– The Flaws, Riot Women and Leonard and Hungry Paul also triumphed in the Italian festival dedicated to TV series
Swedish series Burden of Justice
The Swedish legal drama Burden of Justice, a French series about femicide and patriarchy entitled Laura’s Treatment and Marco Bellocchio’s mini-series Portobello – The Fall of Enzo Tortura emerged as the major winners of the second edition of the Italian Global Series Festival, which wrapped on Saturday 11 July in Rimini’s Teatro Galli after nine days dedicated to television drama in Italy and abroad.
The international competition’s Drama section was dominated by Swedish series Burden of Justice, which claimed both Best Series and Best Director for Lisa Linnertorp. Italy secured its only award in the section thanks to Elena Sofia Ricci, who won Best Lead Actress for I casi di Teresa Battaglia – Figlia della cenere, while British actor Rafe Spall took home Best Lead Actor for his performance in Secret Service.
The Comedy competition spread its honours across three European productions. German series The Flaws received the award for Best Series, while acclaimed British writer-director Sally Wainwright was recognised as Best Creator-Director for Riot Women, whose lead Joanna Scanlan also won Best Actress. Meanwhile, Irish-British dramedy Leonard and Hungry Paul earned both the Special Jury Prize and Best Lead Actor for Alex Lawther.
The Limited Series competition saw French and Chilean productions sharing the spotlight. French drama Laura’s Treatment won Best Series and Best Lead Actress for Valérie Bonneton, while Chile’s Raza Brava collected Best Director for Hernán Caffiero and Best Lead Actor for Gabriel Muñoz. The latter title also received the Maximino Award, bestowed by university students taking part in the festival.
The Italian Fiction Competition was dominated by Marco Bellocchio’s Portobello, inspired by the Enzo Tortora case, which secured three Maximo Awards: Best Mini-Series, Best Director and Best Screenplay. Guerrieri – La regola dell’equilibrio won Best Drama Series, while Pesci piccoli – Season 2 was named Best Comedy Series. Acting awards were presented to Marina Occhionero (Avvocato Ligas), Sara Drago (Call My Agent Italy – Season 3), Carolina Crescentini (Mrs. Playmen), Giulia Michelini (Il falsario), Lino Guanciale (Il commissario Ricciardi – Season 3), Francesco Russo (Call My Agent Italy – Season 3), Valentino Mannias (The Monster of Florence) and Dario Aita for Franco Battiato. Il lungo viaggio.
The closing ceremony also honoured two of the festival’s most prominent international guests. British writer, actor and creator Richard Gadd received the Breakthrough Storyteller Award, while American actress Natasha Lyonne was presented with the Maximo Excellence Award following her appearance in one of the festival’s public conversations.
“The packed theatres, filled with so many young people; the Italian and international press coverage; and the social media buzz are the best and most significant testament to the appreciation for our work, this year”, declared Artistic Director Marco Spagnoli. “The results confirm the leading cultural role played by the festival and further propel its mission towards ever new challenges, new audiences, and new stories”.
In the meantime, the dates for the next edition have already been announced: the third Italian Global Series Festival will take place in Rimini and Riccione from 2 to 10 July 2027.
The full list of this year’s award winners is as follows:
International Competition – Drama
Best Series
Burden of Justice – Lisa Linnertorp (Sweden)
Best Director
Lisa Linnertorp – Burden of Justice
Best Actress
Elena Sofia Ricci – I casi di Teresa Battaglia – Figlia della cenere (Italy)
Best Lead Actor
Rafe Spall – Secret Service (UK)
International Competition – Comedy
Best Series
The Flaws – Arne Feldhusen (Germany)
Best Creator-Director
Sally Wainwright – Riot Women (UK)
Best Lead Actress
Joanna Scanlan – Riot Women
Best Lead Actor
Alex Lawther – Leonard and Hungry Paul (Ireland)
Special Jury Prize
Leonard and Hungry Paul – Andrew Chaplin
International Competition – Limited Series
Best Series
Laura’s Treatment – Akim Isker (France)
Best Director
Hernán Caffiero – Raza Brava (Chile)
Best Lead Actress
Valérie Bonneton – Laura’s Treatment
Best Lead Actor
Gabriel Muñoz – Raza Brava
Maximino Award presented by students participating in the festival
Raza Brava
Italian Fiction Competition
Best Drama Series
Guerrieri – La regola dell’equilibrio – Gianluca Maria Tavarelli (Italy)
Best Comedy Series
Pesci piccoli – Season 2 – Francesco Ebbasta, Alessandro Grespan, Danilo Carlani, Alessio Dogana (Italy)
Best Mini-Series
Portobello – The Fall of Enzo Tortura – Marco Bellocchio (Italy/France)
Best TV Movie
Franco Battiato. Il lungo viaggio – Renato De Maria (Italy)
Best Directing – Drama
Giuseppe Mezzapesa, Jacopo Bonvicini, Letizia Lamartire – The Law According to Lidia Poët (Italy)
Best Directing – Comedy
Francesco Ebbasta, Alessandro Grespan, Danilo Carlani, Alessio Dogana – Pesci piccoli – Season 2
Best Directing – Mini-Series
Marco Bellocchio – Portobello – The Fall of Enzo Tortura
Best Directing – TV Movie
Stefano Lodovichi – Il falsario (Italy)
Best Actress – Drama
Marina Occhionero – Avvocato Ligas (Italy)
Best Actress – Comedy
Sara Drago – Call My Agent Italy – Season 3 (Italy)
Best Actress – Mini-Series
Carolina Crescentini – Mrs. Playmen (Italy)
Best Actress – TV Movie
Giulia Michelini – Il falsario
Best Actor – Drama
Lino Guanciale – Il commissario Ricciardi – Season 3 (Italy)
Best Actor – Comedy
Francesco Russo – Call My Agent Italy – Season 3
Best Actor – Mini-Series
Valentino Mannias – The Monster of Florence (Italy)
Best Actor – TV Movie
Dario Aita – Franco Battiato. Il lungo viaggio (Italy)
Best Drama Screenplay
Gianrico Carofiglio, Doriana Leondeff, Antonio Leotti, Oliviero Del Papa – Guerrieri – La regola dell’equilibrio
Best Comedy Screenplay
Francesco Apolloni, Giovanni Cardillo, Giovanni Tancredi Brusaporci, Giulio Manfredonia, Valentina Capecci – L’appartamento – Sold Out (Italy)
Best Mini-Series Screenplay
Giordana Mari, Giuseppe Fiore, Marco Bellocchio, Stefano Bises – Portobello
Best TV Movie Screenplay
Sandro Petraglia, in collaboration with Lorenzo Bagnatori and Eleonora Bordi – Zvanì – The Family Novel by Giovanni Pascoli (Italy)
