MIPCOM CANNES 2024_NEWS 1

The Listeners

Starring Rebecca Hall, from the producers of Normal People and Poor Things

Starring Jesse Williams (Take Me Out), directed by Adam Bernstein (Breaking Bad)

Master of the Game

Can twelve celebrities solve the clues to reveal the master of the game?

ELIZABETH TAYLOR: REBEL SUPERSTAR

Executive produced by and featuring

Kim Kardashian, plus Sharon Stone and Paris Jackson Hagen

Epic fantasy drama from the makers of Downfall and Polar

WWII WITH TOM HANKS

KEVIN COSTNER’S THE WEST

BIOGRAPHY: THE JUDDS

HOLY MARVELS WITH DENNIS QUAID

TRIUMPH: JESSE OWENS AND THE BERLIN GAMES

MIPJUNIOR P8

Including: Media Mastermind Keynotes from Mattel and Miraculous; spotlight on kids trends; navigating AI; The MIPJUNIOR Pitch; commissioning strategies; pubcasters discuss kids budgets; and more...

PRODUCT NEWS P52

Content for sale in Cannes from around the world

MARKET NEWS P28

Including: Banijay Iberia looks to sports; BBC Studios strikes deals with Spain; Japan makes quick moves into FAST; early MIPCOM CANNES deals; and more...

SPAIN COUNTRY OF HONOUR

The World Premiere TV Screening of RTVE’s Ena: La Reina Victoria Eugenia is one of the many must-see events at this year’s MIPCOM CANNES. The original six-part series, based on the book Ena. La Reina Victoria Eugenia by Pilar Eyre, was shot in some of Spain’s most striking locations, including the Palacio Real de Madrid, the Palacio de la Granja in Segovia, the Palacio de Santoña and the Palacio de Fernan Nuñez, both in Madrid, and the Palacio de la Magdalena in Santander. The cast includes Canarian actress and singer Kimberley Tell as Reina Victoria Eugenia and Juan Amargos as the serial adulterer King Alfonso XIII. Tonight’s screening, in the Grand Auditorium at 18.00, kicks off a series of Spain Country Of Honour events in Cannes this week. After the screening, cast members and production executives will walk the red carpet to the MIPCOM CANNES Opening Night Party, celebrating Spain as Country Of Honour.

MEDIA MASTERMIND KEYNOTE

The growth of All3Media has been one of the outstanding modern success stories of the global content business. Following the company’s $1.45bn acquisition by RedBird IMI earlier this year, MIPCOM CANNES delegates will be given a deep dive into the company’s strategic ambitions during a keynote conversation with CEO Jane Turton — in the Grand Auditorium today at 15.40.

DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Michel Filzi MANAGEMENT TEAM Managing Director: Morgane Morice; Entertainment Division Director - MIPTV & MIPCOM Director: Lucy Smith; Sales Director: Brice Dieulot; SVP Sales & Business Development: Robert Marking; Director UK Sales: Vanessa Van Santen Smith; Marketing Director: Amanda Baird; Conference Director: Tania Dugaro EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor in Chief: Julian Newby; Deputy Editor: Debbie Lincoln; Contributors: Claire Atkinson, Clive Bull, Ben Cooper, Stuart Dredge, Andy Fry, Sarah Kovandzich, Max Leonard, Jo Stephens; Editorial Management: Boutique Media International; Graphic Studio: studioA Design; Graphic Designers: Harriet Palmer, Sunnie Newby PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Publishing Director: Martin Screpel; Publishing Manager: Amrane Lamiri; Printer: CMPC, Le Muy (France). RX France, a French joint stock company with a capital of 90,000,000 euros, having its registered offices at 52 Quai de Dion Bouton 92800 Puteaux, France, registered with the Nanterre Trade and Companies register under n°410 219 364 - VAT number: FR92 410 219 364. Contents © 2024, RX France Market.

How Miraculous went global

ANDY Yeatman, CEO USA and global operations of Miraculous Corp, used his MIPJUNIOR keynote to tell delegates they need a multi-platform strategy if they are to have any chance of building a major kids franchise. Yeatman, who is overseeing the expansion of the hugely successful kids & family brand Miraculous, said: “Fundamentally, I believe you cannot launch a major franchise on just one platform, even Netflix. You don’t have to be on every single platform, but you have to have a presence

I

believe you cannot launch a major franchise on just one platform, even Netflix’

Looking ahead, highlights include more movies, new characters and se veral spin-off series. Yeatman also provided a sneak peek of the latest series (season six): “To our knowledge, it’s the first series of this magnitude that’s been produced in gaming software Unreal Engine. Our production team is always pushing the boundaries.”

Asked to identify what has made Miraculous such a hit with audiences, Yeatman said: “It comes down to a combination of relatability and aspiration, where it’s fun to imagine yourself being the character.”

With Barbie

‘we created a cultural moment’

MATTEL is looking to boost the amount of scripted live-action productions on its books, according to Josh Silverman, executive vice-president and chief franchise officer.

Silverman delivered the news at his MIPJUNIOR Keynote on Sunday.

“We haven’t really moved heavily into scripted live-action content and it is not an area we’ve developed historically and it’s now going to be,” Silverman said, teasing that there would be more news to come this week.

The children’s brand company marks its 80th year in business next year with plans for new premium live-action shows for non-preschool audiences, new prequels and sequels.

Mattel made history with its blockbuster smash movie Barbie last year; now it’s applying lessons learned to supercharge its stellar collection of kids brands.

“The film really was a cultural moment and Greta Gerwig is one of the greatest creators in the world. The learning is about working with the best creatives who have a real connection to the material and [to] trust them and collaborate with them. If you do that you end up with wonderful finished product.”

The company tapped actor John Cena to direct a new Matchbox movie, alongside co-director John Hargrave. It is also producing Masters Of The Universe, with Amazon MGM Studios, for theatrical release in 2026. The director is Travis Knight.

In the keynote session, titled, Beyond The Toy Box: Shaping The Future Of Play, Silverman said that show launches involve a “symphony of platforms. If you have a show, we’re also going to support it on YouTube because we know where the audience is. We may develop an experience on Roblox and we’ll have a print-publishing book that will support it; a T-shirt, a backpack.”

The company has 13 series and specials in production and 35 more in development.

The Cannes audience got to see a short sizzle reel of Thomas & Friends:

The Christmas Letter Express which is set to debut on Netflix in the US on Thursday, November 21 as well as on Channel 5 and Nick Jr. in the UK, and Cartoonito in Italy. Scrabble is also airing on the CW network in the US.

As Mattel looks to revive its decades-old franchises for new audiences it pays great attention to where consumers are headed, Silverman said; it’s part of a corporate playbook that aims to “be progressive” and “take risks”.

“Barbie is a perfect example. We created a cultural moment.”

Mattel is on the vanguard of inclusion producing a variety of Barbie dolls, including one in a wheelchair and a Supreme Court Justice Barbie. Those efforts to keep current with evolving public tastes have helped the publicly traded toy company connect with kids.

The New York-based Mattel executive traded tips on the best bagel stores in New York and ended the session encouraging the audience to sing the Barney theme tune.

The Great Kim Kardashian Robbery

Duration: 1 x 60’

Producer: Firecracker Films

Glance puts the spotlight on the emerging kids content trends

THREE main trends are emerging from this year’s biggest new shows in the kids space, according to research firm Glance.

The most popular breakout successes of 2024 are nurturing children’s awareness of the environment and society; exploring heritage to help kids understand their roots; and reinventing classic IP with new spins.

Glance’s client and research director Candice Alessandra kicked off MIPJUNIOR’s Saturday programme with a presentation drawing on her company’s latest Kids TV Report.

Shows that are nurturing children’s awareness of causes and human rights include German show Earth Game, where kids try to solve envi-

ronmental challenges of the future through action games and quizzes. Animals loomed large in shows like Hunddagiset (Dog Daycare) from Sweden, Audrey’s Shelter from France and Vida The Vet from Canada.

British show Yukee adds music into the mix, with Alessandra praising its ethos that “it’s often the little everyday challenges that spark creativity”.

She went on to highlight shows that encourage children to debate societal issues, such as Dutch series Groep 8 Aan De Macht (Group 8 In Power) which challenges young people to tackle local and national problems. Shows that involve characters ex-

ploring their heritage that have been hits this year include Brazilian drama Luz, following a young adopted girl discovering her roots.

Canadian show Gangnam Project, meanwhile, sees its central character exploring her family history while teaching English at a K-Pop music school in South Korea.

Alessandra picked out Avatar: The Last Airbender as one of the most successfully-revived brands this year, with its live-action show on Netflix.

She also offered analysis of brands versus new IP in kids shows. In the broadcast world, 47% of new shows are based on already-known brands, but that percentage rises to 70% for SVOD platforms.

How kids TV shows can improve wellbeing

THE PHRASE ‘happiness recession’ may sound negative, but

‘It’s about helping them to realise that their voice matters’

“Before the pandemic, parents were most likely to say that the careers and academic success of their children was their number one priority. Since the pandemic it has been their wellbeing,” Gummer said.

This is where ‘mental, emotional and social health’ (MESH) comes in: a group of eight “pillars” of resilience skills that children can learn, helped by them being incorporated into TV shows and other content.

Gummer explained that those pillars are problem solving; perseverance; conflict resolution; adaptation; self-regulation; communication; self-advocacy and cognitive skills.

Content that helps children learn how to understand their feelings, express them and take action is key.

“This isn’t about encouraging twoyear-olds to be little princesses and little emperors who rule the roost.

FUNdamentally Children’s Dr Amanda Gummer

It’s about helping them to realise that their voice matters,” she said. “Climate change, conflict, pandemics: there’s a lot for these kids to deal with. What we need to do right from an early age is to help them develop those key resiliences.”

Gummer encouraged her MIPJUNIOR audience to integrate at least one of the eight pillars into their next project, reasoning that the characters and brands that children love are well-placed to teach them new skills.

“We get quite a lot of bad press and blame levelled at us for some of the issues that children face today. How much screen time they have, the fact that they’re sedentary and obese and not playing with their friends,” Gummer said. “I don’t think it’s our fault, but I think we can do something to help solve it.”

Glance’s Candice Alessandra

CANADA. HERE. BIG.

MIPCOM CANNES - 8th DIVERSIFY TV AWARDS 2024

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22 AT 12:00 P.M.

PALAIS GRAND AUDITORIUM - FOLLOWED BY COCKTAIL/LIGHT LUNCH AT 1PM IN VERRIÈRE GRAND AUDI

CANADIAN NOMINEES

REPRESENTATION OF DIVERSITY IN KIDS PROGRAMMINGOLDER CHILDREN

REPRESENTATION OF DIVERSITY IN KIDS PROGRAMMINGOLDER CHILDREN

REPRESENTATION OF DISABILITYSCRIPTED

REPRESENTATION OF DIVERSITY IN KIDS PROGRAMMINGPRE-SCHOOL

REPRESENTATION OF LGBTQIA+ NON-SCRIPTED

CANADA NETWORKING RECEPTION

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 5 TO 7 P.M.

CANADA PAVILION RIVIERA 8 (R8.E1)

BEYOND BLACK BEAUTY

Canada/Belgium

Sinking Ship Entertainment (Canada), Leif Films (Belgium), Saga Films (Belgium)

Sales: Sinking Ship Entertainment Broadcasters: Amazon Prime/Wildbrain

DREAM IT TO BE IT

Lopii Productions

Sales: Lopii Productions Broadcasters: TVOKids, Knowledge Kids

THE

SQUEAKY WHEEL: CANADA

Hitsby Entertainment

Sales: Shadow Pine Studios Broadcaster: AMI-tv

WORDSVILLE

Sinking Ship Entertainment

Sales: Sinking Ship Entertainment Broadcasters: TVO/WNET

Y A UNE ÉTOILE

(THERE’S A STAR)

Bellefeuille Production

Sales: FilmOption International Broadcaster: UNIS TV

COME. MEET ALL THE CANADIAN COMPANIES AND PRODUCERS TO DISCUSS THEIR PROJECTS

The heroes are she-roes in new take on The Three Musketeers

THE MIPJUNIOR World Premiere in the Marriott’s Grand Theatre presented a blockbuster, pan-European co-production of one of the classics of French literature — a freshly imagined, all-female version of Alexandre Dumas’ classic tale The Three Musketeers.

The 52 x 11 mins series for six- to 10-year-olds is being distributed by Mediawan Kids & Family. “Our mission is to build IPs that become kids’ favourites across the world,” said company president Julien Borde.

“We believe that in every classic IP there is a way to make a great series.”

“The idea was to turn the four heroes of the classic book into ‘she-roes’,” said Katell France, chief content officer at Paris-based Method Animation. “This

brought modernity, a twist, and made the series appealing to kids today.”

Method’s production partner was Italy’s Palomar, which has also just made a version of Dumas’ The Count Of Monte Cristo. “Alongside fun, comedy and adventure, the values contained in the story, like friendship and inclusion, are important to remember in these tough times,” said Marco Grifoni, the company’s chief financial officer. ZDF and ZDF Studios were also involved, alongside France Télévisions and Rai Ragazzi. “It was an easy decision because the initial drawings were so convincing, funny and charming,” said Nicole Keeb, ZDF’s head of international co-productions and acquisitions. “It’s a great method —

to modernise the classics,” she added. Pierre Siracusa, head of children’s and education at France Télévisions, agreed: “We loved the twist and the fact that it’s not only comedy action but

a story about girls’ empowerment.”

Luca Milano, director of Rai Ragazzi, meanwhile, praised the power of co-production. “In a moment when there are so many difficulties in the market, this collaboration among three major public broad

Hidden Pigeon flying high in Cannes

DON’T let the pigeon drive the bus… but do let him loose in Cannes for MIPJUNIOR 2024.

space, and also using it as a tool to inform our development.”

Willems has sold more than 25

Now, the IP is being brought to market by Hidden Pigeon Company (HPC), launched by

Pigeon is just one of the characters in the books created by author and illustrator Mo Willems, which include Knuffle Bunny, Elephant & Piggie, Unlimited Squirrels and Cat The Cat.

Willems in 2023 to expand his literary universe to TV and other media.

The company is developing tradi tional animated series, but is also setting its sights on streaming features and digital content. The latter includes experimenting on its own Mo Willems Workshop channel on platforms including YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

“We have been making content to build the brand and build aware ness beyond his platform, so a lot of live-action content that we’re taking to market has already been produced,” said Karen K Miller, the former NBCUniversal, War ner Bros. and Disney exec who joined HPC as CEO early in 2024.

“We’re doing a lot of read-alouds, we’re doing singalongs, really ex ploring everything in the digital

‘Exploring everything in the digital space’

per-easy concepts in theory, but very difficult to execute.”

Method

Animation’s Katell France (left), Palomar’s

Marco Grifoni, ZDF’s Nicole Keeb, France Télévisions’

Pierre Siracusa and Rai Ragazzi’s Luca Milano

HPC’s Kristofer Updike

HPC’s Karen K Miller

Bia And The Beats hits right note for MIPJUNIOR Pitch

THE WINNER of the prestigious 2024 MIPJUNIOR Pitch is Bia And The Beats, an animation series from Birdo of Brazil. Pitched to a jury of experts by Paulo Muppet, the quirky music-based series was selected ahead of 112 entries from 34 countries.

Bia And The Beats tells the story of Bia, a confident little girl who solves problems with the help of the ‘beats’ — minion-style creatures that communicate through music.

“Every story in the series is connected to an emotion,” Muppet said.

“The music is used to help children make sense of their feelings.”

Explaining why Bia And The Beats appealed to the jury, Amanda Gummer, CEO of FUNdamentally Children, said the show “did a great job

of breaking down gender stereotypes”. She added: “We also liked the use of music, which we felt would have global appeal.”

The Pitch, which took place live yesterday afternoon during MIPJUNIOR, focused on preschool content targeting three- to six-yearolds. Aside from Bia And The Beats, four other works in progress made it to the live pitch: Dogs Need Jobs from Dominion of Drama (UK), Littlest Robot from Toon2Tango (Germany), Monsieur Roscoe from Beakus (UK) and Pumpkin Finds Her Queen from Paper Jet (South Africa).

In addition to Gummer, the jury consisted of Luiz Filipe Figueira, head of licensed content, Grupo Globo; Rick Clodfelter, executive

director of content acquisitions and partnerships, Disney Branded Television; and Maud Branly, director of children’s/youth acquisitions and children’s/youth programming, international channels, M6-Gulli.

Offering feedback, the jury said they “loved the design” of Dogs Need Jobs and felt that The Littlest Robot’s emphasis on friendship would make it perfect for the whole family. Monsieur Roscoe, which deals with bilingualism, was praised for its strong sustainability theme, while Pumpkin Finds Her Queen was “a unique proposition that presented a strong African, female character”.

Top tips for engaging with the kids

ON SUNDAY afternoon at MIPJUNIOR, a panel of four experts

‘Our audiences are part of the brand’

Pete Robinson

sue of how young audiences are dis

covering and consuming content in a digital world. “The thing that has changed is how our audiences don’t just sit outside the brand now — they are part of the brand,” he said.

WildBrain’s Kate Smith said that today’s kids are curating their own content, so brands need to adopt an omni-platform strategy: “Start thinking about where else this will show up. What formats and platforms can your characters and worlds and parts of your story live in?”

Moonbug Entertainment’s Ed Barton had advice on bringing the gaming element into kids’ content. “A game is very different because you are present within that content and you are able to interact with it,” he said. “The main point I try and think about is, fundamentally, should this actually be a game? Is there a core to this that is fun and that has some sense of

fantasy about it that kids will want to engage with?”

Toikido’s Darran Garnham spoke about the trend of creating and in-

teracting with online forums and group chat before launching content. “We’ve been looking at building our community and awareness on a platform to get feedback on the IP before we start to spend the millions of dollars that can be needed to launch something successfully,” he said.

Birdo’s Paulo Muppet (holding award), surrounded by the MIPJUNIOR Pitch Jury

Gone With’s Pete Robinson (left) with WildBrain’s Kate Smith, Moonbug’s Ed Barton and Toikido’s Darran Garnham

Engage with AI — or your future may go down the Skibidi Toilet

“AI CHALLENGES my conception of myself as a maker,” said Evan Baily, president of Consolidated Baily, kicking off MIPJUNIOR’s Navigating AI Today session.

AI is radically changing the animation process, with technology advancing rapidly as new tools are released. “Tech has eaten media and we exist in a combined market sector where tech calls the shots, not just financially but culturally,” Baily added. But how can AI be used to make content that kids want? Baily highlighted Skibidi Toilet, the YouTube series that follows a fictional war between human-headed toilets and cha -

racters with cameras for heads. It breaks all the rules of kids’ content, yet has propelled its creators’ channel to more than 44 million subscribers.

While defending traditional storytelling values, Baily said that creators should “remain humble, open-minded and ready to be wrong”. He also warned that kids needed lessons in media literacy, to learn the skills critical to navigating the flood of AI. Given that AI work is uncopyrightable, it threatens traditional models for monetising content. Baily foresaw hybrid scenarios where scripts and character designs might be fully human-made — and therefore protected —

while the overall finished product was not, and scenarios in which other protections, such as the right to control usage of one’s personal image, being invoked.

Where will it lead? “Let’s face it, things are getting weird,” Baily said, adding that he hoped to continue making content in the traditional way. However uncomfortable it may be to see storytelling change, he urged oldschool creators to engage with AI tools. “We need to understand them as they’ll define the future,” he said.

‘‘Things are getting weird’’

First, find

fans and build a community base

‘Everyone is looking for an audience’

BEFORE an audience consisting mainly of kids’ producers, the idea, everyone is looking for an

audience,” said Orion Ross of Disney Branded Television, adding that: “In this environment, you have to have a really good idea about how you’ll cut through.” He suggested building an audience base right from the development stage, and collaborating with partners and friends to test and prototype properties extensively.

While Ross defended the place of big, traditional cartoons on linear TV that can create a family viewing experience, Ken Faier of Canada’s Epic Story Media said he is looking to multiplatform hybrid offerings that met kids where their eyeballs already are.

He pointed to how his company is creating new fans for properties including Slug Terra on the Roblox online gaming platform.

“Fandom! If you get fandom, eve -

rything else can happen,” Faier said. Ailing Zubizarreta of Cisneros Media, agreed: “Consider your audience to be equally as important as your brand.”

The spectre of AI also raised its head. “We cannot live without AI now,” said Anna Shchur of newly created distribution and brand development company Siesta Entertainment. “This is the way we optimise our work and the time we spend producing. It’s going to get easier to create something. But we are behind the production process.” Zubizarreta agreed, suggesting the human element in any AI system was the “alchemy” that made content shine. Both Faier and Ross expressed caution about the challenges ahead. “We have to keep artists at the centre of everything,” Ross said.

Consolidated Baily’s Evan Baily:

Disney Branded Television’s Orion Ross

Commissioners share strategies for appealing to local kids

THE MIPJUNIOR In Conversation

With Commissioners session presented vital insights into the acquisition strategies of two global kids’ powerhouses — Alibaba-Youku and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Alibaba-Youku, a leading streaming platform in China, has more than 200 million household subscribers and 10,000 programmes online.

“For this market, we’re focused on seven-plus content for boys and girls,” Yuanchang Sun, director of the company’s international co-production & IP investment (kids), said.

Zelly Go and France-China co-production Lupin’s Tales were successful acquisitions, according to Sun, particularly on the merchandise front. “For our original shows we don’t only want good

content but also a good property for merchandising in our territory,” she said.

At Warner Bros. Discovery, whose Cartoon Network and younger sibling Cartoonito reach into 226 million homes in over 20 languages, the emphasis is on finding fast-paced comedy-first properties to complement its slate of original programming from its three studios. “We’re looking for stories that feel modern and authentic that will also resonate with our EMEA kids and we’re looking for longevity,” Zia Sands, director content acquisitions, partnerships and co-productions kids and family EMEA, said. Sands affirmed the company’s commitment to traditional 52 x 11-minute series. However, she is open to IP originating outside the

linear TV experience.

In terms of focus, Sun said her audiences are increasingly valuing content with a local flavour, so co-productions with Chinese companies might be a route forward.

Sands, meanwhile, said she looks forward to discussions with producers from initial concept onwards, although studio and production partners, production plans and budgets are welcome. Sun is looking for content for 2025-2027, depending on its readiness, while Warner Bros. Discovery is closing its last 2026 opportunities and looking to 2027.

Sinking Ship taps into kids’ mobile doc

SINKING Ship Entertainment,

good for her: “I tried to cut down, and it was really hard. Eventually I researched what was giving my screens this powerful hold on me and realised there are biochemi -

‘Intermittent rewards keep us hooked’

acknowledged that she used to be on her mobile far more than was

cal reasons why we are addicted to our screens,” she said.

This is the subject of Media Stamped’s first episode, which looks at how scrolling releases

dopamine. The result is what scientists describe as a fixation with intermittent rewards.

“Social media sites leverage intermittent rewards to keep us hooked on our screens,” Stamp said.

The series also discusses themes such as filters and media literacy with its target audience.

“I did 50 hours of interviews with kids nine to 16,” Stamp said. “They astounded me with incredibly funny, insightful commentary, a lot of which is present in the show.”

The show’s co-production partner Global Citizen has a wide social-media presence and works with celebrities on fundraising events. Co-founder Michael Sheldrick joined Stamp on stage and stressed that media literacy is a top priority. “I think this series will help empower young people to engage critically with content and know how to navigate the media landscape,” he said.

Yuanchang Sun

Nicole Stamp

Zia Sands

Pubcasters team up to relieve pressure on kids’ budgets

BUDGETS may be tight in the children’s television market, but that is encouraging public-service broadcasters to work together on more projects.

“We have had to really ramp up what we’re doing in this space, but the budgets are not getting bigger,” said Patricia Hidalgo, director of children and education at the BBC, speaking on a MIPJUNIOR panel of

the four musketeers maybe!” Hidalgo added. “It’s important to understand how you can come to any of us [with a production] and try to get us involved very quickly,” Hidalgo said.

“It’s a new way of working if you can bring the same values together. The problem is more how do we finance it? How do we find that pot of money that each of us has, and bring that together?”

‘It’s a new way of working if you can bring the same values together’

The disruption wrought by streaming services has been a factor too. Luca Milano, executive director at Rai Ragazzi, said that the impact has shifted. A few years ago, “we had to be united… to make sure

France Télévisions’ Pierre Siracusa: “documentaries can be a distinctive offer”

The BBC, for example, is spending 43% of its 2026-27 children’s budget on drama and comedy, 30% on animation and 27% on factual and entertainment.

France Télévisions, on the other hand, spends just under 70% of its kids’ budget on animation: €30m a year. Of the remaining €13m, 60% goes to factual and entertainment,

30% to drama and 10% to documentaries — the latter a new investment for the broadcaster.

“We are trying to develop documentaries because we think we need that for the seven+ [age group]. I think documentaries can also be a distinctive public-service offer for kids,” Siracusa said.

our high quality which everybody is used to from us,” Keeb said. Shows including Super Happy Magic Forest (which brought the BBC and Rai Kids together), Piggy Builders and The Lady Grace Mysteries (both partnerships between the BBC, ZDF and France Télévisions) epitomise this new era of collaboration.

“It’s not impossible to try something new with three or four voices. We can join on some new things,” said Pierre Siracusa, head of children’s and education and head of animation at France Télévisions.

“We are talking all the time. We are

the producers did not only go to the platforms” with projects he said. However, some of those bumper-budget commissions proved to be short-term, leaving some producers struggling.

“Now we have to unite to support the producers in a situation in which the market is shaken by the notconsistent policies of the platforms that have investments that are not as stable as ours,” Milano said.

The broadcasters also talked about their budgets and content mix, outlining the differences between their output.

The BBC’s Patricia Hidalgo: “come to any of us”

ZDF’s Nicole Keeb: “we want to keep our high quality”

Rai Ragazzi’s Luca Milano: “we have to unite to support the producers”

The Wiggles board Sinking Ship to develop new animated series

CHILDREN’s entertainment group The Wiggles has joined forces with Canada-based kids’ studio Sinking Ship Entertainment (SSE) to develop a new animated series based around the Australian group’s enduring brand. The collaboration aims to blend SSE’s storytelling exper tise with The Wiggles characters and music library.

Luke O’Neill, CEO of The Wig gles, said: “For quite some time The Wiggles have been eager to explore new avenues for expres sing our brand through an ani mated series. Sinking Ship shares our vision and will help us ex pand the brand’s creative reach.”

Carla de Jong, head of co-pro duction and international partnerships for SSE, said: “What has always impressed us about The Wiggles is not only their deep understanding of the audience but how they have consistently evolved to meet their needs. Moving into animation opens up new creative possibilities that will al -

low us to connect with preschoolers and families in unique ways.” With more than two billion music streams and three billion views on YouTube, not to mention multi-million album, DVD and book sales, The Wiggles have been a major part of the preschool entertainment scene for three decades. The new animated series comes at a pivotal

‘Sinking Ship shares our vision’

engagement. Meanwhile, season seven of Ready, Steady Wiggle is due to launch in early 2025.

New series builds on Mouse Mansion

rope after a number of successful broadcast deals.

Animated series Sam & Julia has already been broadcast in the Netherlands (Avrotros/Zappelin) and France (France Télévisions and Okoo), and will launch next year in Germany (ZDF/KiKA). It has also been picked up by Czech TV, RTV Slovenia, RTVS Slovakia, and AMC and MTVA in Hungary.

Sam & Julia is based on the Mouse Mansion books by Dutch author Karina Schaapman, whose children, Ian and Manita Schaapman, are in Cannes to market the animated series.

ding of people who are different or isolated. Drawing on her own tough childhood for inspiration, Karina Schaapman began creating characters and fantasy stories as a child growing up with a single migrant mother in the 1960s. When she was just 11, her mother died, leaving Karina to fend for herself.

Manita Schaapman said: “It was her inspiration to create a world for children that was the opposite of her own childhood.”

Ian Schaapman added: “It’s her lifelong ambition to make the world a better place for children.”

In 2008, while recovering from an injury, Karina Schaapman started to build a diorama house from recycled materials — a lovingly crafted miniature world that would go on to form the setting for the Mouse Mansion books and, now, the Sam & Julia animation.

Sam & Julia is distributed by ZDF Studios and produced by Cielo Films and Superswiss Red in co-production with ZDF, ZDF Studios, France Télévisions, Caribara and M.A.R.K.13. To accompany the book and TV series, the Schaapman family has also developed a range of Mouse Mansion merchandise, available online internationally and in the brand’s Amsterdam store, where Karina’s original three-metre-high craftmade house is also on display.

The Wiggles’ Luke Field (left) and Luke O’Neill (right) with Sinking Ship’s Carla de Jong

Manita and Ian Schaapman

Luke O’Neill

All3Media in town with thieves, thrillers and pensioner zombies

NOTORIOUS crime stories and thrillers dominate All3Media International’s drama offering at MIPCOM CANNES.

Joan, starring Game Of Thrones’ Sophie Turner, is the rags-to-riches tale of Joan Hannington, who went on a 20-year-long diamond-stealing spree. The tale of high-stakes crime and personal transformation recently premiered on the UK’s ITV and the CW Network in the US. There’s also the second season of The Gold, which tells the story of the aftermath of the 1983 Brink’sMat robbery in the UK. The first season aired on the BBC in the UK and on Paramount+ in the US.

Generation Z, meanwhile, is a darkly comic thriller from film di-

rector Ben Wheatley, in which a chemical leak outside a care home causes a zombie apocalypse of pensioners hungry for human flesh.

Starring Anita Dobson and Robert Lindsay, the six-parter is soon to be broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK. The thriller slate also features Out There, starring Martin Clunes, and Protection, a twisting tale about witness protection starring Happy Valley’s Siobhan Finneran.

All3Media International is also highlighting several recently launched Australian productions, including Exposure, a haunting psychological thriller about a photographer with a shadowy past, and Critical Incident, which turns the spotlight on youth justice in wes-

tern Sydney. Scripted formats are also doing well, with local versions of The Informer in Ger-

many, and Boat Story and The Tourist in development in India. Finally, Ellis is a three-part drama in which three-time Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke plays a determined female detective fighting both crime and institutional racism within the police.

‘Unusual,

unexpected story’ has WOW factor

EMMY Award-winning media company World of Wonder (WOW)

‘I feel that everybody has a story to tell’

Fenton Bailey

Summers) and Tabitha (Lily Kazimiera) — as they navigate the local queer community of Toronto as despairing outsiders, exploring their identities from the sidelines.

Fenton Bailey, co-founder of WOW and executive producer, said the appeal of the series is summed up in the title: “It’s such an uncompromising title. When we watched it, we thought this is unlike any other scripted drama show we’ve seen. I feel that everybody has a story to tell and that’s what I like about I Hate People, People Hate Me. It’s such an unusual, unexpected story.”

Reflecting on WOW’s success with Drag Race, head of distribution and ex-Passion CEO Sally Miles said that MIPCOM CANNES had played a significant part in the brand’s growth from niche to glo -

bal hit, now licensed in over 190 countries. “Meeting with buyers at MIPCOM enabled us to bring Drag Race to a wider audience,” she said,

adding that, now the drag-queen reality-competition series has gone mainstream, WOW is working with big-name broadcasters.

Sophie Turner and Frank Dillane (Joan)

WOW’s Fenton Bailey (left) and Sally Miles

TOEI FOCUSES ON EUROPE’S MASS MARKET

JAPANESE animation studio

Toei Animation, responsible for enduring hits including Dragon Ball and One Piece, is looking to extend its footprint into the kids and family mass market.

Ryuji Kochi, president of Toei Animation Europe, said that Japanese producers have enjoyed a lot of success with older-skewing anime but that traditional animation is more challenging. He wants to change that by selling to broadcasters.

“Anime is strong because many Japanese companies are trying to sell their programmes to VOD platforms,” he said. “But anime’s targeted age group is different from animation. Anime on VOD appeals mostly to teens and older, while we want to target kids in elementary school, boys and girls in the six to10 age group. That’s what we mean by mass market.”

Kochi welcomes the fact that Japanese companies have succeeded in selling large volumes of anime to platforms like Netflix and CrunchyRoll, because it raises the profile of Japanese-originated productions. “But in Europe, the animation mass market is a much bigger commercial opportunity, and tapping into it is my goal,” he said. At MIPCOM CANNES, his mission is to get buyers from European broadcasters to screen the company’s content.

Electric completes dealmaking mission for sci-fi show The Ark

LA-BASED production and distribution company Electric Entertainment has closed two new deals for its sci-fi series The Ark, one with Palatin Media and the other with Nova Broadcasting Group. The deals include broadcast and digital rights to seasons one and two of the series, which debuted on Syfy in 2023.

The Ark, which had its season two premiere on Syfy in July 2024, takes place 100 years in the future when planetary colonisation missions have begun as a necessity to help secure the survival of the human race. The first of these missions on a spacecraft known as Ark One encounters a catastrophic event causing massive destruction and loss of life. With more than a year left to go before reaching their target planet, the remaining crew must become the best versions of themselves to survive.

Palatin has acquired SVOD and FAST rights in German-speaking Europe and Nova has acquired free-TV rights

for Bulgaria. Both deals consist of 12 episodes from each season. Sonia Mehandjiyska, head of international distribution for Electric Entertainment, said: “We’re excited to share one of our latest fan-favourite series with audiences around the world. Human survival is a universal theme that transcends languages and cultures, and sci-fi is an ideal genre to convey it.” Mehandjiyska negotiated the deals with Bernd Schlötterer, managing director of Palatin Media and Nelly Stoy-

nova at Nova Broadcasting Group. In a separate negotiation, Electric Entertainment has closed deals for The Librarians: The Next Chapter with NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer, Bell Media and Nova. Each deal includes 12 hour-long episodes of the show, which is a spin-off of the original TV series The Librarians. The new series centres on a librarian from the past who time-travelled to the present and now finds himself stuck.

Fantasy is the real deal for FilmRise

FILMRISE has announced at MIPCOM CANNES the acquisition of Electric Entertainment’s hit CW series The Outpost. The fantasy-adventure drama ran for four years (2018-2021) on the network.

FilmRise has obtained exclusive US digital distribution rights including AVOD, FAST and SVOD. The announcement was made jointly by CEO of FilmRise Danny Fisher and CEO of Electric Entertainment Dean Devlin. Fisher said: “We are thrilled to provide the avid fanbase of The Outpost with the chance to stream the series across various platforms. Additionally, viewers can enjoy the entire franchise in one go, completely free of charge.”

Speaking to MIPCOM Daily News, Devlin said: “When this opportunity came along to have them take the show and get it to a broader audience

worldwide, we jumped at the chance. During its initial broadcast, the series garnered a dedicated following. This partnership is poised to amplify that support further.”

The Outpost follows Talon (Jessica Green) years after her village is des troyed by brutal mercenaries. Talon travels to a lawless fortress to track them down. On her journey, she dis

covers a supernatural power she must learn to control to defend the world against a dictator.

Reflecting on the appeal of the fantasy

The Ark (Electric Entertainment)

FilmRise’s Danny Fisher (left), Jonitha Keymoore and Melissa Wohl with Electric Entertainment’s Dean Devlin

Ryuji Kochi

Big Media strikes big sales for Al Qaeda terrorist attack doc

BIG MEDIA has announced that its new original limited series Cole: Al Qaeda’s Strike Before 9/11 has been licensed in multiple territories.

The series, which is currently in production, delves into Al Qaeda’s October 2000 strike on the US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer Cole in Yemen. It has been licensed by DailyWire+ for the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand; JoJ TV in Slovakia; and AMC Spain.

The announcement was made by Big Media CEO Jon Loew at a press event

The three executives agreed that the company’s success would be dependent on owning as much of the life of a project as possible.

‘We benefit from a shared sense of purpose’

“We needed to be able to originate an idea, develop it, pitch it, finance it, produce it and then sell it, and, most importantly, own those rights,” Loew said. As the business plan evolved, the founders forecast that the amount of money that was going to be spent on hours of content was going to go down over time because of the competition from user-generated content and the eventual exit of private equity from traditional broadcasters and streamers. “These were the conditions the three of us decided upon 15 years ago and, and as the media economy crashed more than once over the years, selling that back catalogue has been what has kept us profitable,” Loew said.

Reflecting on the company’s pivotal moments, Wilk said a key decision was to branch out beyond producing primarily nature content. “Going from producing wildlife series to producing documentary series about terrorist attacks was a major shift and much bigger endeavour,” Wilk said. “At the same time, the company went from being a content supplier to Netflix, to doing its first co-production with them.”

presenting more than 300 series. Its docu-series include Spy Ops, Spycraft and CIA Vs Bin Laden.

“Big Media’s genesis was right here in Cannes at MIPCOM,” said head of production Martin Kase, who joined forces with co-founders Loew and president Danny Wilk to create the company.

“The spirit of that first co-operation that originated at MIPCOM really permeates the culture of the company as it is today. We are all friends and we benefit from a shared sense of purpose and accomplishment. Everyone on our team knows we’re all in it together,” he said.

Jon Loew: “selling that back catalogue has kept us profitable”

Danny Wilk: “from content supplier to co-production”

Martin Kase: “we’re all in it together”

Cole: Al Qaeda’s Strike Before 9/11

Banijay Iberia looks to sports to broaden its content offer

‘The Iberian market is well-established, with a wealth of talent both on- and off-screen’

Another innovative project from Banijay Iberia is Return To Las Sabinas, the first-ever daily drama on a streaming platform — Disney+ — with five instalments per week. “We worked closely with Sofía Fábregas, vice-president original production at Disney+ in Spain, exploring ideas of how best to cut through with so much content available to audiences,” Blasco said. The drama is produced by Banijay’s Diagonal TV — a specialist in daily scripted series — and commissioned by Disney+ Spain.

Pilar Blasco

Return To Las Sabinas (Banijay Iberia)

BBC Studios strikes deals with Spain on the eve of MIPCOM

AS MIPCOM CANNES welcomes Spain as Country Of Honour for 2024, BBC Studios has announced pre-sales of its latest MIPCOM CANNES titles to the country.

Local streamer Filmin has acquired The Split: Barcelona and Renaissance: The Blood And The Beauty has been taken up by Movistar Plus+. The Split: Barcelona (2 x 60 mins) explores the themes of love, legacy and modern marriage, through a star cast of characters. Two years on from the the end of the three previous series, formidable family lawyer Hannah Defoe (Nicola Walker) and her family have gathered for a beautiful wedding at a magnificent vineyard, nestled in Catalonia’s wine region. Against the backdrop of the glorious Spanish countryside, Hannah is moved to banish the ghosts of her past and open herself up to the possibility of love again. However, is she able to find the courage to imagine a new future?

Renaissance: The Blood And The Beauty (3 x 60 mins) is a three-part drama documentary series from

BBC Studios’ Specialist Factual Productions division, co-produced with PBS. It explores the turbulent lives — and breathtaking creations — of the three greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance: Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael. Earlier this month it was also confirmed that Movistar Plus+ had acquired BBC Studios Natural History Unit’s Big Cats 24/7 (6 x 60 mins) which follows the lives of lions, cheetahs and leopards in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, a place described as one of Africa’s last wildernesses.

The Kitchen now serving in Madrid

EMMY Award-winning language customisation company, The Kitchen, has begun construction of a full-ser vice European hub in Madrid, Spain. The new hub will enable clients from Europe and the Middle East to work with a 24-hour studio facility.

Providing a similar service to The Kitchen’s hub in its Miami head quarters, which services Argenti na, Mexico, Brazil, the US and Ca nada, the European hub will offer dubbing, subtitling and accessibi lity and media services, and receive content for processing, frame-rate conversion, edit to specs, graphic

‘The Kitchen continues to expland globally’

European hub. “We are thrilled at what this opportunity will add to our overall growth and service projections, as The Kitchen continues to expand globally,” Wynen said.

Founded in 2011 in Miami, Florida, The Kitchen now has premises in 14 locations worldwide, including studios in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Russia, Turkey and Israel. The Kitchen continues to expand its services to meet growing demand from international networks and distributors looking to centralise their language customisation requirements.

The Kitchen’s Max Wynen

The Split: Barcelona (BBC Studios)

Renaissance: The Blood And The Beauty (BBC Studios)

Abema session spotlights Japanese market’s quick move into FAST

MIPCOM CANNES’ hotly-anticipated Global FAST & AVOD Summit tomorrow will see delegates provided with an illuminating insight into the Japanese market.

While the focus to date has been on the growth of FAST in the US and Europe, TV Asahi-backed Japanese streaming service Abema has been building its ‘TV for the future’ model

since 2016. At the MIPCOM session How FAST is Japan going? Introducing Abema (MIP Innovation Lab, 11.15), Abema’s PR executive manager Mayuko Yamazaki will provide a deep dive into the platform’s editorial and commercial positioning.

Yamazaki said Abema is “a hybrid platform using a linear streaming model that delivers professionally made entertainment content around the clock, something that normal social-media platforms can’t offer. Its on-demand technology allows viewers to choose content based on preference and timing. But, in addition, Abema offers a passive video experience.”

Yamazaki added that one of Abema’s most important features is its immediacy: “Real-time events are streamed

live so as to keep up with the latest trends in Japan. News reports are up-to-the-minute and readily accessible to everyone. Viewers can watch content on Abema wherever they want, whenever they want.”

Aside from its real-time content, Abema offers original content including drama series, reality shows and news programmes, in collaboration with TV Asahi. “One of Abema’s most popular shows is The Wolf, a romantic reality series for young people,” Yamazaki said. “Abema also has original variety shows and pay-per-view content such as K-1 battles, K-pop and J-pop concerts. Abema also uses its own production team, which creates original content.”

Having established a leadership position in Japan, Abema is intending to expand overseas with its “original, high-quality Japanese content,” said Yamazaki. “We intend to take advantage of MIPCOM to explore new avenues of possibility.”

A+E launches Jim Rome sports show

A+E NETWORKS and Range Media Partners have announced a groundbreaking venture with renowned sports commentator Jim Rome, that brings his popular real-time sports radio programme, The Jim Rome Show, to the ra pidly growing FAST platform. “FAST platforms give us an in credible opportunity to reach fans on their terms — whenever and wherever they want to tune in,” Rome said. “I’ve always be lieved that staying relevant in this industry means evolving with your audience and that’s exactly what I’m doing with this move to FAST.”

The channel will also feature exclusive content for FAST viewers, including an expanded fourth hour of The Jim Rome Show, along with fresh weekly

‘Staying relevant means evolving with your audience’

powerful, relevant genre to our robust channel offerings,” said Deborah K Bradley, executive vice-president, global content sales, A+E Networks.

“Launching during this incredibly active time of year for sports including, of course, the football season and baseball playoffs, is optimal for both the platforms and their viewers.”

Will Funk, senior vice-president of strategy and operations, Range Digital Ventures added: “We’re focused on innovative ways to connect with today’s tech-savvy viewers, offering premium content through free, ad-supported platforms.”

The Jim Rome Show FAST channel is now available live across major platforms, including Amazon Freevee (also accessible through Prime Video and Fire TV), DirectTV, LG Channels, Plex, Samsung TV Plus, Sling Freestream and VIZIO WatchFree+.

Abema’s Mayuko Yamazaki

A+E Networks’ Deborah K Bradley

Sports commentator Jim Rome

TGC GE STRIKES ALLIANCE WITH NORWAY’S NRK

LOS ANGELES-based TGC

Global Entertainment (TGC GE), the international distribution company launched last year by US format veteran Phil Gurin to represent premium formatted content, has entered into a collaboration with Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, which has a long track record in both scripted and unscripted formats.

As part of the deal TGC GE will represent NRK’s factual entertainment format Norwegian Beefs (6 x 25’ mins) which focuses on one of the hottest subjects for the TikTok generation: the endlessly entertaining and frequently thought-provoking quarrels — or ‘beefs’ — that regularly break out between internet celebrities.

TGC GE has also signed a representation deal with German production company Magis TV, which specialises in developing and producing factual entertainment for the German-speaking market.

TGC GE’s Cecilia Ingebrigtsen said: “NRK is a major player in the Nordic market, with a well-deserved reputation for creating great formats with global traction — shows, in other words, like Norwegian Beefs, which is already generating interest among our clients.”

Sascha Naujoks, managing director of Magis TV, added: “Phil Gurin’s many years of experience and many TV successes make TGC GE the perfect partner for Magis TV.”

Mediawan and StudioCanal team for sports commentary format

FRENCH media giants Mediawan and StudioCanal are jointly distributing an innovative entertainment format this week called Hit

The Mic! A New Voice For Sports. Produced by Canal+ and Black Dynamite Production, the show’s partners claim it is the first format in the world “entirely dedicated to the art of sports commentary”.

The aim of the show is to discover a voice capable of fascinating an audience and conveying all the emotions of a sports event. It is open to all enthusiasts regardless of their age or background. According to Mediawan and StudioCanal, a key strength of its concept lies is its ability to adapt to all sporting disciplines.

A first season of the show performed well in France and a second season is in production. Key elements that the show is looking for include a strong personality, the ability to make an

impact on the audience, and skill in bringing sporting events to life.

Valérie Vleeschhouwer, managing director of Mediawan Rights, said Hit The Mic! is “a creative gem that brings together all sports fans, combining real entertainment with a deep sport culture”.

Anne Chérel, chief commercial officer StudioCanal, said the partnership “marks our new ambition for formats and unscripted content. By partnering with Mediawan Rights, we are confident in offering Hit The Mic! a wide variety of adaptations worldwide”.

SPT brings hustle show to Cannes

SONY Pictures Television (SPT) is bringing a new twist on the business reality competition format to MIPCOM CANNES with The Ultimate Hustle. Developed by Irish production company Animo TV, The Ultimate Hustle challenges budding entrepreneurs to take their side-hustle skills to a higher level. Across eight episodes, 10 hustlers live together and face a new money-making challenge each week, with the lowest earner eliminated at the close. The hustlers will have to be inventive to stand out and bring the cash in each week. But there’s a twist, each participant in the show can use the group’s earnings to pay for special treats by withdrawing money from a cash machine inside the house.

Laura St Clair, senior vice-president international formats, SPT, said: “At SPT we are familiar with the interest in business reality, as we have nurtured and grown the Shark Tank/Dragons’ Den franchise to become a global phenomenon. Ultimate Hustle is perfectly attuned to contemporary social trends. It is a compulsive, entertaining competition with broad appeal that will engage and galvanise the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

Debbie Thornton, managing director, Animo TV, added: “SPT have an unparalleled track record in next-generation formats in the business space and they were the perfect fit for our ambitions for the format.”

Hit The Mic! A New Voice For Sports

The Ultimate Hustle (SPT)

Newen Connect sees multipleterritory deals with Cat’s Eyes

PRE-SALES of new series Cat’s Eyes have been announced with Germany’s ZDF and Italy’s RAI, following sales already in place with Belgium (RTL) and Switzerland (RTS), as well as pre-existing deals with Amazon as co-financiers for a second window in France and first window in Latin America and Japan. Cat’s Eyes (8 x 52 mins), commissioned by TF1, is a €25m-budget live-action drama based on a 1980s cult manga story from Tsukasa Hojo, and is brought to MIPCOM CANNES by France’s Newen Connect. A blend of action, romance and comedy, the show is created by Michel Catz, produced by

Benjamin Dupont Jubien and Mehdi Sabbar’s Big Band Story and directed by Alexandre Laurent (The Bonfire Of Destiny, Women At War). Writers include Catz, Justine Kim Gautier, Antonin Martin-Hilbert, Anne-Charlotte Kassab, Coline Dussaud, Audrey Gagneux and Sophie Maurer.

The series features the three determined Chamade sisters — played by Camille Lou, Constance Labbé and Claire Romain — who reconnect after a number of years to steal a painting displayed at the Eiffel Tower that once belonged to their father. It is all part of their plan to uncover the truth about

his death in a mysterious fire. The police captain in charge of the investigation into the theft is oblivious to the fact that one of the audacious criminals he is looking for is actually the love of his life.

Newen Connect’s chief commercial officer Leona Connell said: “We are seeing significant interest from streamers and broadcasters around the world, a testament to the team at Big Band Story, the writers and of course the amazing cast and crew, as well as the sales team — who were tasked with finding co-production partners and an accelerated timescale in which to deliver it.”

Inoxtag’s Everest doc climbs onto TF1+

FRENCH YouTuber Inès Benazzouz’s quest to climb Everest

The film has sparked multiple debates

Year To Climb Everest. Initially released in cinemas with more than 500 screenings in September 2024, the film was then released on Inoxtag’s YouTube channel.

It has since notched up more than 36 million views, with TF1 also airing the film on its broadcast channel in October. It is now available on the TF1+ service.

channel and Auvio streaming service, as well as Swiss channel RTS2. As for Inoxtag, the film ends with the 22-year-old decompressing

from his Everest experience by working on farms in Cuba. His next adventure has yet to be announced, but he has released 30 minutes of footage that was cut from the film, publishing it to his YouTube channel where he has more than 8.6 million subscribers.

documentary film called Kaizen: 1

The film has sparked multiple debates in France: about the commercialisation of Everest and overcrowding on its ascent; about disclosure of commercial relationships and product placement; and even a row over whether the number of cinema screenings broke French ‘media chronology’ rules. However, Kaizen has also been praised for attracting a young audience into cinemas. Since its release it has also been picked up for Belgian broadcaster RTBF’s Tipik

Kaizen: 1 Year To Climb Everest

Cineflix takes the châteaux of France on a world tour

CINEFLIX Rights has closed multiple deals with international broadcasters and platforms for its long-running franchise Château DIY.

The brand comprises eight seasons (244 x 60 mins, Spark Media Partners for Channel 4, UK) which follow château owners as they tackle monumental renovation projects across France. Spin-off series Château DIY: Living The Dream (8 x 60 mins, Spark Media Partners for More 4, UK) revisits eight homeowners to celebrate their success in creating dream homes in French castles.

Canada’s CBC has bought Seasons five, six and seven, with Australia’s Nine Network acquiring season seven and New

Zealand’s TVNZ taking seasons seven and eight. TV 2 Denmark and TV 2 Norway have both acquired seasons five, six, seven and eight. France’s NRJ has taken seasons four, five and six. RTL has bought season one for German-speaking Europe, while AMC Networks International Central and Northern Europe (AMCNI CNE) has picked up seasons five and six for their Spektrum Home Channel in Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic, with Antenna Entertainment taking seasons four, five and six for Poland on the AXN Spin channels. TV2 Denmark and AMCNI CNE have also acquired Château DIY: Living The Dream.

Channel 4 has confirmed a two-

year order for the franchise, each series of Château DIY comprising 50 episodes.

Tim Mutimer, CEO, Cineflix Rights, said: “Château DIY is

a hugely popular renovation brand, providing high quality and volume to buyers looking for a consistent performer with strong audience recognition for their schedules. We’re looking forward to lots of productive conversations on further sales throughout the market.”

BossaNova looks back at world tragedies

BOSSANOVA, the content creation, Day The Wave Hit is a minute-by-minute account of one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, told through powerful first-hand testimony and archive, much of it not seen before. The documentary also looks at the legacy of the tsunami, from the heartbreaking months spent searching for missing family members, to the monumental task of recovering and rebuilding shattered lives and communities.

‘ Our acquimission model helps to get great shows made’

Viasat World has acquired the twopart documentary, produced by Argonon-owned BriteSpark Films, for its feeds in the CEE, CIS, Nordic and Baltic territories. In addition, it has been picked up by SVT Sweden and Radio Canada. This latest round of deals follows pre-sales to Channel 4 UK and SBS Australia earlier this year.

Holly Cowdery, head of sales at BossaNova said: “We’ve put a real focus

on anniversary pieces this year, starting with the success we had with MH17: The Plane Crash That Shook The World back in July. Both Tsu-

nami and MH17 were brought to life via our ‘acqui-mission’ model, which helps to get great shows made in a changing funding market.”

Tsunami: The Day The Wave Hit (BossaNova)

Château DIY (Cineflix Rights)

HOPING WISHES COME TRUE

A FORMER Irish ambassador is using his diplomatic skills to bring a new kids TV property to life.

Carlichauns will feature a band of Carlingford-based leprechauns who, every day, consult the well of wishes before setting off on an international adventure to grant a wish to one lucky child. Designed to be a traditional 26 x 11 mins preschool series, the property will also be expanded into games, YouTube content and augmented reality.

After retiring from 44 years of diplomatic service, Daniel Mulhall has been researching Irish culture and folklore and is now Carlichauns’ entertainment director and brand ambassador. “I like the idea of updating an aspect of Irish folklore that perhaps had become a little tired and making it friendly to kids in the 21st century,” he said.

Mulhall and Carlichauns’ chief creative officer, Tim Patterson, are targeting the US and Canadian market at MIPCOM CANNES.

In June the company announced that Keith Chapman of Bob The Builder and Paw Patrol fame had joined the Carlichauns team as executive producer and adviser.

Nippon TV’s Old Enough! is good enough for second run season

TVO CANADA has greenlit a second season of Old Enough!, the reality series based on the classic Japanese format from Nippon TV. Co-produced by TVO and Blue Ant Studios, the new series will premiere on TVO across Canada in 2025.

News of the six-episode renewal was announced on the first day of MIPCOM CANNES by Matthew Hornburg, co-president of Blue Ant Studios, Natasha Negrea, head of programming at TVO, and Akane Alex Inoue, from Nippon TV’s global format licensing department.

A cultural phenomenon in Japan, Old Enough! is a heartwarming, unscripted series that follows toddlers as they independently run errands for the first time (under the watchful eye of hidden safety teams). Its popularity skyrocketed in English-speaking territories when Netflix showed Nippon TV’s original series in some 190 countries. Noting that season one of the Canadian

version is also available to MIPCOM CANNES buyers, Hornburg said the show “sparks engaging conversations around independence and parenting for families”. He added: “By blending fun with a social experiment, Old Enough! encourages audiences to reflect on what it means to be ‘old enough’.” TVO’s Negrea added: “Old Enough! not only entertains but also adds to

the ongoing public conversations around the importance of providing children with opportunities to thrive on their own.”

Nippon TV’s Inoue said: “We hope this season reinforces Old Enough!’s universal message about parenting and children, paving the way for more adaptations.”

Mowgli meets queen of the swingers

THE WORLD’s most famous mancub is back for some new adventures in the jungle, but this time Mowgli has an extra companion.

Singapore-based PowerKids Entertainment has brought Akira And Mowgli: The Jungle Book Adventures (52 x 11 mins) to MIPCOM CANNES.

The series sees Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera and Shere Khan joined by Akira, a girl from a neighbouring village in the Seeonee jungle. Having introduced herself by using her vine-swinging skills to save Mowgli from a fall, the pair’s escapades begin.

Partners in the project include DeAPlaneta Kids & Family, Telegael, beIN, TwelveP Animation and Wallpeeps.

“We have best-of-the-best partners,”

said PowerKids CEO Manoj Mishra, a former head of commissioning, co-productions and content acquisitions at Al Jazeera Children’s Channel. “We have already closed the budget, so now we are looking for buyers. It’s available to pre-buy at this market.”

PowerKids previously produced four seasons of the animated series

The Jungle Book, which Mishra said has garnered close to 25 billion views, thanks partly to the company’s YouTube channel, which has nearly 2.3 million subscribers.

Akira And Mowgli: The Jungle Book Adventures was inspired partly by feedback from broadcasters keen to see a girl added to Mowgli’s jungle companions.

“We are now in full-fledged production and will have episodes ready in mid-2025,” Mishra added.

It may not be the last brand extension for PowerKids, however. The company is also working on a Little Mowgli spin-off featuring a younger version of the character.

TVOKids’ Kirsten Hurd (left), Blue Ant’s Matthew Hornburg with Nippon TV’s Tom Miyauchi and Akane Alex Inoue

PowerKids Entertainment’s Manoj Mishra

Daniel Mulhall and a Carlichaun

WedoTV adds docs, true crime and movies to its content offer

AVOD and FAST provider wedotv is adding more than a thousand hours of new content to its services in Europe after signing licensing deals with multiple studios and distributors.

These include a deal with Fox Entertainment Global that will bring hundreds of hours of TV movies — including Christmas-themed films and hits like House Of Versace to services in the UK, DACH and the Benelux countries.

It has also invested in content for the DACH region including crime documentaries from ZDF Studios, movies from New Regency, 12 Bud Spencer titles from

Dolphin Medien, films from OneGate (Studio Hamburg), and the true-crime series Crime Scene Solvers. Four hundred hours of movies from Icon Productions are heading to its UK channels, and a hundred hours of movies from Reel One will be available in the UK, Italy and the DACH region.

“In order to compete with some of the established subscription and free services, we recognise that greatly expanding our distribution is only part of an effective streaming business strategy. It is vital that we invest in programming,” co-CEO Chris Sharp said.

“The lifeblood of any channel bu -

siness whether it’s streaming or broadcast or delivered through a hybrid technology is a quality user experience where the viewers stay over long viewing periods and see multiple advertising breaks.”

The titles from these companies will be included on wedotv’s AVOD platform according to the relevant region, as well as on its FAST channels wedotv BIG stories and wedotv movies. Wedotv is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. Advertiser-supported services include wedotv, wedo movies, wedo sports, wedo big stories in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the UK, Italy, Be -

nelux and the Nordics. As well as documentaries, sports and news, wedotv offers a variety of videos from the lifestyle, comedy and automotive sectors.

Wedotv co-CEO Chris Sharp

‘Northern grit meets glamour’ in Hat Trick’s Smoggie Queens

THE MAKERS of a new BBC sitcom following the lives of a group of LGBTQ+ friends in a rundown Northern English town are in Cannes to introduce the show to international buyers. Phil Dunning, star and writer of Hat Trick’s new comedy Smoggie Queens, producer Chris Jones and actor Mark Benton are in town to promote the show ahead of its UK premiere next month. Benton (Waterloo Road, Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators) plays drag queen Mam alongside Alexandra Mardell (Coronation Street), who plays Lucinda, a self-styled babe. Smoggie Queens, described as the place where “Northern grit meets

glamour” is directed by Andrew Chaplin (Alma’s Not Normal) and Tom Kingsley (Ghosts).

Dunning, who starred in hit show Am I Being Unreasonable?, said the sitcom tells the story of the “silly adventures” of a group of friends living in Middlesborough’s LGBTQ+ scene. “It can be moving, but it’s also very joke-heavy and physical-gag heavy,” he said. “You’ll feel the heartache, but also the fun.”

Smoggie Queens producer Chris Jones (Kate & Koji), said the show would likely travel well due to its relatable themes and comic appeal.

“It’s very visual,” he added. “And it’s universal. Everyone recognises the archetypes of these characters.”

Dunning said each episode fo -

cuses on the gang becoming involved in a light-hearted comedic scenario, such as a Titanic spoof,

which takes place on the famous Middlesborough pleasure cruiser Teesside Princess.

Smoggie Queens is being distributed by Hat Trick International. It will air in November on BBC Three, which brought RuPaul’s Drag Race to the UK.

GRB Media Ranch to deliver Relative Justice

TWO SEASONS of Wrigley Media Group’s Relative Justice have

environment to have their problems ruled on by real-life judge Rhonda Wills.

The deal with GRB Media Ranch follows sales to UK FAST channel Pluto and South African streamer Viu.

‘Courtroom family drama like never before’

“Relative Justice showcases reallife courtroom family drama like never before,” said GRB president Sophie Ferron. “After successfully distributing the series in the UK and South Africa, we are excited to now bring this engaging show to American audiences.”

Describing the format as a “guilty pleasure”, Wrigley Media Group owner and CEO Misdee Wrigley Miller, added: “Relative Justice hits on a universal truth: you can’t choose your family but you can choose where to take them to court.”

Smoggie Queens’ star and writer Phil

Sophie Ferron

GRB Media Ranch’s Liz Levenson (left) and Sophie Ferron (right) with Wrigley Media Group’s Joe Livecchi

Telangana:

Prime Location: Hyderabad is a rising AVGC hub, home to giants like EA, Sony, Warner Bros, and Flutter.

World-Class Infrastructure: IMAGE Towers –India’s largest AVGC center, built to fast-track your production.

Movie Industry Powerhouse: Global blockbusters and India’s first Oscar-winning film, RRR, hail from Telangana.

Investor-Friendly Policies: Enjoy subsidies, tax exemptions, and reimbursements designed to fuel growth.

Skilled Workforce: Access industry-ready talent to ensure high-quality, world-class output.

Global Collaboration: Partner with Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, and more, all with a base in Hyderabad. Book a Meeting: khaja@tvaga.org

Content for sale

Here we highlight some of the multi-genre content brought to MIPCOM CANNES by companies from all over the world

DANDELOOO

FRENCH animation producer and distributor Dandelooo debuts comedy series Under The Sofa (52 x 7 mins) at MIPCOM CANNES. Produced by Barcelona-based Teidees, the 2D animation series is currently in production, set for delivery in May 2025. Under The Sofa features a group of lost objects — including a scuba-diver figure, the only survivor of a squad of toy commandoes; Dusty the fluffball; Selfie, a polaroid photo; Chip, a cookie with a bit missing; and Top, a cotton bud — who all live in hiding, under a sofa, trying to survive in the apartment of a family that aspires to perfection.

GRUPPO ALCUNI

AFTER a guest-starring role in the fifth season of the Mini Pet Pals preschool series, the MiniDinos characters now have their own 2D show, MiniDinos (26 x 6 mins). The mini heroes come up against a gang of Dumdumsaurs who wreak havoc on their prehistoric valley by enforcing behaviours that are environmentally destructive, nasty and unfair. The have the assistance of Diluviana, a prehistoric tree who always bestows the right animal superpower for the situation at hand. Italy’s Gruppo Alcuni also highlights The Black Diamond Race (9 x 45 mins), a 3D animated series for tweens, currently in production and releasing worldwide early next year, a heist mystery thriller set in the world of car racing in Europe and India in the late 1920s.

DCD RIGHTS

NATURAL Born Killer? (2 x 60 mins), from Perpetual Entertainment for Hearst Networks EMEA and Nine Network Australia, is the story of a shocking murder in Australia. On the weekend before her wedding Stephanie Scott was murdered by school janitor Vincent Stanford. For Stanford, this was just the beginning, strong evidence indicated that he had been stalking three other women with intent to kill. This mini-series documents his conviction, confession, possible involvement in other cases and how he almost got away with it due to DNA confusion with his identical twin brother.

3DD GROUP

LONDON-based producer and distributor 3DD celebrates its 30th year at MIPCOM CANNES. A priority at the market for the company is World War II: The End. Written and presented by Giles Milton, with delivery scheduled for January 2025, the two-part documentary chronicles the final months of World War II and is timed to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the allied victory in Europe. Beginning with the Battle of the Bulge, the series follows the Allies’ advance on Nazi Germany and concludes with Japan’s final surrender. World War II: The End includes period footage, archival interviews and on-location filming around Europe.

TV (NTV)

HIGHLIGHTS from the NTV catalogue at MIPCOM CANNES include scripted format Secret Makover. Mitsuko is a mysterious life stylist. Her new mission is to transform Natsu, a single mother who is in dispute with a powerful real-estate developer. As Mitsuko tries to help Natsu her own secrets come into play. Unscripted format Man Or Mannequin? is a game show in which celebrity contestants search for mannequins hidden around the city. But there’s a twist, humans pretending to be mannequins are also included. In the final round they have to find a single mannequin among 10 human stand-ins. Unstoppable is another new game show featuring physical tasks, skill tests and even challenges with spicy food. Drama series Going Home – Cops For The Lost centres on a police unit which identifies unknown bodies. Among the investigators is a female duo who, despite opposite personalities and interests, share the same motivation.

Under The Sofa (Dandelooo)

MiniDinos (Gruppo Alcuni)

NIPPON

Secret Makeover (NTV)

World War II: The End (3DD Group)

Natural Born Killer? (DCD Rights)

Delivering acclaimed returning brands

Thrilling scripted content from genre-leading creators

9:00 - 9:45

Unlocking Audience & Content Dynamics Presented by Glance

9:45 - 10:15

What All the Drama is About - Content that Travels

9:00 - 9:45 Welcome NetworkingCoffee

9:45 - 10:10

How to Thrive in The Media’s User-Centric Era? Presented by Evan Shapiro, ESHAP

11:00 - 13:00 Frapa Formats Summit

13:00 - 14:00

Fresh TV Formats Presented by The WIT

14:30 - 15:00

Drama Formats - Producer /Distributor Collaboration in the Remake Process

14:30 - 15:30

Applied AI Summit: Roundtables

Welcome Coffee from 14:00

Pre-registration required

16:30 - 17:00

Connecting Coproduction Worlds: A Fiction Series on Autism Acceptance Presented by VIP2000

15:40-16:10

16:20-16:50

17:00-17:40

17:30 - 18:00 Showcase Presented by GLOBO

18:00 - 19:00

Producers’ Hub Networking Drinks With GLOBO

Other Venues Screenings & Showcases

8:00 - 10:00

Hotel Majestic MIPCOM Buyers Awards Ceremony, with breakfast Presented by Japanese Drama Festival

9:00 - 10:30

Verriere Californie

World Premiere of Obocchamakun: Bringing Japanese Anime to Life in India

Presented by TV Asahi Breakfast served from 8:45

11:00 - 12:00

Auditorium A The Beach Presented by

12:00 - 14:00

Hotel Majestic

Women in Global Entertainment Power Lunch With A+E Media Group

Welcome Drinks: 12:00 Lunch 12:30-14:00 By invitation

14:00 - 14:30

Matchmaking Area Meet the Expert - Factual Producers’ Digital 360 Distribution Strategy Ludo Dufour Vice President of Licensing, Curiosity Inc.

10:00 - 11:00

Auditorium K Los Colorado Presented by Telefilms

14:30 - 15:30 Auditorium A The Librarians: The Next Chapter Presented by Electric Entertainment 13:30 - 14:30 Auditorium

16:00 - 16:45 Applied AI Summit: Innovation Showcase

FREMANTLE

FREMANTLE debuts a line-up of original formats in Cannes, including: Master Of The Game, in which celebrities participate in a twist-and-turn mystery game, drawn by a cryptic invitation and the promise of a cash prize; Exposed, in which celebrities confront their own digital footprints; Heist Academy, in which 10 celebrities compete to join three comedians in staging a spectacular bank robbery; The Hiding Game, which supersizes the childhood game of hide-and-seek into a national championship; The Lost Ones: Ultimate Decision, a sequel to The Lost Ones, which aired last year on TV2 in Denmark, in which contestants are dropped into the remote wilderness, forced to rely on instincts, resilience and teamwork to find hidden cash prizes; and Couple To Throuple, which follows four curious couples through the world of polyamory as they experiment with bringing a third partner into their relationship.

Delivering

BIG MEDIA

IN THE series Fatal Engineering (6 x 60 mins), brought to MIPCOM CANNES by Big Media, the intricate details of high-profile accidents are investigated — from structural collapses to technological failures — while exploring the human errors, design flaws and unforeseen circumstances that created a chain of events leading to tragic outcomes. Using archival footage and cutting-edge 3D animation and CGI, episodes include plane crashes; nuclear power plant disasters; skyscraper, bridge and dam collapses; and rollercoaster accidents.

Thrilling

Exposed (Fremantle)

Fatal Engineering (Big Media)

BBC STUDIOS

NATURAL history titles from BBC Studios include Big Cats 24/7 (6 x 60 mins) and Expedition Killer Whale (1 x 60 mins). Factual entertainment shows include Paddy And Chris: Road Tripping, looking at how Europeans grow old gracefully; and Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby. From the format slate comes Silence Is Golden (6 x 45 mins), Koso Koso and The Answer Run (25 x 45 mins). Kids and family programmes include live-action film The Primrose Railway Children (1 x 90 mins), a modern reimagining of E Nesbit’s classic novel; the fifth series of Hey Duggee (20 x 7 mins); Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club (26 x 7 mins); and My Friend Maisy (52 x 5 mins). Scripted titles include: Outrageous (6 x 50 mins), about six aristocratic sisters in the 1930s; Death Valley (6 x 45 mins), following an unlikely crime-solving partnership; legal drama The Split: Barcelona (2 x 60 mins); emotional thriller Reunion (4 x 60 mins); and the homecoming story of an Australian detective, Return To Paradise.

MAGIC FRAME ANIMATION.

MAGIC Frame Animation and Creation Entertainment Media have partnered for the new kids’ animated series BuddyBotzzz (26 x 11 mins). The series follows a group of robots and two teen protagonists on their sci-fi adventures. The characters each have certain traits traditionally perceived as disadvantages, which the narrative turns into positive attributes. The stories emphasise the importance of believing in your own abilities and seeking support from family and friends.

BuddyBotzzz (Magic Frame Animation)

Silence Is Golden (BBC Studios)

STUDIOCANAL

NEW DRAMA series Wild Valley (Valle Salvaje/120 x 60 mins) is brought to MIPCOM CANNES by StudioCanal. Produced by Spain’s Bambú Producciones, the series is set in Madrid in 1763 when 22-year-old Adriana discovers after her father’s sudden death that she has been promised in marriage to a man who lives at her aunt’s isolated property in northern Spain. She has responsibility for her two young siblings and so moves to the estate. While she finds hope in a secret affair with her future husband’s brother, Adriana must confront the horrifying revelation that someone close to her is responsible for her father’s death.

120_VIAPLAY_N_COM

FIFTH SEASON

AWARD-winning director John Dower tells the extraordinary true story of an Italian fraudster who took over a Hollywood studio and ransacked it in The Man Who Definitely Didn’t Steal Hollywood (1 x 90 mins/2 x 45 mins). In 1990 Giancarlo Parretti, a former waiter, bought MGM for $1.3bn. Within months, the studio faced bankruptcy and Hollywood stars were owed millions. Parretti then escaped to Italy, an international manhunt unfolded and prosecutors uncovered corruption that brought down France’s biggest bank. This documentary separates fact from fiction and is an exploration of the dark side of Hollywood business deals. Fifth Season is also highlighting Queen Of The Castle (1 x 60 mins), which follows the renovation, by Canadian socialites Ann Kaplan Mulholland and her husband Stephen, of a 1,000-year-old English castle.

MEDIAPRO

BARCELONA-headquartered producer and distributor Mediapro is highlighting a variety of programming at MIPCOM CANNES, including: psychological thriller The Head, produced by The Mediapro Studio and Hulu, with the third season set in the Sahara Desert; Celeste, a Movistar Plus+ original in co-production with 100 Balas, about a government tax inspector who has to prove that Celeste, a huge Latin star, lives in Spain and as is obligated to pay her taxes; family quiz show Crush, in which teams compete — with help from a celebrity — to avoid being ‘crushed’ by a huge safe suspended above them; drama/comedy Consuelo, set in Mexico City in the 1950s; Quiet, an eight-episode murder thriller filmed in Barcelona, set in 2020, when the streets of the city are empty; and Witness 36, a spy-thriller series about a female writer specialised in creating fictional identities for an international witness protection programme, who becomes entangled with a mysterious man whose past resembles one of her creations.

Wild Valley (StudioCanal)

HIDDEN PIGEON COMPANY (HPC)

HIDDEN Pigeon Company is developing the work of children’s author and illustrator Mo Willems into a series, Elephant & Piggie, based on a range of Willems’ books. The company also has several new series in development, including one spotlighting The Pigeon, Willems’ character that was first introduced in Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!, and another inspired by his cat books. Further HPC content showcased in Cannes includes: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience; Unlimited Squirrels; Elephant & Piggie’s Storytime Shorts; and Mo Willems And The Storytime All Stars Present: Don’t Let The Pigeon Do Storytime!

133_SHOUT_N1_COM

CAKE ENTERTAINMENT

IN NEW CG-animated preschool series Talking Tom Heroes Suddenly Super (52 x 11 mins), Talking Tom and his friends — Angela, Ben and Hank — discover a mysterious device that grants them amazing powers. Armed with awesome abilities and an assortment of gadgets, they are ready to defend their city from disasters and villains, with some backup from their reliable friends Talking Becca and Talking Ginger. The creators of the series are Outfit7, Epic Story Media and ReDefine Originals Studio, part of DNEG group, and the show is brought to MIPCOM CANNES by London-based Cake Entertainment.

Elephant & Piggie (HPC)

Talking Tom Heroes Suddenly Super (Cake Entertainment)

“WE HAVE UNLOCKED THE DOOR. NOW IT IS OUR COMMON RESPONSIBILITY TO WALK THROUGH IT. THAT DEMANDS NOT JUST AGREEMENT, BUT ACTION.”

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General

A pivotal moment for humanity, world leaders adopted the groundbreaking Pact for the Future , at the UN Summit of the Future, New York, on 22 September 2024. The Pact, which includes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations , is the culmination of an inclusive, years-long process to adapt international cooperation to the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow for #OurCommonFuture.

un.org/summit-of-the-future

PRIMITIVES

BELGIUM-based format distributor Primitives returns to Cannes with several new titles, including: Love On The Road (30 x 50 mins), a daily dating show featuring adventurous van-lifers (people who live on the road); The Ultimate Celebrity Car Park Showdown (8 x 30 mins), which pits celebrities against one another in challenges held in an underground parking garage; The Goldfish (4 x45 mins), following two hosts who travel through Flanders with no money, relying on people they meet along the way to help them; and The Expedition (8 x 60 mins), set for a second season, taking eight celebrities on a 200km trek through Namibia. Primitives’ scripted format slate includes: Millennials (8 x 10 mins); Couples Therapy (10 x 10 mins); and Cammo (8 x 25 mins).

KOREAN animation studio Dofala highlights three shows at MIPCOM CANNES. Hero Riseman is a 3D animation series targeting children six to 14. Blending comedy and action, the show follows Scott, an part-time worker in Zero City who stumbles on a powerful Geostone, which thrusts him into a new role battling space monsters. Dino Powers is an action-packed comedy, for kids aged five to 10, set in a future where genetic engineering has revived dinosaurs as pets. Kuang The Little Dinosaur, aimed at preschoolers, features a curious Tarbosaurus and his friends.

Hero Riseman (Dofala)

The Ultimate Celebrity Car Park Showdown (Primitives)

ACCELERATE STUDIOS

ACCELERATE Studios, the production division of The Accelerate Group, creates short and feature films, drama series, documentaries, lifestyle formats, 2D/3D animation and live-event streaming. At MIPCOM CANNES Accelerate Studios is highlighting The Decolonisation Of Africa, a five-episode documentary series exploring Africa’s complex journey to cultural, mental and economic liberation. The series — through the lens of former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo — features expert insights and poses a critical question: Has Africa truly achieved freedom? Titles on the company’s third-party distribution slate include comedy Visa On Arrival, drama The Olive, medical drama Clinically Speaking, travel series Your City, My View and cooking series Off The Menu.

AK ENTERTAINMENT

ANIMA KITCHENT

CANARY Islands- and Madrid-based Ánima Kitchent brings the second season of preschool series Cuquin (20 x 5 mins) to MIPCOM CANNES. The 3D series, produced by Ánima Kitchent in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, is scheduled for delivery in 2025. Cuquin, Clementina and Cyan are three exuberant toddlers who love playing together at nursery. When they are frustrated and can’t immediately do what they want, to pass the time the threesome use their imaginations in order to travel from the classroom into exciting adventures, packed with slapstick action and comedy.

TV ASAHI

JAPANESE national broadcaster TV Asahi presents new kids’ animation series Obocchama-kun (26 x 22 mins/52 x 11 mins) at MIPCOM CANNES. The anime adaptation is a sequel to the original 1989 series and is based on the popular 1984 manga created by Yoshinori Kobayashi. Targeted at 6- to 11-year-olds the 2D animation is produced by TV Asahi with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). Obocchama-kun is a comedy series about a hugely rich boy and his outrageous school and family life.

Obocchama-kun (TV Asahi)

SEOUL, Korea-based AK Entertainment is at MIPCOM CANNES to present travel show In To The World. Presenter Tae Won-jun travels across the world visiting many varied countries to sample the enormous variety of different kinds of traditional foods on offer. From the kids slate comes: Cocomong 3, in which Cocomong learns the importance of food and healthy eating habits in Refrigerator Land; and Birdy Friends, where the friends learn the secrets of the Seed Vault and the Hug Tree. Sadly, because of the Big Black Shadow the Hug Tree spends all its powers to save needy plants in other areas, which puts the Black Forest at risk of disappearing.

CINEFLIX RIGHTS

THE CINEFLIX Rights’ slate includes scripted, movies and new factual titles, together with returning seasons. The scripted line-up includes: Virdee, a crime thriller wrapped around a love story, adapted by A.A. Dhand from his novels; Heart Attack, a dystopian sci-fi ‘live-action anime’ set in post-pandemic Japan; Wynonna Earp: Vengeance, a new 90-minute instalment of a cult favourite; and The Burning Girls, a mystery from the creators of The Bridge and Marcella. These titles join returning seasons of Last King Of The Cross and Whitstable Pearl. Cineflix Rights is the new home for the long-running unscripted brand A New Life In The Sun, and further unscripted highlights include: Titanic: Our Secret Histories, with stories of the descendants of both survivors and those who perished; Alien Corridors, a series that examines hotspots of intergalactic visitation; Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive & Kids, following a UK sheep-herding family; and An Optimist’s Guide To The Planet. The latest true-crime series include Cold Case Cops and Spring Break Murder.

The Decolonisation Of Africa (Accelerate Studios)

A New Life In The Sun (Cineflix Rights)

Cocomong 3 (AK Entertainment)

Cuquin (Ánima Kitchent)

BEIJING TFF

BEIJING TFF is looking for co-production partners for its newly developed 3D/CGI animation series Dragon Sisters (26 x 11 mins). The story happens after cosmic radiation transforms a drifting garbage island into a global menace of charming yet dangerous garbage monsters, and the young dragon sisters set out to capture and contain these creatures, turning environmental threats into collectible treasures.

CHINA BRIDGE CONTENT

CHINA’s Beijing Miaow’s House, Tencent Video and GZ Art-land are partnering with New York’s China Bridge Content to develop ViViCat: Miles Purr Hour (52 x 7 mins), a CGI animated comedy for teens and young adults based on the short-form series The Daily Life Of ViViCat. China Bridge Content is showcasing a preview of the new series during MIPJUNIOR and MIPCOM CANNES. ViViCat: Miles Purr Hour follows ViViCat traveling the world on his trusty motorcycle searching for the meaning of life — or snacks. Invariably he runs out of gas and becomes stranded in a new location. Many of the places ViViCat visits will be animated in wholly different animation styles, ranging from anime to stop-motion and hand drawn 2D, and the stories are told without words, using physical comedy with a world-music score.

ESCAPADE MEDIA

FOLLOW The Rain (1 x 76/60 mins) is a documentary from Planet Fungi brought to Cannes, with global rights, by Australia’s Escapade Media. The film follows an expedition into the wilderness of Australia, where the study of the symbiotic relationship between fungi, plants and animals is at the frontier of science. The push is now on to document as many species as possible, as fast as possible. Many new species are found by renowned fungi hunter and photographer Stephen Axford, who with filmmaker Catherine Marciniak, also creates exquisite time-lapses of fungi growing. In one of the wettest years on record in Australia, Axford and Marciniak followed in the path of the rain to document the fungi that emerged.

OFF THE FENCE

NETHERLANDS-based Off the Fence presents two premium documentaries at MIPCOM CANNES. Pharoah’s: Rise And Fall features Egyptologists tracking the lives of the Egyptian royals. From the first pharaoh Narmer through to Cleopatra VI, the cast of pharaohs are profiled and re-enactments allow glimpses into their inner chambers, harems and halls of power to discover their daily lives, rituals and duties. Feature documentary Project Tiger marks the 50th anniversary of India’s largest and most ambitious conservation project and offers intimate wildlife sequences with rare insight into the tigers’ personal world and the ancient forests where they thrive. Also unique access to never-before-seen undercover footage reveals the shocking truths of multinational wildlife crime networks.

AT MIPCOM CANNES, Vienna-based ORF-Enterprise showcases a range of new content alongside returning favourites. The Curious Cases Of Gerti B. (6 × 45 mins) introduces a detective who investigates a murder in her neighbourhood with her younger boss, bringing her closer to the neighbours than she would like. Mini-series Me And The Others (6 × 40 mins) explores the relationship between the self and the environment in a tragicomic satire with an ensemble cast and sharp dialogue. New seasons on offer include: School Of Champions (16 × 45 mins), with new challenges for the students at Austria’s elite ski academy; and Fast Forward (78 × 45 mins), following Angelika’s quest for peace in her life, despite running a detective agency.

Pharoah’s: Rise And Fall (Off the Fence)

Dragon Sisters (Beijing TFF)

Follow The Rain (Escapade Media)

ViViCat: Miles Purr Hour (China Bridge Content)

The Curious Cases Of Gerti B. (ORF-Enterprise)

19h at the Majestic 21h30, Fireworks

HAT TRICK INTERNATIONAL

SCRIPTED comedy Smoggie Queens (6 x 30 mins) is produced by the UK’s Hat Trick International for BBC Three. The stories feature a gang of friends — volatile Dickie (Phil Dunning), drag queen Mam (Mark Benton), self-styled babe Lucinda (Alexandra Mardell), awkward Sal and queen newcomer Stewart — as they navigate love, life and the pride they have for a town that feels neglected in its lesser-known corner of northern Britain. The show, written by writer/performer Phil Dunning, aims to show what it’s like to live a queer life outside of major cities.

CYBER GROUP STUDIOS

AIMING at children aged from six to 12, Cyber Group Studios will soon release its new e-sport animated series that uses 2D and the Unreal Engine: Alex Player (26 x 22 mins/CGI/2D). Cyber Group Studios also reveals its first motion-capture series, in production, about a family of firefighters with The McFire Family (52 x 11 mins). Additionally, Press Start! (52 x 11 mins/CGI), is coming soon, aimed at four- to seven-year-olds, set within the fast-paced cubic video-game world of Super Rabbit Boy; and a fourth season of Gigantosaurus introduces new roaring characters.

BOSSANOVA

ONEGATE MEDIA

MUNICH-based OneGate Media brings Vet Jacobs – Agent On Occasion to Cannes, about former city police officer Hauke Jacobs who tries to start over as a veterinarian in a quiet seaside town. However, mysterious crimes in the local area keep bringing him back into crime-solving — and his receptionist has ambitions to fight crime as well. The German company also highlights political thriller Dangerous Truth, inspired by true events leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The series follows Alex, a man determined to uncover the truth behind the murder of his father, who was a sniper. After his mother dies, he discovers that the deaths of his father and sister were not by who he thought and his research reveals high-profile figures are connected to the assassination.

STUDIO 100 INTERNATIONAL

STUDIO 100 International is showcasing two comedy series in Cannes. BFF (26 x 11 mins) follows the adventures of three kids — Ben the clumsy bear, Frida the enthusiastic squirrel and Freddie the cool cat. Despite their differences the trio love spending time with each other as they deal with the challenges of everyday life. The 2D animation produced by Art Shot (Lithuania) and Artichoke (Slovakia) is targeted at five- to eightyear-olds. Also on offer is Momonsters (78 x 7 mins, seasons 1 & 2; 26 x 7 mins, season 3), a mixture of 3D animation and live action, targeted at three- to six-year-olds and produced by Spain’s Big Bang Box. Momonsters Haha, Hehe, Hihi, Hoho and Huhu want to be best friends to children, which is what they learn to do at the Momonsters Academy, where every day a different child shows them their favourite thing — it could be playing hide and seek, decorating muffins or playing soccer — which the Momonsters then try to emulate.

SEIZED At Sea is a 12-part-series from Stampede which follows agents from US Border Patrol and Air and Marine Operations as they fight drug smugglers and human traffickers operating in the Caribbean and off the coast of Florida. The show has recently been acquired by Warner Bros. Discovery for its streaming platforms and linear networks across Iberia, Italy, Poland, Turkey, the Benelux and the Nordic territories; Hearst Networks (UK); and CBS Reality (Middle East, Africa and Romania). The series, which follows on from Borderforce USA, is presented in Cannes by BossaNova.

Vet Jacobs – Agent On Occasion (OneGate Media)

Smoggie Queens (Hat Trick International)

BFF (Studio 100 International)

Gigantosaurus (Cyber Group Studios)

Seized At Sea (BossaNova)

Moon Palace, Cancun, Mexico

19 → 22 Nov. 2024

ENTERTAINMENT’S BREAKING NEWS SITE

For all the latest happenings on the international film and television scene, Deadline is your source. From Box office numbers, to television premieres, to renewals and festival coverage, and everything in between

PASSION DISTRIBUTION

THE NEW slate from the UK’s Passion Distribution is headlined by Virgin Island (6 x 60 mins), produced by Double Act for Channel 4. The social experiment follows 12 individuals who struggle with intimacy anxiety as they undergo a programme designed by world-renowned sexologists, set against the backdrop of a luxurious island retreat. Passion is also launching documentary series Monsters Of The Deep (2 x 60 mins), hosted by explorer and wildlife presenter Steve Backshall, which explores the ocean’s depths. Additional highlights include the inspiring series Love My Face (4 x 60 mins), a fresh take on true crime with The Incident Room (6 x 60 mins) and documentary The Great Kim Kardashian Robbery (1 x 60 mins).

MEDIATOON DISTRIBUTION

AT MIPCOM CANNES Paris-based Mediatoon introduces Martin Morning: The Chinese Mystery (1 x 86 mins), an adventure feature film aimed at family audiences. Ready for delivery, the movie is a spin-off from the four-season animation series, distributed in more than 150 territories. Additionally, the distributor showcases two specials: Zoobox (1 x 26 mins), a preschool stop-motion adventure following a curious kangaroo; and Venice, The Most Ancient City Of The Future (1 x 26 mins), a kids and family time-traveling adventure tackling environmental issues.

WHITE LIGHT DISTRIBUTION

LONDON-based White Light Distribution is at MIPCOM CANNES with its largest slate of new music-film productions. White Light’s new-release slate includes concert films from Bryan Adams, Louis Tomlinson, Alicia Keys, Liam Gallagher, The Specials and Placebo. Another highlight is Mr Jimmy, a documentary about Japanese guitarist Akio Sakurai’s extraordinary mission to honour rock musician Jimmy Page by recreating vintage Led Zeppelin concerts note-fornote in small Tokyo clubs. The film has received Led Zeppelin’s blessing. White Light is also introducing a new production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, starring Ralph Fiennes; Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands; and La Traviata: A Chamber Work, in addition to new documentary films Placebo: This Search For Meaning, Born To Be Wild: The Story Of Steppenwolf, Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line and a re-release of The Who’s pioneering film, The Kids Are Alright.

ARVO Pärt, one of the world´s most performed living composers of classical music, will turn 90 next year. Poorhouse International brings The Pärt Project to MIPCOM CANNES, a trilogy, produced by Estonian Public Broadcasting, comprising: Tintinnabuli Forest (1 x 59 mins), a documentary about the opening of a new complex — the Arvo Pärt Centre — 35 km from the Estonian capital Tallinn, in the middle of coastal forest; The Pärt Diaries (1 x 33 mins), containing reflections which enhance the understanding of his thinking and his music; and The Third Symphony (1 x 28 mins), a performance from 1971 by Paavo Järvi and the Estonian Festival Orchestra.

Bryan Adams: Live At The Royal Albert Hall (White Light Distribution)

Martin Morning: The Chinese Mystery (Mediatoon Distribution))

Virgin Island (Passion Distribution)

The Pärt Project (Poorhouse International)

MILLIMAGES

MILLIMAGES is in production on Kindness Club, created for its Molang YouTube channel. Kindness Club (10 x 8 mins) is a series of animated shorts presented in a podcast/interview format where the characters discuss matters of mental health and kindness with celebrity parodies from the world of animation. The series will air monthly on the Molang channel which has 314,000 subscribers and has amassed 54 million views. The French distributor also showcases Bin Buddies (7 x 52 mins), about the trash-collecting heroes of Nicelittletown — Maddy the ostrich, Rodrigo the lion and Turbo the raccoon.

NHK FORMATS – NEP

NHK ENTERPRISES (NEP), NHK’s international business arm, has expanded its distribution partnership with Netherlands-based Lineup Industries for US, Europe, Australia & New Zealand, with Singapore-based Empire of Arkadia (EOA) to manage distribution for format sales across Asia. EOA will also handle worldwide sales of the NHK’s scripted formats. The fruits of the new partnership at MIPCOM CANNES are two new game-show formats. Quiz 100 features experts, named as Superhumans, who go head-to-head against a group of 100 people who share a love for specialist knowledge on bizarre hobbies and interests, with a different subject set for each episode. Unknown Championship is a competition game show that focuses on showcasing unusual skills in everyday jobs. Participants — who can be celebrities, experts or the general public — engage in a series of competitive rounds to test their craftsmanship in order to win.

KHAZMODAN STUDIOS

KOREA’s Khazmodan Studios introduces Honyang at MIPCOM CANNES. Honyang, a cat-like tiger, forms a bond with a human-like bear and a uniquely-coloured raccoon. The stories aim to reflect a world where everyone is celebrated for their differences. Two episodes are available, with 15 scheduled by the end of 2025. Merchandise is also planned.

SAMG ENTERTAINMENT

WISHCAT is a series that follows the adventures of 12-year-old Anna and her wish-granting Wishcat. The Wishcats have been around for centuries making dreams come alive for humans. However, the identity of Wishcats needs to be revealed to Anna’s friends and other people living on earth. In each episode people learn that the word ‘Iemeow’ summons all types of Wishcats who can grant wishes. The series is brought to Cannes by Korea’s SAMG Entertainment.

KEDOO ENTERTAINMENT

HEADQUARTERED in Dubai, with offices in London, Cairo, Kiev and Moscow, Kedoo Entertainment holds a catalogue that spans animation, films, series and documentaries. A drama highlight is Conviction, a 90-minute thriller based on a true story. Three schoolboys, in revenge for the unsolved murder of their younger sibling, take justice into their own hands, a campaign which culminates in a shocking takeover of the courthouse. From the kids’ slate comes new animation series Sonya From Toastville (26 x 11 mins), aimed at six- to nine-year-olds, about a girl who discovers that her bread box can teleport her to the magical city of Toastville. The company also brings the fifth season of Booba (130 x 7 mins), aimed at three- to six-year-olds, about a quirky little creature and his many adventures with friends.

Wishcat (SAMG Entertainment)

Bin Buddies

(Millimages)

Honyang (Khazmodan Studios)

Quiz 100 (NHK Formats – NEP)

Booba (Kedoo Entertainment)

TOTAL DIGITAL REACH 78M

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS BRAND

SOURCE: COMSCORE MEDIA METRIX MULTI-PLATFORM JAN 2024 — SOCIAL INCREMENTAL (DESKTOP + MOBILE + SOCIAL)

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SPHERE ABACUS

LAUNCHED at MIPCOM CANNES by Sphere Abacus (formerly Abacus Media Rights), Gunpowder Siege (3 x 60 mins/working title) is a docu-drama, produced by Lightbox, that reimagines the most infamous rebellion plot in British history. In 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught alongside 36 barrels of gunpowder, which were part of a plan to bomb a parliament building. The series follows the evolving story of the rebellious Catholic movement and its three leaders, Robert Catesby, Thomas Wintour and Thomas Percy, branded the most wanted men in England, as they run from London, seeking to ignite a rebellion against King James and place his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, on the throne.

STUDIO HI

GLOBAL SCREEN

THE SECOND season of The Palace (6 x 45 mins) is brought to Cannes by Munich-based Global Screen. Produced by Moovie, Constantin Film and ZDF, the series is set in Berlin in 1990, where a ballet director and a trio of up-and-coming dancers face personal and professional turmoil as they navigate love, fears and ambitions, all while battling to save their theatre. Post-wall Berlin is a city in transition, and the legendary Palace theatre is threatened by dwindling audiences and the new directors’ plan to turn it into a casino.

FRED MEDIA/RADAR

NEWLY integrated Australian distributor Fred Media/Radar brings a catalogue of 400+ hours of new content to Cannes. Priorities include: Colin & Justin: Sub Zero Reno (6 x 60 mins), in which the design duo transform a derelict house into a dream retreat in the middle of Canadian winter; Budget Battlers (4 x 60 mins), a new makeover show that rallies communities to renovate the homes of deserving people; and The Aussie Property Flippers (8 x 60 mins), which follows 12 couples renovating homes to sell.

KOREA’s Studio Hi brings Silvertown Heroes (12 x 35 mins) to MIPCOM CANNES. After the last battle between superheroes, peace was restored, and now 40 years later old enemies have come back on the scene. Superhero Gerald is still full of anger, but he is now an old, powerless man, feeling his age even more than the average person as he is weakened by how much he has used his superpowers in the past. At this moment, an invitation comes to him to join a luxury senior community.

TERRANOA

PRIMETIME documentary Notre-Dame Reborn (1 x 90/52 mins), due for premiere on France Télévisions in the week of the re-opening of the cathedral in December, is showcased at MIPCOM CANNES by French distributor Terranoa. The film reveals exclusive images and recounts the five-year reconstruction of the cathedral. Also available in Cannes are the three latest releases in the ancient-history genre from Terranoa: Byblos Revealed, Secret Sardinia: Mysteries Of The Nuraghi and Alhambra At The Crossroads Of Cultures, all from the Gedeon Programmes’ collection.

INTERVIEW With A Killer (10 x 60 mins) is a new Court TV original series that profiles 10 convicted murderers in high-security prisons around the US. Hosted by investigative reporter David Scott, the show engages and confronts the killers with in-depth interviews that allow the audience to face a group of men and woman who have committed the ultimate crime against humanity.

Silvertown Heroes (Studio Hi)

Gunpowder Siege (Sphere Abacus)

Colin & Justin: Sub Zero Reno (Fred Media/Radar

The Palace (Global Screen)

Notre-Dame Reborn (Terranoa)

Interview With A Killer (Rainmaker Content)

KO DISTRIBUTION

MONTREAL-based KO Distribution, the distribution arm of Canada’s KOTV, brings new drama series Watch Over Me (6 x 60 mins) to MIPCOM CANNES. The series follows a grandmother who cares for her grandson after her daughter ran away with a toxic partner. Three years later the daughter returns, sober and separated, determined to take care of her son. Other highlights include sports documentary 300 Hoops (6 x 60 mins), about Dynastie, a basketball team made up of Quebecois, French and African teenagers; and Playing Both Sides (12 x 30 mins), a police procedural comedy.

THE MOUSE MANSION COMPANY

THE WORLD of the Dutch Mouse Mansion book series has transferred into an animated series called Sam & Julia (78 x 7 mins). Coming from a distant country, little mouse Julia moves into The Mouse Mansion and meets crafty mouse Sam who helps her get used to her new life while becoming best friends. The first season is airing in France (France Télévisions and Okoo) and the Netherlands (Avrotros/Zappelin), and will launch in the first quarter of 2025 in Germany (ZDF/KiKA), with further deals pending.

BLUE ANT STUDIOS

TORONTO-based Blue Ant Studios, a production studio and distributor, brings the series Survival Of The Beast (6 x 60 mins), from Beach House Pictures, to MIPCOM CANNES. In this series, explorer, adventurer and self-professed zoology-nut Max Djenohan spends countless months in the world’s wildest places trying to perfect his survival skills. The episodes follow Max as he embeds himself alongside both the majestic superstars and the unsung heroes of the animal kingdom to tap into their survival secrets, from large species like lions, gorillas and crocodiles to smaller creatures like ants, owls and mudskippers.

SUPERIGHTS

SUPERIGHTS’ highlights for MIPCOM CANNES include: Harrison & Me (52 x 13 mins), a comedy combining eco-friendly tips and the exploration of nature by two kids guided by Harrison, a plant being with a big heart; Silly Sundays (78 x 7 mins), a feel-good comedy series that centres around family trips; and Maelys’ Mysteries (30x13’), which follows a 10-year-old girl, eager to solve mysteries with the help of her best friend Lucien.

Silly Sundays (Superights)

PARADE MEDIA GROUP

LONDON-based Parade Media Group brings a range of programming to MIPCOM CANNES. Titles with an Australian theme include: Extraordinary Animals (10 x 30 mins), profiling the natural history of a country where over 80% of its animals are found nowhere else, with each episode themed around a personality or character trait of animal behaviour; Listing Melbourne (5 x 60 mins), which features deals, demanding clients and unbreakable bonds as elite real-estate agents navigate Melbourne’s property market; and Experience Australia With Rachel Griffith (2 seasons of 10 x 30 mins), a series which explores what Australia has to offer.

JIANGSU BROADCASTING CORPORATION (JSBC)

CHINA’s JSBC introduces two entertainment formats at MIPCOM CANNES. Little Knights Hit The Road (12 x 60 mins) is a family rally show set in a motocross summer camp. Over 12 days children and their parents tackle off-road motocross training and multi-terrain challenges under the guidance of coaches and celebrity guests. The adventure culminates in a daring journey across remote terrain, which strengthens the family bonds. Crush Of Music (10 x 75 mins) is a music competition where in each episode six musicians present their work to singers. After hearing the demos, singers and musicians have 60 minutes to mingle and select their preferred collaborators. Successful matches debut on stage, turning raw demos into show-stopping performances.

Extraordinary Animals (Parade Media Group)

300 Hoops (KO Distribution)

Little Knights Hit The Road (JSBC)

Sam & Julia (The Mouse Mansion Company)

Survival Of The Beast (Blue Ant Studios)

A+E NETWORKS

THE US series of format Alone (23 x 90 mins/114 x 60mins) follows 10 participants who must survive in total isolation in the Canadian wilderness, each hoping to outlast the others for a $500,000 prize. Another priority for A+E Networks is Cold Case File: DNA Speaks (10 x 60 mins), a new documentary series focusing on murder cases that remained unsolved for decades and were ultimately cracked with DNA evidence, exploring scientific developments as well as the dedication of the families and investigators that eventually brought the killers to justice. Kevin Costner’s The West (8 x 60 mins), hosted and narrated by Kevin Costner, comprises standalone episodes featuring moving stories that combine great characters, historical context, distinguished interviewees, archive and some re-creations to convey a nuanced portrait of the American West and its diverse peoples, places and events.

ICONIX

THE LATEST content from Korea’s Iconix is on offer at MIPCOM CANNES, including: the eighth season of the preschool series which fosters problem-solving and social development, Pororo The Little Penguin (26 x 11 mins), introducing some new characters to the snowy village and new magical environments, including deep forest, underwater and dreamland; and the seventh season of Tayo The Little Bus (26 x 11 mins), with Tayo and his bus friends navigating new routes and everyday challenges in a bustling city.

BOMANBRIDGE MEDIA

SINGAPORE-based distributor Bomanbridge Media brings a new arts documentary to MIPCOM CANNES. Frans Hals: Master Of Joy (1 x 60 mins), produced by Bottega Berlin, celebrates the 17th-century Dutch artist who never achieved the fame his contemporaries Rembrandt and Vermeer enjoyed. Unlike them, Hals focused on portraits, often depicting figures laughing, in stark contrast to the serious expressions common in that era as laughing was seen as improper and a mark of the lower classes. The film features experts including Pulitzer Prize-winner Benjamin Moser, artist Glenn Brown and philosopher Philipp Hübl, who explore Hals’ work and its significance in both art and modern society.

WILDBRAIN

A NEW animated short-form series featuring real-life stories aimed at tweens, teens and families is showcased at MIPCOM CANNES by Canada’s WildBrain. Storybooth (243 x 3 mins) is an inspirational anthology series featuring stories submitted by real kids from all over the world, offering a glimpse into the daily trials and tribulations of kids and teens, from dealing with friendships and family, overcoming challenges at home and school, to navigating social media and discovering self-worth. Distributed globally by WildBrain, Storybooth began as a YouTube channel, which has since amassed over 4.6 million subscribers and more than a billion views.

THE WIGGLES

TWO SEASONS of preschool series Wiggle And Learn (40 x 30 mins), from The Wiggles franchise, are available at MIPCOM CANNES. Wiggle And Learn explores crucial early childhood themes and is focused on learning through the joy of music and play.

RESPONSIBLE for content licensing for AMC Networks, AMC Studios International brings a full slate to MIPCOM CANNES, including: three seasons of Dark Winds (18 x 60 mins), based on the Leaphorn & Chee book series by Tony Hillerman, a noir thriller set in 1971 on a remote outpost of the Navajo Nation; Parish (6 x 60 mins), starring Giancarlo Esposito as a man haunted by the murder of his son as he becomes involved in the criminal underworld; two seasons of Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale (14 x 60 mins); spy thriller Anne Rice’s Talamasca (6 x 60 mins); anthology horror The Terror: Devil In Silver (6 x 60 mins); docu-drama True Crime Story: The Tailor Of Sin City (4 x 60 mins); more than 250 episodes of reality franchise Love After Lockup; and reality docuseries The Braxtons (8 x 60 mins).

Storybooth (WildBrain)

Frans Hals: Master Of Joy (Bomanbridge Media)

Alone (A+E Networks)

Dark Winds (AMC Studios International)

Wiggle And Learn (The Wiggles)

Pororo The Little Penguin (Iconix)

ECCHO RIGHTS

ECCHO Rights is launching upcoming Turkish drama The Cost Of Lies at MIPCOM CANNES. The series, produced by O3 Medya for Show TV in Turkey, premieres under the local title Kalpazan. Adem is a decent man working a modest job at the mint. One day he innocently creates a commemorative coin for his son and is fired. However, his brother Kartal, a charismatic swindler, sees an opportunity to start counterfeiting money. As Adem’s fortunes change, so too does his life at home with his wife. Meanwhile, Ayşe, a police officer typically concerned with petty crime, crosses paths with Kartal and gets pulled into his world.

ONZA DISTRIBUTION

ONZA Distribution has expanded its catalogue, and a range of new titles is available in Cannes. A highlight is Sleeping Nymph, the second season of the crime thriller series Flowers Over The Inferno (12 x 50 mins). Additionally, the Spanish distributor has bolstered its documentary line-up with several productions, including Iberia & Savannah: One Wildlife (1 x 52 mins), a 4K blue-chip wildlife documentary from Azor Producciones in collaboration with Onza, looking at the ecosystem of the Iberian Peninsula and highlighting its similarities to the African Savannah. Further titles incude: A Woman 24/7 (7 x 50 mins), which follows the daily lives of 21 women from 12 different countries, showcasing their ambitions, dreams and challenges; Wine Outsiders (5 x 30 mins), a trip through Spain’s most intriguing wine regions; and A Gipsy King (1 x 55 mins), a film about André Reyes, the mastermind behind the band Gipsy Kings; and Courtois: The Return Of Number 1 (4 x 40 mins), which follows Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ journey to recovery after injury.

SONY PICTURES TELEVISION – KIDS (SPT – KIDS)

THE CREATURE Cases’ Chapter Four premieres on Netflix in December and SPT – Kids is at MIPCOM CANNES having finalised a raft of free-to-air licensing deals. The Creature Cases follows Sam Snow and Kit Casey, top agents of the Covert League of Animal Detective Experts, who work to crack cases by exploring the habitats and behaviours of creatures, armed with top-secret intel from their miniature contacts, the Mice Squad. Sony Pictures Television, meanwhile, brings new business reality competition, The Ultimate Hustle, to the international market in Cannes. From Ireland’s Animo TV, the eight episodes follow 10 hustlers who live together and face a new money-making challenge each week, with the lowest earner eliminated.

IFORMATS

AT MIPCOM CANNES Chinese format specialist iFormats presents: Go For It, a music competition that sees bands and musicians compete with performances and challenges, some public and ticketed; reality series Become A Farmer; Blades Of The Guardians, about a bodyguard who evades the Imperial court; fantasy drama The Heart Of Genius; mystery drama Regeneration; and The Long Season, in which the discovery of remains in a small town upturns the lives of the Wang family.

The Cost Of Lies (Eccho Rights)

Sleeping Nymph (Onza Distribution)

Go For It (iFormats)

The Creature Cases (SPT–Kids)

For the Love of Television

19-22 November 2024

Cancun, Mexico

23-27 February 2025

London, United Kingdom

11-12 October 2025

Cannes, France

13-16 October 2025

Cannes, France