Retirement protesters ambush a series of frenzies as unrest over government reform reaches drama fest

Riot police were sent to the purple carpet in Lille yesterday as nationwide protests against pension reform hit serial mania.

Protesters fighting against President Emmanuel Macron’s reform plans were pushed back and order was quickly restored. Witnesses saw riots elsewhere in the historic city throughout the evening.

Deadline heard sirens and saw several police cars and ambulances heading to incidents, and we saw images of street fires and clashes between riot police and protesters on MPs’ phones.

By the end of the evening the streets were quiet again as the protests died down.

Riots raged across France over plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, and Lille could not escape. The reforms passed without a vote in Parliament, sparking protests in cities such as Paris, Marseille and Lyon.

A general strike is scheduled for Thursday (March 23), leaving many Series Mania delegates nervous about Thursday’s schedule as the forum draws to a close. Those traveling to Paris or other cities for flights may be affected, according to the national railway company SNCF.

Eurostar reports several trains have been canceled and more information can be found on its website. The nationwide action will “cause disruption in several sectors, including national rail services, and affect the availability of some of our crew,” the domestic rail line said.

Garbage also rises as garbage collectors join the strikes.

The unexpected upheavals haven’t dampened Series Mania delegates, however, as the annual Federation Studios party is well attended and other events are busy and buzzing. Many stars like Desperate Housewives Actress Marcia Cross was in town for the start of the forum.

Meanwhile, the winner of the Co-Pro Pitching session was announced.

Six-part war thriller Ukraine/Poland unspoken was named the recipient of a 50,000 euro ($54,000) check after being selected by a panel of judges led by president Caroline Hollick, Britain’s Channel 4 head of drama.

unspoken comes from Dmytro Sukhanov of Toy Cinema and Natalia Libet of 2Brave Productions in Ukraine and Anna Rożalska of Match&Spark in Poland. Zhanna Ozirna and Filip Syczyński are writers there.

Also on the jury were Michele Zatta, editor-in-chief of Italy’s RAI; Françoise Guyonnet, Executive Managing Director TV Series at StudioCanal; Jarmo Lampela, Head of Drama at YLE in Finland; and Lindsey Martin from Great Britain VP, Development and Co-Productions at CBS Studios International

“The jury unanimously united the winning project with the raw, emotional intensity of storytelling. The powerful, relatable story of a father willing to do anything to save his family was a bold and original take on the most pressing issue of our time,” said Hollick.

Series Mania started with Game 17 and runs until March 24.