EXCLUSIVE: Natasha Lyonne will be honored with the Maximo Excellence Award at the Italian Global Series event in Rimini.
Lyonne will be handed the award at the event’s closing ceremony at the Teatro Galli in Rimini, Italy.
The five-time Emmy nominee will also take part in an in-conversation session at the event, and the festival will screen the second season premiere of Lyonne’s Poker Face, which will debut in Italy on Sky in July.
The second edition of Italian Global Series (IGS) will run from July 3 to 6 in Rimini and from July 7 to 10 in Riccione. Other confirmed guests set to visit the event include Happy Valley creator Sally Wainwright, Doctor Foster actor Bertie Carvel, German-Turkish actor Serkan Çayoğlu, and Bates Motel creator Carlton Cuse.
The International Competition is divided into Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series. In each category, series can win a Maximo Award for Best Series, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, and Best Creator/Director. There is also a Special Jury Prize.
The Drama section opens with the debut screening of Benidorm Is Murder, a UK/Spanish production directed by Simon Delaney and starring John Hannah; and the medical series Emergency 53 from Brazil. Also making their International Premieres are Secret Service, a political spy thriller directed by James Marsh and starring Gemma Arterton; and the Korean thriller Speaking Dead.
Nicholas Meyer will serve as the President of the Limited Series Jury; American producer Marti Noxon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) will serve as President of the Drama Series Jury; and French actor and playwright Bruno Gouery (Emily in Paris) will serve as President of the Comedy Series Jury.
Jury members include Amanda Righetti (Scarpetta), Maurizio Lombardi (Citadel: Diana), Katia Fellin (Weiss and Morales), Tom Wlaschiha (Game of Thrones), Francesca Inaudi (The Hunter), Barbara Chichiarelli (Mussolini: Son of the Century), Assaad Bouab (Bad Sisters), Victor Alli (Bridgerton), singer Kaze, Italian-Canadian executive Rudy Buttignol, composer Pivio, director Lisa Mulcahy (The Assassin) and producer Pier Giorgio Bellocchio (De Generazione).
