What you will find in the article:
- Polish series Proud wins Best Series at Serial Killer festival.
- Czech series Kamarád wins the new Czech Killer competition.
- Oddíl B receives a Special Mention for its cast.
- Karol Klementewicz awarded Progressive Killer for television production.
- Festival featured 40 screenings and 33 series from 15 countries.
The ninth edition of the international series festival Serial Killer has announced the winners of its competition sections. The main Primetime Killer award for Best Series from Central and Eastern Europe went to the Polish series Proud, directed by Karol Klementewicz. The first winner of the newly established Czech Killer competition section was the series Kamarád. The Progressive Killer award for an outstanding figure in television production also went to Karol Klementewicz. The cast of Oddíl B received a Special Mention from the jury.
Polish series Proud wins the main award
The international jury selected the winner from five competing titles: Zpřetrhaná pouta, Proud, Variola Vera, Oddíl B and Kamarád. The Primetime Killer award ultimately went to the Polish series Proud, produced by HBO.
The series follows Filip, a young Warsaw-based model who is forced to reassess his lifestyle and confront both personal trauma and social prejudice. The series also enjoyed success at the international Series Mania festival earlier this year.
According to the jury, the series excelled across all aspects of its production, from writing and directing to acting and editing. Festival Programme Director Dan Vondra particularly praised the way it combines a distinctive form with powerful content.
The creators of the series Kamarád; Source: Serial Killer, David KonečnýKamarád becomes the first Czech Killer winner
The newly established Czech Killer competition section focused on contemporary Czech series produced by a range of broadcasters. The Czech jury selected from the series Hec, Kamarád, Oddíl B, Rekordwoman and Táta.
The winner was Kamarád, produced by Czech Television. In its statement, the jury highlighted the series’ understated treatment of a challenging subject, its use of multiple perspectives and its ability to appeal to audiences across generations.
Czech Television creative producer Kateřina Ondřejková described the award as particularly significant given the strong competition and thanked those who, by sharing their own experiences, make it possible for stories of this kind to be told.
The creators of the series Oddíl B; Source: Serial Killer, David KonečnýSpecial Mention for Oddíl B
The Czech Killer jury also awarded a Special Mention to the cast of the prison comedy series Oddíl B, directed by Jan Prušinovský and written by Petr Kolečko. The jury particularly praised the combination of professional and non-professional actors, which it said contributed to the authenticity of the storytelling and added further layers of meaning to the comedy genre. The series will premiere on Oneplay on October 9.
Karol Klementewicz receives the Progressive Killer award
The Progressive Killer 2026 award for an outstanding figure in television production in Central and Eastern Europe went to Polish director and screenwriter Karol Klementewicz. The organisers particularly recognised his work on the series Proud, which explores themes of parenthood, social prejudice and the position of LGBTQ+ people in contemporary Poland.
This year’s festival featured 40 screenings and presented 33 series from 15 countries. The programme also included the TV Days industry conference, featuring 70 speakers from 15 European countries. Representatives of Czech broadcasters as well as international television and production companies gathered in Brno. The programme was complemented by presentations of six upcoming projects from Central and Eastern Europe and discussions on current trends in television production.
The tenth anniversary edition of the Serial Killer festival will take place in Brno from September 21 to 26, 2027.
Source: mediaguru.cz