UPSTAGE, a new original format from ETV Estonia, has been crowned the winner of the ninth edition of PITCH & PLAY LIVE!, the highly anticipated format pitching competition at NATPE Budapest. The announcement was made yesterday, June 24, following a live presentation session where the three finalists showcased their concepts to a distinguished jury.

UPSTAGE is an inspiring edutainment series that follows six young talents on their journey to the stage. What draws them to the world of acting? Why are they determined to dedicate their lives to the theatre? Discover the triumphs and trials—big and small—that shape a life in the performing arts. At the end of the season, one winner will be chosen to star in a breakout role on the country’s most-watched drama series.

NATPE Budapest, the 1 content market in the CEE region, and CEETV, the premier professional source on television in Central and Eastern Europe, organized the contest, which highlights the best new formats with international potential. This year’s finalists also included INCREDIBLE DUETS (Friends Production, Ukraine) and HERITAGE CODE (rlive, Moldova), but it was UPSTAGE that ultimately impressed the judges the most.

The jury, composed of top industry experts, included:

Avi Armoza, CEO of Armoza Formats;
Ben Packwood, VP Sales CEE at All3Media International;
Barbara Hámori, Owner and CEO of Scripted Productions;
Malwina Kawecka, Head of Licenses and Rights Acquisition Division at TVP.

The competition was fierce, with the three finalists selected from 10 original formats submitted from Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The initial selection committee, featuring Fredrik af Malmborg (DubHub), Pascal Dalton (Shimmer Media), Taliah Shahar (Format Acquisitions Expert), Claire Macdonald (NATPE), and Georgi R. Chakarov (TVBIZZ Group), evaluated the entries based on creativity, marketability, and international appeal. In the final vote, Upstage (54 points) narrowly edged out Incredible Duets (55 points) and Heritage Code (53 points), proving its strong potential for global adaptation.

As the winner, ETV Estonia will receive:

A full registration to NATPE Global 2026, including a three-night stay in Miami;
A full registration to NATPE Budapest 2026, with accommodation at the InterContinental Budapest;
Expert consultancy and distribution strategies from TVBIZZ Group.