At Transilvania IFF.24 (June 13–22, 2025), the Coming Up Next section spotlights some of the most exciting and compelling European series of the moment. The lineup features first episodes or complete seasons from recent productions, offering audiences the chance to experience auteur-driven storytelling on the big screen — works that blur the boundaries between cinema and television.
Created by Paula Fraba, Sara Cano, and Rodrigo Sorogoyen – the acclaimed Spanish filmmaker awarded the Transilvania Trophy in 2014 – The New Years follows the evolving relationship of two young people at a turning point in their lives. Lost, yet determined to change their fate, they become the protagonists of a story that unfolds across ten consecutive New Year’s Eves. Premiered at the Venice Film Festival, the series is, as Sorogoyen put it, “a story that begins with a couple and turns into a story about life.”
Inspired by the true story behind one of the largest financial scandals in Europe, Other People’s Money (dir. Dustin Loose, Kaspar Munk, Jan Schomburg) delves into the shocking events surrounding the Cum-Ex affair – a massive tax fraud scheme. Premiered at Berlinale, the series follows the meteoric rise of young lawyer Sven Lebert and his mentor, Dr. Bernd Hausner, as they expand the scheme across Germany, building a web of banks, lawyers, and international investors.
The Danish Girl, directed by Benedikt Erlingsson – familiar to TIFF audiences from his delightful comedy Woman at War – tells the story of a retired secret agent who finds it hard to leave the action behind. After moving into an apartment block in Reykjavik, she turns the quiet neighborhood into a battleground for justice, taking on her neighbors’ troubles with ruthless efficiency.
My Dear Mother (dir. Doris Tääker, Raoul Suvi, Toomas Ili, Tiina Lokk) is a Nordic noir psychological thriller based on real events, centering on a young woman whose life spirals out of control after a brutal murder is uncovered. As the truth surfaces, the line between victim and perpetrator becomes increasingly blurred. A co-production between Estonia and Ukraine, the series was selected for the Berlinale Series Market.
Directed by Lauren Greenfield, Social Studies is a documentary series exploring the lives and struggles of a generation raised in the digital age. Compared to the hit series Adolescence, it captures the personal battles, social pressures, and identity crises of teens followed throughout a full school year, offering an unfiltered look into the lives of today’s youth. TIFF audiences will be able to watch all five episodes in a special marathon screening.