SerienCamp’s reputation as a showcase for upcoming TV hits is well established. But far from the headlines and buzzy industry titles, the festival, which takes place from June 9 to 11 in Cologne, remains one of Europe’s best hunting grounds for under-the-radar finds.
This year’s lineup ranges from dystopian social horror and true crime-inspired corporate fraud to dark political satire and award-winning German workplace comedy.
Here are five international chains worth looking out for.
Annie E (Bangladesh)
The first Bangladeshi serial ever optioned for SerienCamp reaches big proportions. Directed by Abdullah Muhammad Saad, and one of his masterpieces Rehana Maryam Nour It premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. Annie E He imagines a world consumed by a mysterious pandemic that turns infected men into violent misogynists. The series focuses on a young nurse who struggles to provide for her five orphaned siblings after surviving a brutal assault. What begins as a social commentary gradually turns into a revenge thriller, blending elements of the dystopian genre with a disturbing examination of gender violence. The series marks a major international breakthrough for the Bangladeshi television industry.
Braunschlag 1986 (Austria)
After more than a decade of dark drama Braunschlag Becoming an unlikely Austrian cult phenomenon, creator David Schalko returns to the fictional town in Lower Austria with a sequel that doubles down on the absurdist antics of the original. Produced for Austrian public broadcaster ORF and released in Germany on HBO Max, the new series depicts a municipality trying to solve its problems by officially declaring that the year is 1986 again. The result is a strange and delightful collision of nostalgia, digital detox culture, and regional politics. As with Schalko’s best work, the comedy uses absurdity to tease out the contemporary anxiety lurking beneath the surface.
Fadia (Israel)
Produced by Cinema Virgin for Israel’s public broadcaster Makan TV. Fadia It addresses the issue of honor killing through the tense framework of a survival film. The Arabic-language drama revolves around a young woman left for dead by her family, only to be rescued by neighbors who risk everything to protect her. The series, directed by Palestinian-Israeli director Shadi Sorour, shifts the focus away from geopolitics towards the dangers women can face within their communities. Combining suspense and social criticism, Fadia It explores trauma, resilience, and the struggle to reclaim voice after violence, while maintaining the tension of a fugitive drama.
Disadvantages (Germany)
Already crowned the Best International Series award at SerienCamp 2026, Disadvantageswhich premiered at SeriesMania in March, arrives in Cologne with great momentum. Produced by Razor Film for ZDF, the comedy revolves around 11 chronically underperforming civil servants who are mistakenly enrolled in a training program for elite employees. What begins as a workplace satire soon turns into a surreal saga involving self-driving buses, hospital chaos, and forklift rampages. Output Stromberg and Tatortrainer Monastery Series veteran Arne Veldhusen combines physical comedy with deadpan absurdity in a way reminiscent of Jacques Tati, turning bureaucratic dysfunction into something unexpectedly epic.
Eldorado (France/Belgium)
Corporate fraud has rarely looked so amusing. Produced for the Franco-German cultural channel ARTE. Eldorado The film depicts one of the most prominent business scandals in modern French history, set against the backdrop of the turmoil of the 1970s oil crisis. The six-part series follows an aristocratic Belgian physicist and a self-taught Italian technician who convince the oil giant Elf Aquitaine that they have technology capable of locating oil reserves from the air. Directed by Louis Farge, the drama turns a real-life con into a universal tale of ambition, political intrigue and industrial imagination. Based on the award-winning performance of Karim Leclou, Eldorado presents a historical drama that feels strikingly contemporary in its fascination with hype, illusion, and technological snake oil.
