The Italian Global Series (IGS) has officially announced the full program for its highly anticipated second annual edition, solidifying its position as a vital European summer hub for international television creatives.
Under the artistic direction of Marco Spagnoli, the free-to-the-public festival will run from July 3 to July 11, 2026. The event will split its schedule between the picturesque coastal cities of Rimini and Riccione before returning to Rimini for the final Closing Night Ceremony, where the prestigious Maximo Awards, the Italian equivalent of the Emmys, will be presented.
Reflecting a booming global interest, the festival received over 160 submissions this year. The final selection features 21 series hailing from 15 countries, divided into Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series categories.
Global Premieres and Elite Competitions
The International Competition is packed with high-profile titles and major star power. The Drama section will kick off with the world premieres of the UK/Spanish co-production Benidorm Is Murder, starring John Hannah, and the Brazilian medical series Emergency 53. Meanwhile, the US will make its competitive debut at the festival with the anthology series The Terror: Devil in Silver, bringing celebrated leads Judith Light and CCH Pounder to Riccione.
The Limited Series and Comedy categories offer an equally compelling global mix. Highlights include a fresh adaptation of Stendhal’s Le Rouge et Le Noir, featuring Camille Razat and Virginie Ledoyen, alongside the romance Falling from acclaimed British writer Jack Thorne.
The comedy lineup spans three continents, boasting the world premiere of the Czech prison comedy Cell Block B and Sally Wainwright’s highly anticipated Riot Women, which features Tamsin Greig. Presiding over these competitive fields are esteemed jury presidents including Nicholas Meyer for Limited Series, Marti Noxon for Drama, and Bruno Gouery for Comedy.
High-Profile Masterclasses and Pop Culture Milestones
Beyond the screenings, Italian Global Series 2026 will host an exceptional lineup of industry conversations. Renowned showrunner Carlton Cuse will join Oscar-winning writer John Ridley for a masterclass titled “Lost in Fellini,” while executive producers David W. Zucker and Steve Stark will dissect the shifting landscape of international television production. Adding significant regional excitement to the festival, married Turkish screen icons Özge Gürel and Serkan Çayoğlu will take the stage in Rimini to discuss their prolific careers and life in the public eye.
The festival will also pay tribute to several major television milestones. The 60th anniversary of Star Trek will be celebrated with a special panel featuring Jeri Ryan, Nicholas Meyer, and David W. Zucker, alongside an exclusive preview screening of the fourth season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ahead of its Paramount+ launch.
Additionally, British actor Robert Powell will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Franco Zeffirelli’s landmark Jesus of Nazareth, and the cast of Italy’s longest-running soap opera, Un posto al sole, will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Nurturing New Talent and Industry Growth
Driven by the Association of Audiovisual Producers (APA) in collaboration with Cinecittà and the Ministry of Culture, IGS is launching two major initiatives for 2026 to foster industry growth. The first is the Italian Global Series Summer School, which brings together 60 film and television students to form a “super jury” that will award the inaugural youth-led Maximino Prize. The second is Pitch Crime, an initiative designed to help established film production companies transition into television by developing original crime series, complete with a development grant for the winning project.
The festival will also hand out its Maximo Excellence Awards to honor outstanding artistic careers, celebrating industry icons like Carlton Cuse, Sabrina Ferilli, Marco Giallini, and a special lifetime achievement honor for the versatile Rita Pavone. With hotel occupancy rates already echoing the massive success of last year’s debut, the Italian Global Series is set to deliver another landmark celebration of contemporary audiovisual storytelling.
