Crime, mystery and thriller titles are taking center stage at this year’s Italian Global Series (IGS), which will run from July 3-10 across Rimini and Riccione, Italy.
The festival’s International Competition features 21 series from 15 countries, with a strong presence of crime-driven storytelling.
From political espionage and serial killer investigations to forensic mysteries and organized crime, the 2026 lineup highlights some of the most anticipated crime dramas from around the world.
Among the standout titles is Secret Service, a British political spy thriller following an MI6 officer investigating a suspected Russian infiltration at the highest levels of the UK government. South Korean thriller Speaking Dead centers on a forensic scientist who pushes for the reinvestigation of a prosecutor’s suspicious death, uncovering a wider network of corruption and abuse of power.
Italy’s The Teresa Battaglia Cases: Daughter of Ash follows a veteran profiler tracking a serial killer who leaves ritualistic clues behind a string of murders, while Swedish legal thriller Burden of Justice explores the dark realities hidden beneath Stockholm’s elite law firms.
Other notable crime entries include Benidorm Is Murder, a crime drama set on Spain’s Costa Blanca; The Widow Killer, a period thriller about a ritualistic serial killer in Nazi-occupied Prague; and The Terror: Devil in Silver, a psychological horror thriller set inside a psychiatric institution filled with secrets and violence.
In the Limited Series competition, Chilean drama Raza Brava examines the links between organized football fan groups, violence and criminal networks, while Spanish thriller The Tribute revolves around long-buried crimes, betrayals and shocking revelations that emerge during a family patriarch’s 80th birthday celebration.
Festival organizers said they received more than 160 submissions from around the world for this year’s edition. The final selection represents productions from Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America.
Confirmed guests include Happy Valley creator Sally Wainwright, Doctor Foster actor Bertie Carvel, German-Turkish actor Serkan Çayoğlu and Bates Motel creator Carlton Cuse.
Alongside screenings, the event will host discussions on international productions, co-production trends and the future of global television storytelling.
Source: Deadline
