George Makris, Programming Director at United Media, spoke to Variety for a special feature exploring the global breakout of Serbian drama. Reflecting on the evolution of the local industry, Makris highlighted a major shift in production philosophy and how Serbian storytelling is increasingly resonating with international audiences — not by imitation, but by leaning into its own cultural and emotional uniqueness.

You can read the full article on the Variety website.

After a production boom in recent years that had some industry insiders fretting about an unsustainable glut of content, the Serbian TV biz appears to be headed for a course correction, with local producers and commissioners pointing toward a shift in emphasis from quantity to quality.

“Over the past decade, the Serbian TV industry has experienced a significant expansion — particularly in the volume of series produced,” says George Makris, programming director at production and distribution heavyweight United Media. “What we’re seeing now is a notable shift: the overall pace of production has slowed somewhat, but the bar for quality is rising,” he adds. “There’s a more curated mindset at play — fewer projects, yes, but more thoughtfully developed and better positioned to travel beyond national borders.”

With the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Serbia emerged as the region’s dominant political, economic and cultural force, making it the de facto powerhouse for film and television production in the Balkans.

Foreign buyers have certainly been circling the Serbian market, drawn to what United Media’s Makris characterizes as drama that is “regional at its roots, but with the kind of scope and craft that speaks to a global audience.” Among the broadcasters and streaming platforms coming on board are HBO Max, Channel 4’s Walter Presents, Globo TV and Amazon Prime Video….

What those buyers are witnessing is the evolution of an industry that is becoming part of the global conversation — but doing it on its own terms. “What we’re seeing is not just a fleeting curiosity about Serbian drama, but a genuine appetite for stories from this part of the world — stories that offer a different emotional cadence and cultural lens,” says Makris, citing United Media’s “Time of Death,” adapted from a novel by Dobrica Ćosić, as an example of a “bold piece of storytelling rooted in Serbian history” that shows how local creators are striking a balance “between the intimate and the universal.”

“What’s crucial is that these stories are no longer being shaped to imitate global trends,” he adds. “Instead, they are confidently expressing their own identity. And that confidence is starting to be recognized.”

Speaking about the road ahead, Makris underlined: “We are not trying to mimic what’s already been done elsewhere — we’re trying to offer something distinct. The challenge is to convince global players that there’s value in that distinctiveness — and to consistently deliver work that proves it.”