The Monte-Carlo Television Festival is preparing to celebrate its 65th anniversary with a major international line-up of actors, producers, creators and television executives descending on Monaco this June.
Held under the patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, the festival will run from June 12 to 16 at the Grimaldi Forum, marking more than six decades of the Principality’s relationship with the television industry.
Organisers say this year’s edition is designed to balance tradition with the rapidly changing landscape of global entertainment, as streaming platforms, artificial intelligence and new digital formats continue reshaping the sector.
Festival Executive Director Cécile Menoni described the anniversary edition as both “a celebration of heritage” and a reflection of television’s future, positioning the event as a hub for creativity, talent discovery and industry debate.
A major Hollywood-led opening is planned with the international premiere of season three of The Walking Dead: Dead City. Cast members Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan are expected in Monaco alongside showrunner Seth Hoffman for the unveiling of the first two episodes.
The festival’s competition juries will also feature prominent international figures from across television and film. The Fiction Jury will be chaired by British actress Lesley Manville, joined by names including Greg Daniels, Kevin McKidd and Yasmin Finney.
Meanwhile, the Digital Jury will be led by former YouTube executive Susanne Daniels, while documentary filmmaker Joshua Seftel will preside over the Feature Reports and News Jury.
Several major industry honours are also set to headline the event. Actress Kristin Scott Thomas and Hollywood veteran Kurt Russell will both receive Crystal Nymph Awards recognising their contributions to international entertainment.
Rising stars Ester Expósito and Matthew Broome are due to receive the International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent, while legendary French television presenter Michel Drucker will be honoured with the Honorary Nymph Award for his decades-long broadcasting career. The festival will conclude on 16 June and will be broadcast live by TV Monaco.
Beyond the awards, organisers are placing strong emphasis on public engagement. Advance screenings, fan events and cast appearances are planned throughout the week, including stars from The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless and Un Si Grand Soleil.
A special documentary marking the festival’s history, titled Monte-Carlo, a Festival and 65 Years of Television, will also premiere during the event. Produced by Theorem and TV Monaco, the film retraces the festival’s journey from its creation by Prince Rainier III in 1961 through to today’s streaming era.
Industry professionals will meanwhile gather at the festival’s Business Forum, where discussions are expected to focus heavily on artificial intelligence, changing audience habits and the growing convergence between traditional broadcasters and digital creators.
Among those announced for the forum are producer Michael Hirst, actor Aldis Hodge and producer Tom Jennings, who will also lead a masterclass for emerging factual storytellers.
Festival organisers say the 65th edition aims to reinforce Monaco’s status as one of the television industry’s premier international meeting points — where creative talent, business strategy and audience culture increasingly intersect.