallinn, Estonija), koju dodjeljuje Roosa Toivonen, suvoditeljica TV Beats Foruma, pripala je projektu Seventyn (Hrvatska) Andree Slaviček i Ivora Martinića:
„TV Beats se, kao što znate, održava u Tallinnu - srednjovjekovnom gradu i ne zove se Black Nights bez razloga. Tamo je mračno, hladno i grozno … i upravo zato savršeno mjesto za malo crnog humora i intrigantnu premisu kakvu smo vidjeli u Seventynu. Zato upravo ova vrlo originalna premisa osvaja put i akreditaciju za TV Beats u Tallinnu 2027.“
Audience Design Award, koju dodjeljuje konzultantica za razvoj publike Síle Culley, pripala je projektu Bourgeois Blues (Hrvatska) Josipe Burić i Lorenza Rauševića uz obrazloženje:
„za istraživanje triju razina stvarnosti koje na svoj način uključuju publiku te za oslanjanje na kratki film kao dokaz koncepta.“
Nagrada Media Play 2027.: sudjelovanje na festivalu Media Play 2027. u Sofiji (Bugarska) pripala je projektu The Hungarian Look (Mađarska) autora Nóre Juhász i Zsolta Déra. Riječima Hriste Hadjitaneva, programskog direktora festivala Media Play i direktora razvoja sadržaja u Nova Broadcasting Group:
„Provokativna priča koja snažno rezonira s publikom u regiji, hrabar i drugačiji pogled na šarene i bezakone devedesete te iznimno uzbudljiv i originalan pitch koji može poslužiti kao primjer kako se projekt serije može predstaviti.“
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Nagrada Serial Killer 2027.: sudjelovanje na 10. izdanju festivala Serial Killer u Brnu (Češka) također odlazi projektu The Hungarian Look. Kako ističe Dominika Erhart Braná, koordinatorica industrijskog programa festivala:
„Podrška pričama i talentima iz regije srednje i istočne Europe u samom je srcu festivala Serial Killer. Sretni smo što projektu The Hungarian Look možemo omogućiti da nam se pridruži na našem 10. izdanju te mu pomoći u potrazi za partnerima i podrškom jer mnogi se mogu poistovjetiti s temom ove serije i još svježim sjećanjem na divlje devedesete, koje su regiji donijele svjež zrak i prilike, ali i izazove.“
Srdačne čestitke svim dobitnicima - i svih devet timova, čija su hrabrost, otvorenost i solidarnost ovo izdanje učinili posebnim. Posebna zahvala međunarodnom žiriju: Wade Channel (Damn Fool Productions), Síle Culley (konzultantica za razvoj publike), Dominika Erhart Braná (festival Serial Killer, Brno), Bastien Gave (Series Mania Forum), Hristo Hadjitanev (Media Play Sofia / Nova Broadcasting Group) i Roosa Toivonen (TV Beats Forum) te divnim mentoricama Valeriji Richter i Helene Granqvist.
Na kraju, hvala svima koji su omogućili ovo izdanje: DKE – Uredima MEDIA iz Crne Gore, Grčke, Mađarske i Srbije, Arts Councilu Malta i MEDIA desku Suisse, kao i partnerima događanja: Hrvatskom audiovizualnom centru, Filmskom centru Crne Gore, Organizaciji za europske programe i kulturne odnose na Cipru i Swiss Filmsu. Vidimo se na sedmom izdanju - jer dobre priče uvijek pronađu jedna drugu!
The sixth edition of Series Rough Pitch – The Balkan Way was held online on 30 October 2026, presenting nine TV series projects in development from seven countries to an international jury of industry experts and to an audience of 803 viewers who followed this year’s edition live on the Facebook pages and YouTube channel of the Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Croatia. Before the pitching, the teams took part in an intensive online workshop (19–24 October) led by mentors Valeria Richter (scriptwriter) and Helene Granqvist (producer).
For everyone who missed the live stream, the full recording of this year’s pitching is available here: CED - MEDIA Office Croatia
As noted by Martina Petrović, Head of the Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Croatia and initiator of the event:
“This year’s edition showed exactly why The Balkan Way exists. Nine teams opened up their stories with a trust and courage that cannot be faked, and that is only possible in a space where creators feel safe, supported and heard. At a time when there is less and less room for new voices, especially those from small countries, these nine stories prove that where you come from is not a limitation, but a treasure. My heartfelt congratulations to all the winners but even more, to everyone who stood in front of the camera and shared their story with us. Their stories are just beginning their journey and we will follow them further with pride.”
The Best Pitch Award of €6,000 for further development, the main award of Series Rough Pitch – The Balkan Way #6, goes to Where the Old Gods Sleep (Croatia) by Mateja Božičević. From the jury’s explanation:
“The winner has a strong story that goes into girl rivalry and friendship as it addresses the roots of conflict - personal internal struggles that pour over into social violence. Whether from pride or insecurity, the walls separating and motivating our protagonists are not breached until the girls find a common cause together and recognise each other’s common humanity. Placing the story within the coming-of-age period, where society often presses girls into unhealthy moulds to become unhealthy women, we are invited to rise above and come of age with them. The jury sees strong potential in this project.”
WIFT Sweden Peace Prize (€3,000), provided on behalf of Wade Channell and Damn Fool Productions, goes to Rust(Serbia) by Tanasije Ćakić, Olivera Guconić and Nikola Kljajić:
“Conflict often arises from misunderstanding. Misunderstanding itself can come from faulty communication, or from the decision by some not to listen to voices they don’t want to hear. In Rust, a neurodivergent woman finds her needs and pains ignored by a society that can’t be bothered to overlook its own biases and listen to her cries for help. At some level, this is the universal plight of women in a patriarchal world, and this story presses deeper by highlighting the human ability to ignore another’s needs by blaming the victim. Our strong protagonist may be different, but she is not blind: her schizophrenia gives her a kaleidoscopic lens through which she sees realities that others hide from. She brings their rusted souls to light, where peace can only be found by first acknowledging the injustice that must be cleaned up before we can live well together.”
Mentors’ Special Mentions this year are shared by two projects. As mentors Valeria Richter and Helene Granqvist put it:
“First, we have to say that every single participant took big and deep steps during this year’s Series Rough Pitch, and all of them went full circle to open their stories and connect them with the strange exercise that pitching is - a big bravo to them all.” The first special mention goes to Seventyn (Croatia): “A high-concept story that mixes genres and comic elements with a serious topic, with a main character only the audience can see. Andrea and Ivor, you took some ideas to the next level in your final video, you made the rules of the story world clear, and hit the tone, humour and, let’s say, complicated relationship between the two main characters. You really blew us away.” The second goes to The Hungarian Look (Hungary): “A team that delivers on all accounts with a story that dives into unseen and unheard voices, bringing a new perspective on a period perceived as a boom - but what was the real cost, and how does it mirror today’s world? Nóra and Zsolt, you mix discipline and dynamic energy, you know what you want even at this early stage, and you listen - you treat a sensitive, important and difficult theme with huge curiosity, respect and ambition. We have no doubt you will take this project to the finish line.”
Series Mania Forum 2027 Accreditation (Lille, France), presented by Bastien Gave, Deputy Forum Director of the Series Mania Forum, goes to Memory (Switzerland) by Fanny Nussbaumer and Azra Djurdjevic:
“A very good pitch with a strong story engine - a story with a kick-ass woman we would love to watch on screen! We are thrilled to invite the two creators to present this very promising series to potential international partners at the Series Mania Forum. This murder mystery promises to engage a variety of emotions as we viewers try to understand our unusual protagonist and what drives her. A ‘kick-ass’ woman who sometimes makes bad choices is a refreshing detour from the stereotypical ingénue who predictably falls for some hero. We really liked this fractured hero.”
TV Beats Forum 2027 Accreditation (Tallinn, Estonia), presented by Roosa Toivonen, Co-Head of the TV Beats Forum, goes to Seventyn (Croatia) by Andrea Slaviček and Ivor Martinić:
“TV Beats, as you know, happens in Tallinn - the medieval city - and it’s called Black Nights for a reason. It’s dark, it’s cold, it’s horrible - and it is just the right place to show some dark humour and the intriguing premise we saw in Seventyn. So this very original premise wins the trip and accreditation to TV Beats in Tallinn in 2027.”
Audience Design Award, presented by Audience Design consultant Síle Culley, goes to Bourgeois Blues (Croatia) by Josipa Burić and Lorenzo Raušević with the following explanation:
"for exploring three planes of reality, which include the audience in some shape or form, and for leaning on a short film as a proof of concept.”
Media Play Award 2027: participation at Media Play 2027 in Sofia, Bulgaria goes to The Hungarian Look (Hungary) by Nóra Juhász and Zsolt Dér. In the words of Hristo Hadjitanev, Programme Director of Media Play Sofia and Content Development Director at Nova Broadcasting Group:
“A provocative story that resonates strongly with audiences in the CEE region, a bold and quite different angle on the colourful and lawless 90s, and a very exciting and original pitch that may serve as an example of how a series project can be presented.”
Serial Killer Award 2027: participation at the 10th edition of the Serial Killer festival in Brno, Czech Republic also goes to The Hungarian Look. As Dominika Erhart Braná, Industry Programme Coordinator of the festival, noted:
“Supporting stories and talent from the CEE region lies at the very heart of the Serial Killer festival. We are happy to enable the project The Hungarian Look to join us for our 10th edition and help them look for partners and support, as many can relate to the topic of this very series and the still recent memory of the wild 90s that brought fresh air and opportunities, but also challenges, to the region.”
Heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and to all nine teams, whose courage, openness and solidarity made this edition so special. A special thank-you goes to the international jury: Wade Channell (Damn Fool Productions), Síle Culley (Audience Design Consultant), Dominika Erhart Braná (Serial Killer Festival, Brno), Bastien Gave (Series Mania Forum), Hristo Hadjitanev (Media Play Sofia / Nova Broadcasting Group) and Roosa Toivonen (TV Beats Forum) and to our wonderful mentors Valeria Richter and Helene Granqvist.
Finally, thank you to everyone who made this edition possible: the Creative Europe MEDIA Desks of Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Hungary and Serbia, Arts Council Malta and MEDIA Desk Suisse, as well as the event’s partners: the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the Film Centre of Montenegro, the Cyprus Organisation for European Programmes and Cultural Relations, and Swiss Films. See you at the seventh edition - because good stories always find each other!
