The eyes of the sporting world were on Monaco this weekend as Kimi Antonelli sped to victory at the Formula 1 Grand Prix. The principality also regularly provides a glamorous backdrop for movies and events. When it comes to TV, it has been the host of the Monte-Carlo TV Festival since the early 1960s.
The Festival blends events for the public and the industry and the 65th edition will open with Season 3 of The Walking Dead: Dead City, while Kristin Scott Thomas and Kurt Russell will receive its top honor, the Crystal Nymph. Ester Expósito and Matthew Broome, meanwhile, will take accolades for most promising talent, while a raft of projects compete for Golden Nymph awards across fiction, digital, and news and documentary categories.
Ahead of this year’s Festival getting underway, its Executive Director, Cécile Menoni, gave Deadline the lowdown.
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DEADLINE: The calendar of festivals and events is jam packed. Where does the Monte-Carlo TV Festival fit in?
Cécile Menoni: Many events focus primarily on the industry, while others are designed mainly for fans and the public. What makes Monte-Carlo unique is its ability to bring together every part of the television ecosystem in a single destination. Over five days, writers, producers, executives, talent, journalists and audiences share the same spaces, attend the same premieres and participate in the same conversations.
There is also a strong symbolic dimension to the Festival. Created by Prince Rainier III in 1961, it has accompanied virtually every major transformation in television history, from the era of public broadcasters to cable television, the rise of international co-productions, the streaming revolution and now the emergence of digital-first storytelling.
DEADLINE: This will be the 65th edition of the Festival, what can we expect?
Cécile Menoni: From Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and Kurt Russell, who will receive our Crystal Nymphs, to Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan presenting The Walking Dead: Dead City, the Festival brings together some of the most influential figures in contemporary television.
We are also delighted to welcome creators and producers such as Michael Hirst, one of the most respected storytellers in the industry, alongside talents including Aldis Hodge, Ben Watkins and Ester Expósito, recipient of the International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent.
I am equally proud of the richness of this year’s Official Competition, which showcases programs from around the world and reflects the extraordinary diversity of storytelling today.
DEADLINE: How do you balance the mix of industry and public events?
Cécile Menoni: The public side of the Festival creates excitement, visibility and genuine engagement between viewers and the people who create the programs they love. The industry side creates opportunities for collaboration, networking and strategic discussions.
We are not a market in the traditional sense, and that distinction is important. Our objective is not simply to facilitate business transactions, but to create an environment where meaningful conversations, creative exchanges and lasting relationships can develop naturally.
Our role is to create an environment where both communities can interact naturally. The Business Forum, premieres, public screenings, talent encounters and industry discussions all contribute to a broader ecosystem that reflects the many ways television brings people together.
DEADLINE: How has the Festival evolved?
Cécile Menoni: A decade ago, many conversations centered primarily on broadcasters and traditional commissioning models. Today, the landscape is considerably more complex. Global streamers, digital platforms, independent producers, creator-led businesses and emerging technologies are all influencing how stories are developed, financed, distributed and consumed.
Our responsibility as a Festival is not simply to reflect those changes but to anticipate them. This is one of the reasons why we have expanded the Business Forum, introduced new industry-focused discussions and launched the Digital Competition. These allow us to recognize excellence across a broader spectrum of content while fostering conversations about the future of storytelling.
DEADLINE: Tell us about this year’s Crystal Nymphs and why Dame Kristin and Kurt Russell were selected.
Cécile Menoni: The Crystal Nymph honors individuals whose careers have left a lasting mark on the television industry and on audiences worldwide.
Dame Kristin Scott Thomas has built an extraordinary career distinguished by elegance, intelligence and artistic excellence. Across television, film and theatre, she has consistently delivered remarkable performances while maintaining a unique creative integrity that has earned admiration across generations.
Kurt Russell represents another exceptional journey. Over several decades, he has become one of the most respected and recognizable figures in international entertainment. His versatility, longevity and ability to connect with audiences across generations make him a truly deserving recipient.
DEADLINE: The Festival has always attracted Hollywood and U.S. talent. How important has that dimension been?
Cécile Menoni: This longstanding connection with American talent and the U.S. entertainment industry has been part of the Festival’s DNA since its creation by Prince Rainier III in 1961 and remains one of the cornerstones of its international identity today.
What is particularly fascinating today is how much the relationship between Europe and the United States has evolved. The flow of ideas is no longer one-directional. European series are traveling globally, international co-productions are becoming increasingly common and audiences are embracing stories regardless of their country of origin.
DEADLINE: As you look back on your time with the Festival, what are the moments and highlights that come to mind?
Cécile Menoni: This anniversary has encouraged us to look back at an extraordinary history. One of the projects I am particularly proud of this year is the documentary produced by TVMonaco, which retraces six decades of the Festival’s evolution and its close relationship with the television industry.
Through archive footage and interviews, it highlights some of the remarkable personalities who have helped shape both the Festival and television itself. In the documentary, we hear reflections from figures such as Jerry Bruckheimer, Dick Wolf, Michel Drucker, Alexia Laroche-Joubert, Dominique Farrugia, Marie-France Brière and Rola Bauer, all of whom represent different chapters of television history.
What makes me particularly proud is that the Festival has never been simply a celebration of fame. It has always been a place where creative talent, industry leaders and audiences can come together around a shared passion for storytelling. That spirit remains just as relevant today as it was in 1961.