HBO Max's Proud Wins Big at Series Mania Awards: A Triumph for LGBTQ Representation
HBO Max had a successful week at the Series Mania Awards, with the Polish series Proud winning the Grand Prize and best actor for Ignacy Liss. Proud, led by showrunner Benedikt Erlingsson, tells the story of a gay man caring for his niece after a family tragedy. The jury praised the series as a moving portrayal of a young man taking control of his life in challenging circumstances.
Proud's exploration of LGBTQ themes comes at a crucial time, as a report from the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe highlighted concerns about self-censorship among writers. The report raised questions about the impact of fear of reprisal from far-right governments on storytelling, particularly immigrant and LGBTQ narratives. The discussion around the report was a significant topic at Series Mania.
HBO had a successful week overall, with the launch of HBO Max in the UK, the release of a highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone trailer, and a strong presence at Series Mania in Lille. Other winners at the awards included Dennis Kelly's BBC series Waiting for the Out for Best Screenplay and Amanda Jansson for Best Actress in the Nordic co-production My Brother. Mackenzie Crook's Small Prophets won Best Series in the International Panorama section, with Lauren Patel also receiving recognition for her performance.
The Australian thriller Dustfall, starring Anna Torv from The Newsreader, received the audience award, while TF1's All Shapes of Us was named Best French series. The awards ceremony marked the conclusion of another successful Series Mania, which ran from March 20. Overall, the event showcased a diverse range of international series and celebrated outstanding talent in the industry.