EXCLUSIVE: Queen Silvia, the Prime Video and ProSiebenSat.1 period drama, will have a world premiere at MIPCOM Cannes.
The Pyjama Pictures and Unlimited Stories drama, inspired by the real-life romance of Sweden’s Queen Silvia and King Carl Gustaf, will screen on Tuesday, October 13 at 6pm local time at the Grand Auditorium at the Palais des Festivals. It will be open to the public with English and French subtitles.
Per the show synopsis, the audience will discover “the remarkable story of a young German woman whose chance encounter with Sweden’s future king would change the course of both their lives – and ultimately see her become not only Queen of Sweden, but one of Europe’s most recognizable and enduring royal icons.”
Queen Silvia is set across Munich, Stockholm and the French Riviera, and follows German-Brazilian interpreter Silvia Sommerlath (Alicia von Rittberg) and Sweden’s young Crown Prince, Carl Gustaf (Edvin Endre), from their first meeting until their engagement four years later. Their paths cross during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, and what begins as an unexpected romance develops into an impossible love that must navigate public scrutiny, royal tradition, and the expectations of the Swedish monarchy.
The screening of the first episode will be followed by a Q&A featuring von Rittberg (Charité), Endre (Eddie the Eagle), showrunner Carsten Kelber, director Miguel Alexandre (Sisi) and Beta Film’s Justus Riesenkampff.
We revealed news of the show back in March, with Prime Video on board for rights in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Nordics and Nordics and German free-TV broadcaster SAT.1 also attached, with Beta handling international sales.
The director, Alexandre, also co-wrote the screenplay together with Lisa Hofer (Black Island), with the pair serving as head writers, alongside Pauline Wolff (Stockholm Requiem). Exec producers are Tina Ermuth, Frank Buchs, Kelber, Emil Wiklund, Manya Lutz-Moneim and Riesenkampff. Pia Lüke, Tim Bahalou, and Frida Wallman are the producers, and Jallo Faber is the director of photography. The series is supported by German Motion Picture Fund, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, and FilmFörderung Bayern.
“This love story is relevant and one of a kind, and, surprise, it does not follow a Cinderella narrative,” said Kelber, who leads the SevenOne.Studios-owned Pyjama alongside Buchs. “Instead, it has a very modern take on relationship and marriage – depicting the lead character Queen Silvia who was way ahead of her time. And here we are, half a century later, which best describes how epic this couple is.”
Justus Riesenkampff, EVP Nordics & Benelux for Beta added: “Queen Silvia is ultimately a story about love and identity – about a young woman entering a royal world she never sought to be part of, staying true to herself and ultimately winning the hearts of a nation.”
“The premiere will give audiences in Cannes the opportunity to experience this highly anticipated new drama on the big screen, while also showcasing the series to the international television community gathered at the market,” said Lucy Smith, Director of MIPCOM Cannes. “We’re particularly pleased to open the screening to the public, bringing this compelling royal story to audiences both within and beyond the MIPCOM Cannes delegate community.”
