With the accelerated "externalization" of global streaming platforms, overseas dramas are also undergoing profound changes in content production and dissemination paths. Diversified and cross-cultural expressions based on universal emotions continue to inject fresh vitality into the innovative creation of global TV dramas. In recent years, the shortlisted works for the Magnolia Award for overseas dramas have also reflected the new characteristics and trends of global industry development from one aspect. Among the shortlisted works for the overseas drama unit of the 29th Shanghai TV Festival Magnolia Award announced recently, 10 dramas from 7 countries explored family relationships, focused on hot social issues, and eulogized the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. They not only brought the audience sober realistic thinking, but also released the true feelings of love and tolerance in the world, showing a strong realistic background and humanistic care.
Cultivate the type track
Polishing regional characteristics
Compared with the "popularity" of family ethics dramas, in recent years, genre dramas have continued to deepen their roots in the subdivided track. Television people from various countries and regions continue to explore the innovative momentum of their inherent advantages in themes, and through more contemporary expressions, they continue to expand the boundaries of genre dramas, giving people a refreshing feeling. For example, the two Italian works shortlisted for the overseas drama unit of this year's Magnolia Awards, while maintaining the pure "Italian flavor", are both deeply marked by the times.
Directed by Italian national treasure director Giupese Tornatore, the short play "The Man Called Professor", adapted from a real Italian mafia story, is regarded as a "dark horse" by many viewers. This series was filmed 40 years ago, at the same time as Tornatore's film of the same name, but because the film involved some sensitive content in society at the time, it caused great controversy after its release, causing the subsequent films in the series to be shelved indefinitely. Last year, under Tornatore's personal supervision, the new production team restored this long-forgotten work in 4K, and invited Oscar-winning composer Nicola Piovani to compose the music, and finally edited it into two 50-minute short plays to meet the audience. From the big screen to the TV screen, the name "Tornatore" alone has raised the expectations of the outside world.
Another Italian drama nominated, "The Story of Morandi", tells the story of a woman living in Rome who struggles for the survival of herself and her children. The drama is adapted from the novel "History" published by the famous Italian writer Morandi in 1974. It describes the ordinary people's yearning and expectation for peace, and shows the joys and sorrows of individuals in the grand historical process and the reflection on human nature in extraordinary times.
The Final Offense
The Story of Morandi
The Man Called Professor
"Circle Drift"
It is worth mentioning that "Circle Drift" from South Africa is a very niche extreme sports theme, but it represents a new trend in the creation of South African film and television dramas in recent years. "Circle Drift" is a popular car extreme sport in South Africa. The operator must not only keep the vehicle in a high-speed driving state, complete stunts such as turning and drifting, but also lean out of the car to create thrilling scenes. The series takes this sport as the core, combined with the narrative routines of suspense and crime dramas, to bring the audience a visual impact similar to the South African version of "Fast and Furious". In addition, the series also intentionally added some "famous scenes" from similar works such as "City of God" and "Top Boy" to pay tribute to it.
Coincidentally, the Austrian series "The Last Offense" also reflects Austria's attempt to transform film and television dramas from one aspect. For example, the focus on and record of individual fate has made Austrian film and television works in recent years present a strong documentary style. "The Last Offense" starts with a letter left by a male protagonist who died young, and restores the unknown stories between him and his closest relatives and friends one by one, and gradually reveals the truth of his death. The whole work presents a cold and restrained texture, realistic characters, and delicate emotions.
Looking at the overseas genre dramas shortlisted this time, it is not difficult to see some of the current explorations and attempts of global film and television dramas in the compounding of genres, and emphasizing the characteristics of the times is the "greatest common divisor" among them.
"Drama N Generation" has great potential
Highlighting the creative strength
Every year, the "Nth Generation" of dramas are always on the shortlist of overseas dramas for the Magnolia Awards, which also shows the strength of the European and American film and television drama industry represented by American and British dramas in the continuous development and creation of IP. This year, the American drama "Succession Season 4" and the British drama "All Creatures Season 4" have successfully made it to the shortlist, and both dramas have gained countless fans around the world, and their Douban scores have remained above 9 points, with good reputations.
Succession is currently HBO's flagship show, having won the Emmy Awards for Best Drama, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Screenplay. Interestingly, the market performance of this series is contrary to the trend of "N generations of dramas", and has drawn an upward curve that starts low and ends high. The undercurrents and the layers of in-depth plot design firmly pull the audience's excitement. The screenwriter's narrative ambition and structural ability are undoubtedly commendable.
Succession Season 4
All Creatures Season 4
If the scheming in "Succession" accurately grasps the tastes and preferences of contemporary "Zhen scholars", then the pastoral idyll in "All Creatures" satisfies the imaginative needs of literary and artistic youth to "go to the cloud". Blue sky and white clouds, fresh air, and boundless wilderness are all within reach here. Here, people will help cows with difficult births, treat horses with injured legs, and even make way for sheep on the road. "All Creatures" allows people who are exhausted in the city to see another different way of life and different possibilities in life.
In the domestic drama market, "N-generation dramas" has always been a curse. The lack of long-term thinking and insufficient blank space have, to a certain extent, restricted the development and creation of subsequent dramas. In Europe and the United States, where industrial development is more mature and management is more sophisticated, many new dramas with long-term development potential are produced almost every year. They have also become frequent guests on the Magnolia Awards stage, continuing the good stories of two-way rush.
Telling stories of ordinary people
Capturing universal emotions
Family ethics narrative works have always been the ballast stone of the drama market. From the popular works in recent years, we can see that the description and portrayal of personal growth in the family, society and even in a larger vision and scope have received widespread attention. Among the shortlisted works of overseas dramas this year, nearly half of them are related to this theme. For example, Funny Girl, adapted from the novel of the same name by British writer Nick Horne, tells the story of how the protagonist Barbara overcame many challenges in the male-dominated comedy world of the 1960s, reshaped the public's perception of their humorous inner world, and demonstrated the protagonist's courage and strength to express herself; the French short drama The Sampoer River, based on real cases, restored a serial sexual assault case spanning more than 30 years. Through the complaints of different victims, the series uncovered the long-standing judicial scars in the local society; In the Arms of a Tree, which has a typical Iranian visual style, witnessed a couple whose marriage was on the verge of breaking up and made their last efforts to protect their children's peaceful life, highlighting the love and responsibility of being a parent; The French drama The Asperger Girl, which focuses on "Asperger's Syndrome", targets a 38-year-old single mother. By chance, she discovered that both she and her son suffered from autism spectrum disorder. In order to continue to be the guardian of her child, she decided to start a self-"healing"...
In the embrace of a tree
Funny Girl
Asperger's Girl
"Sangpo River"
These shortlisted works start from a personal perspective, telling the extraordinary stories of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. By seeing the big picture from the small and the profound from the subtle, they express and explore family ethics, moral values and specific social topics, and have certain life enlightenment significance.
The successful nomination of these representative works not only demonstrates the broad vision and professional perspective of the Magnolia Award, but also further enhances the Magnolia Award's leadership as an industry benchmark, and effectively promotes the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese and foreign television arts. Let us wait and see which work will win the Magnolia Award!
