ONSeries Lisboa 2021: Portugal Turns to Crime, Noir to Fuel Overseas Expansion
Martin Dale ContributorPortuguese producers are looking to strike gold with a hit series that could follow in the footsteps of European shows such as “Money Heist,” “Hierro,” “The Bridge,” “Trapped” or “Skam.”They have several advantages: Portugal has competitive production costs which can compensate for more limited budgets; they’re fast learners, as shown by the rapid development of a successful domestic telenovelas industry in the early 2000s; and they are good at international networking, as confirmed by the solid network of foreign co-productions in place for film and TV productions.Still, challenges remain, including difficulties in raising financing, as well as the need for greater investment in script development.