Tokyo Crush Wins Big at Series Mania!

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The France-Japan comedy-romance ‘Tokyo Crush’ received the honor of Best Project Award at the Series Mania Forum, a prestigious accolade given to the most outstanding title in the highly anticipated Co-Production Pitching Sessions during the French TV festival.

One highlight from Series Mania was the Pitching Sessions, where fifteen unique project proposals were shared with industry professionals on a Tuesday during Series Mania in Lille, France’s north region.

The €50,000 ($54,000) cash award was unveiled by Laurence Herszberg, founder and managing director of Series Mania, along with M.K. Kennedy, president of the jury for Co-Pro Pitching Sessions and an executive managing director at Studiocanal for TV Series, who were in charge of the announcement.

Or, more concisely:

The award worth €50,000 ($54,000) was announced by Series Mania’s founder Laurence Herszberg and M.K. Kennedy, president of the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions jury and executive managing director at Studiocanal for TV Series.

The film titled “Tokyo Crush” was created by Clémence Dargent, Jonas Ben Haiem, and Jean-Félix Dealberto for France’s Salle Commune and Japan’s Hiroko Oda for Flag Inc. This movie revolves around Mona, an imaginative sous-chef from Paris who believes she’s won big when she gets offered the chance to transform a lackluster Tokyo izakaya into the city’s new trendy spot.

However, on her arrival in Japan, she discovers a condition: she must collaborate with the current workforce, which includes Toshiro, the extremely gifted (yet irritatingly attractive) grandson of the company’s founder.

Dealberto explained to EbMaster that this series is a captivating mix of food, personal growth, and romance, revolving around an unconventional yet charming work team. The heart of the story lies in French and Japanese cuisines – universal favorites with stunning visual appeal. Notably, ‘Tokyo Crush’ is the debut project of Clémence Dargent, a renowned French screenwriter in film and television.

After careful consideration and lively discussions, I opted for ‘Tokyo Crush’ as it offered a unique narrative scope, both within and beyond the kitchen. It seemed innovative, providing various access points for viewers. With an eclectic cast of characters and plotlines brimming with potential for humor, it showcases cultural clashes, traditional vs modern dilemmas, competition, and a tantalizing will-they/won’t-they romance. In essence, it stood out as a one-of-a-kind choice.

Common Room, headquartered in Paris, is an autonomous film production firm established in 2022 by Jonas Ben Haiem and Jean-Felix Dealberto, backed financially by Charades.

The jury consisted of Kennedy, as well as André Béraud, who is in charge of scripted programs, films, and television at ICI Radio-Canada Télé (Canada); Henriette Marienlund, the head of drama at DR Drama (Denmark); José Pastor, the head of drama and fiction at RTVE (Spain); and Frank Seyberth, who oversees co-production in international fiction at ZDF (Germany).

or

The jury comprised Kennedy, André Béraud (head of scripted programs, films, and television at ICI Radio-Canada Télé in Canada), Henriette Marienlund (head of drama at DR Drama in Denmark), José Pastor (head of drama and fiction at RTVE in Spain), and Frank Seyberth (overseer of co-production in international fiction at ZDF in Germany).

or

Kennedy was part of a jury that included André Béraud, the head of scripted content for ICI Radio-Canada Télé in Canada; Henriette Marienlund, the head of drama at DR Drama in Denmark; José Pastor, the head of drama and fiction at RTVE in Spain; and Frank Seyberth, who manages co-production in international fiction at ZDF in Germany.

As a fervent admirer, let me express my excitement about the highly anticipated Co-Pro Pitching Sessions at the Series Mania Forum. It’s truly an honor to announce that the €50,000 prize is being awarded to the heartwarming romance comedy, “Tokyo Crush.” In these challenging times, it’s a breath of fresh air to witness a production like this triumph. I believe that this captivating tale is exactly what the audience yearns for in these trying days, according to Herszberg’s insightful remarks.

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2025-03-25 22:16