Ukraine’s First True Crime Series Wins at International Content Warsaw Copro Pitch 2025
The project under the working title Enrique, Ukraine’s first true-crime series and a new Kyivstar TV Originals production, has won the top award in the Scripted Series category at the Content Warsaw Copro Pitch 2025 by C21Media. Out of more than 50 applications from across Central and Eastern Europe, only six projects were selected for the final pitching session — and it was Enrique that captured the attention of the international jury.
The project was presented by Anna Honchar, the producer of Enrique and Head of Investment and Partnership Projects at 1+1 media. The series will be produced by SFERA FILM (producer: Dmytro Safanovskyi) for the Kyivstar TV streaming platform.
“While true crime continues to dominate global streaming platforms, Ukraine has yet to produce a single series in this genre. Enrique is my producer’s dream and our shared challenge. The character of Enrique echoes one of the darkest chapters in Ukraine’s criminal history — one of the country’s most notorious serial killers. Hundreds of attacks. Fewer than a third officially confirmed. Nearly a decade of terror. That’s why we feel it is not just important, but essential — even our mission — to speak out about what is often left unsaid. Because silence kills”, — said Anna Honchar.
C21Media is Europe’s leading content development platform, bringing together top decision-makers, showrunners, and co-producers annually to exchange the strongest ideas in genre TV production. Participation in the Copro Pitch opens the door to international distribution, funding, and co-production deals. The winners receive a $15,000 marketing prize in C21Media’s digital, print, and event products to support the series’ development and pre-launch promotion.
Enrique is the flagship project in Kyivstar TV’s Originals strategy, which actively invests in the growth of Ukrainian content. One of the platform’s key goals is to create high-quality Ukrainian content that resonates with both local and global audiences. The scriptwriting phase has been completed, with casting and location scouting currently underway. More details will be revealed soon.
“We truly believe in the power of local stories — in their ability to speak important truths, touch deep emotions, and reflect reality honestly, professionally, and with full dedication. We are thrilled to see a project we believed in and supported resonate with the international creative community. This is not just a recognition of a single story — it’s a sign of trust in the Ukrainian industry as a whole, which is confidently making its mark on the global stage”, — stated Pavlo Rybak, CEO of Kyivstar TV.
"Summing up the thoughts of his fellow jury members, Head of Paprika Studios Poland Krzysztof Rus described Enrique as 'a gripping crime story that boldly addresses pressing social issues, such as femicide, violence against women, and the culture of silence surrounding these topics.' We believe this production will greatly benefit from strong marketing support, which will help launch the project and realize its pre-sale potential", — the project jury stated during the winners’ announcement on June 4 in Warsaw.
About the series
Enrique (working title) is an 8-episode crime thriller inspired by real events, exploring themes of silence, guilt, and evil hiding behind a mask of normality. At the centre of the story is the town of Quiet Nava, where women are disappearing. But no one talks about it. No reports. No open cases. No criminals caught. The killer is real. But why does society stay silent?
The project is a new Kyivstar TV Originals. It is produced by SFERA FILM in partnership with 1+1 media.
