MIPTV 2023 MAGAZINE

WELCOME

Lucy Smith – Director MIPTV and MIPCOM CANNES

MIPTV - SIXTY YEARS STRONG!

MIPTV is growing again. And I am thrilled to be with you in Cannes for the 60th edition. That’s right, we are celebrating 60 years as the Spring International Content and Co-Production Market.

Check out here 10 of my personal picks from what’s new for 2023:

FAST & GLOBAL — Tuesday morning’s summit to give you the international skinny on the FAST channel business

MIPDOC International Buyer Screenings — check out our new Super Sunday selection of 11 curated documentary and factual series being launched at MIPTV

LE BOULEVARD — rendez-vous in the new Palais -1 exhibition zone with its inviting new design and Meeting Lounges for all

MIPDOC & MIPFORMATS Producers Hub & Lounge — Riviera 8: grab a seat, take a meeting, catch a session and enjoy the view

Speed Matchmaking — our first one-to-one speed matchmaking sessions at MIPTV for formats and documentary. Opportunities for 150 producers and 50 commissioners from around the world

CANNESERIES inaugural International Documentary series competition — six series in competition

MIPDOC Screenings Library — is back and in-person! Screenings Lounge open, starting Super Sunday on Palais Level 3

Future Of Kids TV Summit — check out the programme, and don’t miss Evan Shapiro, McCrindle and more on Tuesday afternoon

Screenings and Showcases — Red Arrow, Beta, Movistar Plus+, Pictures in Motion, TBS, Korean Formats & Drama… and of course

CANNESERIES International Series Official Selection every day during MIPTV, with the famous Pink Carpet

The WIT Fresh TV Garden — sure to be standing room only, a new addition to Virginia Mouseler’s showcase featuring new and emerging unscripted shows

And be sure to join us... MIPTV Opening Party & 60th Celebration

…on Monday evening, April 17, 19.00 to 22.00, Majestic hotel Fireworks on the Croisette at 22.00

Lucy Smith

EXCITING BOLD FORMATS

BETTER DATE THAN NEVER

ONE NIGHT STAND

OPEN HOUSE: THE GREAT SEX EXPERIMENT SEASON 2

PARADISE HOTEL

VISIT US AT MIPTV STAND R7.J15

DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS

Michel Filzi MANAGEMENT TEAM

Entertainment Division Director -MIPTV & MIPCOM Director: Lucy Smith; TV Division Sales

Director: Geraud de Lacombe; SVP

Sales & Business Development: Robert Marking; Director UK

Sales: Vanessa Van Santen Smith; Marketing Director: Debora Atala; Conference Director: Tania

Dugaro EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

Editor in Chief: Julian Newby; Deputy Editor: Debbie Lincoln; Contributors: Andy Fry, Gary Smith, Joanna Stephens; Editorial Management: Boutique Media

International; Graphic Studio: studioA Design; Sunnie Newby, Harriet Palmer PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

Publishing Director: Martin Screpel; Publishing Manager: Amrane Lamiri; Printer: IAPCA, 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

BY JOSÉ RODRIGUES DOS SANTOS

CREATED BY PEDRO LOPES

DIRECTED BY SÉRGIO GRACIANO

CANNESERIES

CANNESERIES and MIPTV have joined forces to add a business dimension to the festival – MIP x CANNESERIES Connection – targeting a selection of international producers and executives.

International fiction television professionals will attend roundtables, masterclasses, exclusive interviews, networking lunches and cocktails, on top of daily screenings of series selected in competition – all aimed at furthering international co-production strategies and opportunities.

MIP x CANNESERIES Connection takes place on Sunday April 16 and Monday 17, 2023, in collaboration with the

CANNESERIES Writers Club, creating opportunities for producers to meet talented screenwriters.

Running alongside MIPTV, season six of CANNESERIES (April 14 to 19) also introduces its first documentary Official Selection for the International Documentary Series Competition.

The Official Selection for 2023 features 10 fiction series in Competition, 10 fiction series in the Short Form Competition, six series in the Documentary Series Competition and four fiction series Out of Competition. Here we preview the fiction and documentary series in Competition this year…

CANNESERIES International Documentary Series Competition — Official Selection

1. Mirakel N°71

Directed by Nathalie Basteyns; Production, De Mensen; Sales, Newen; Broadcast, VRT

2. Reading Again Mafalda

Original title, Releyendo Mafalda; Directed by Lorena Muñoz; Production, Disney+ Original Productions, Non Stop; Sales, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution Latin America; Broadcast, Disney+

3. Draw for Change!

Directed by Alisar Hasan, Alaa Amer, Anna Moiseenko, Sama Pana, Nada Riyadh, Karen Vázquez Guadarrama, Laura Nix; Production, Clin d’Oeil Films, A Bahn, Point du Jour/Les Films du Balibari, Ma.ja.de Filmproductions; Sales, Autlook Filmsales; Broadcast, ARTE, VRT, RTBF, SWR, WDR

4. Lac-Mégantic - Ceci N’Est Pas Un

Accident

Directed by Philippe Falardeau; Production, Trio Orange; Sales, Trio Orange International; Broadcast, VRAI

5. Chevaline Directed by Imen Ghouali, Camille Bovier-Lapierre; Production, Upside Télévision; Sales, Studiocanal

6. Juan Carlos: Liebe, Geld, Verrat

Original Title, Juan Carlos: Downfall Of The King; Directed by Anne Von Petersdorff, Georg Tschurtschenthaler; Production, Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion; Sales, NBCUniversal; Broadcast, Sky

©Upside

©Clin d’Oeil Films

©Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion

©André Samson, Archive de la Ville de Lac-Mégantic

©Lieve Blancquaert

[Photo credit] ©Historieta Mafalda © sucesores de Joaquín Salvador Lavado (QUINO)

Drama Series Competition —

Official Selection

1. Prisoner

Original Title, Huset; Directed by Frederik Louis Hviid & Michael Noer; Production, DR Drama, Rikke Tørholm Kofoed; Sales, DR sales; Broadcast, DR

2. Tapie

Directed by Tristan Séguéla; Production, Bruno Nahon – Unité; Broadcast, Netflix

3. Power Play

Original Title, Makta; Showrunner, Johan Fasting; Directed by Yngvild Sve Flikke; Production, Motlys/ Novemberfilm; Producers, Vilje Kathrine Hagen & Camilla Brusdal; Sales, REinvent International Sales; Broadcast, NRK / NDR

4. Childhood Dreams

Original Title, De Droom van de Jeugd; Directed by Bram Schouw, Simone van Dusseldorp; Production, Topkapi Series; Sales, Banijay Rights; Broadcast KRO-NCRV/NPO1 (the Netherlands)

5. Carthago

Directed by Tomer Shani; Production, 24 Drafts Studios, Yoav Gross, Reshef Levi; Sales, Ehud Bleiberg, UTA Agents; Broadcast, KAN 11

6. Corduroy

Directed by Hadas Ben Aroya; Production, Movieplus Productions, Banijay; Sales, Hot; Broadcast, Hot

7. Good Morning Chuck (Or The Art Of Harm Reduction)

Original title, Bon Matin Chuck (Ou L’Art De Réduire Les Méfaits); Directed by Jean-François Rivard, Mathieu Cyr; Production, Productions St Laurent TV International; Sales, Cineflix Rights; Broadcast, Bell Media/Crave (Canada)

8. Spinners

Directed by Jaco Bouwer; Production, Empreinte Digitale, Natives at large; Sales, Studiocanal; Broadcast, Showmax (South Africa), Canal+ Original (Canal+ Africa), Canal+ (France)

9. Bargain

Directed by Jeon Woo-Sung; Production, SLL, Climax Studio; Sales, Paramount Global Content Distribution; Broadcast, TVING (Republic of Korea), Paramount+

10. Dead Ringers

Directed by Sean Durkin (episodes 1, 2 & 6), Karena Evans (episode 3), Lauren Wolkstein (episodes 4 & 6), Karyn Kusama (episodes 5); Production, Amazon Studios, Annapurna Television; Sales, Prime Video; Broadcast, Prime Video

©Danny Taillon

©Daniella Nowitz

©Topkapi SeriesMark Van Aller

©Ohad Romano

©Prime Video

©MotlysErika Hebbert 2022

©Empreinte Digitale

©Mika CotellonNETFLIX

©Adam Wallensten

International Buyer Screenings

International buyers in Cannes for inaugural factual showcase

MIPTV is launching a new premium showcase for factual TV buyers as part of MIPTV Super Sunday — the start of the biggest week in unscripted programming in the TV calendar. The MIPDOC International Buyer Screenings will offer key decision-makers an exclusive first-look at a curated selection of non-scripted projects being launched at MIPTV.

The programme comprises up to 10 highly anticipated productions that will be presented in 10- to 15-minute extracts in front of factual content buyers from around the world. International rights are available on all of the featured projects. After the screenings, buyers will vote for their favourite programme and the winning participant will be awarded the prestigious Buyer’s Coup de Coeur. Among the 10 titles on show, four are from France, two from Germany with the balance from the UK, Spain, Netherlands and Sweden. The shows in question cover the full

The MIPDOC International Buyer Screenings

… on Sunday, April 16, in the Debussy Theatre from 15.00 to 18.00

spectrum of factual including history, science, art, wildlife, true crime and current affairs investigations. The companies involved in the event are: Abacus Media Rights, About Premium Content, Albatross World Sales, ARTE Distribution, Autentic, Cabal Films, Federation International, Mediawan Rights, Off the Fence and Swedish pubcaster SVT.

Preselection for the event was handled by a jury of four leading international industry figures: PBS Distribution commissioning editor, content Tracy Beckett; American Public Television vice-president, syndication and premium service Dan Soles; ITV Studios senior vice-president, global content, non-scripted, Cecilie Olsen; and The Bridge CEO Amanda Groom, an industry consultant.

Speaking to the MIPTV Magazine, Soles said he was “honoured to be part of the jury this year. There were many outstanding trailers from various genres. It was impressive to see how many engaging productions are coming from diverse sources that span the world.”

While the jury’s role is to share its expertise with buyers, Soles said exposure to such a broad array of productions is also a good learning experience: “Seeing so many well-crafted works will help broaden my search to acquire strong programming,” he said.

The screenings will be followed by

a cocktail sponsored by Paramount Global Content Distribution (PGCD). As part of its collaboration with the MIPDOC International Buyer Screenings event, PGCD is also showcasing a true crime/sports hybrid called Catching Lightning. A four-part Showtime Original series, this rip-roaring production tells the story of ‘Lightning’ Lee Murray, a UFC fighter who nearly pulled off one of the biggest bank robberies in history. The new MIPDOC Screenings event is moderated by Beatrice Rossmanith, managing director of Glance-based Tape Consultancy. Prior to the screening, Rossmanith will give an overview of the key documentary commissioning trends both in terms of storytelling and business model. This short introductory session will aim to provide the factual community with practical insights into this increasingly complex content ecosystem. 2023 is shaping up as a good year for the factual production sector. With the cost of scripted series escalating, non-scripted is re-emerging as a high-quality, lower-priced alternative.

The MIPDOC International Buyer Screenings:

Cactus Hotel (Albatross World Sales)

A Cold War Of Spies (Autentic)

The Rise Of Wagner (Mediawan Rights)

The Singh Case: A Long Journey To The Truth (APC)

The First Inventors (Abacus Media Rights)

The Caravan (Cabal Films) Blue Carbon (Off the Fence)

The Vatican (Federation International) Prison Project ‘Little Scandinavia’ (STV)

Nicole Kidman, Eyes Wide Open (ARTE Distribution)

MIPDOC SPOTLIGHT: Catching Lightning (Paramount Global Content Distribution)

‘Lightning’ Lee Murray in Showtime’s Catching Lightning

Co-Production Summit

… on Monday, April 17, in the Marguerite, Riviera 8, from 10.45 to 12.30.

By invitation

Series reveals the ‘heartache and determination’ of Ukraine’s people

THE MIPDOC Co-Production Summit is a session that will focus on the changing business models, commercial returns and funding options for documentary makers. A highlight is a presentation from Susan Zirinsky, president, See It Now Studios, which is followed up by a MIPDOC Case Study focusing on the six-part series, Citizens At War: A Year In Ukraine.

The series presents a view of the war through the eyes of Ukrainians and features exclusive interviews with the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, his wife, Olena and

the head of the President’s office, Andriy Yermak. It comprises six one-hour episodes: The First Ten Days; Zelensky; Women At War; The Volunteer Army; The Siege Of Mariupol; and The Russians. The world thought that Ukraine would fall in a few days. For Ukrainians, the war became an epic battle for survival, so the filmmakers joined the resistance at every possible frontline. The main goal of Citizens At War: A Year In Ukraine is to tell Europe and the world the story of this war through the voices of Ukrainians themselves, rather than through

foreign experts or news headlines. The series is produced by Film.UA Group, British-Australian Tilt Media and the UK’s GTV Docs. Blue Ant International is series distributor and principal broadcaster is ZDF. “How the people of a free and democratic society in modern-day Europe rallied, in order to defend their country and national identity against a foreign aggressor, is the most important story of our time,” head of development and co-productions, Film.UA Group — and a speaker at the session — Kateryna Vyshnevska, said. “All the partners

Charles’ journey from boy to King

A SECOND MIPDOC Case Study on Monday, April 17, features Charles: In His Own Words, a documentary film that traces King Charles III’s life back to the start, revealing the formative events that have influenced the boy, the man, the former Prince and now the King. King Charles is among the most recognised and media-scrutinised public figures in the world, but at the same time, one of the least-known as a person. Once the longest-serving heir to the British throne, the King is now preparing for his official coronation in May when he becomes the

first British King for three-quarters of a century.

From the creators of the acclaimed National Geographic documentary special Diana: In Her Own Words, this film features rare, unheard and never-before-seen archive material to tell the story of Charles III through his own words and those who’ve known him best.

The Case Study will focus on “how to produce a definitive and surprising story about a celebrity who most of us think we already know,” session moderator and founder/editor/publisher of DocumentaryBusiness.com, Peter

agree the documentary needed to be told in a way that showed the lives of people behind the headlines.” Also on the panel, Tilman Remme, partner and creative director, GTV Docs, said: “This project is unlike any other and reveals the heartache and inspiring determination of the Ukrainian people, a nation that has banded together to resist the military takeover of their country.

“I am grateful for the collaborative spirit of all partners and to ZDF for coming in as the main broadcaster,” he added.

Hamilton, said. “From intense deadlines to discovering never-before-seen archive, the panel goes behind the scenes with the film’s creators to deconstruct how this intensely personal and evocative portrait of the British king became a reality.”

The panel includes the film’s director Tom Jennings of 1985 Films and National Geographic Documentary Films’ executive producer Simon Raikes.

… Monday, April 17, in the Marguerite, Riviera 8, from 16.30 to 17.00

IT’S PARTY TIME IN CANNES

To kick-off its 60th anniversary, MIPTV has partnered with two global content companies for celebrations on the evening of Super Sunday and on Monday evening, following the first full day of the market …

Ready Set Start UP

LONDON-based production company Pictures in Motion (PIM) is teaming with MIPTV for its 2023 Opening Night Party, bringing A-List celebrities and talent to join in the fun. And while MIPTV will be celebrating its 60th anniversary, Pictures in Motion will be celebrating the launch of a brand-new reality series.

Ready Set Start UP is an entrepreneurial challenge-based series in which 10 early-stage entrepreneurs engage in a series of challenges to win a £100,000 investment and business support to kick start their business.

“More and more people want to start their own businesses in the hope of obtaining financial freedom, increasing their income, or

Spotlight on Paramount docs

just being their own boss. The pandemic has pushed more people to start their own businesses as jobs do not provide the security that people seek,” director, producer and PIM managing director Luis J Kelly said. When developing the show, Kelly established a series of focus groups to gain an understanding of what past entrepreneurial TV programmes have been lacking. “Participants expressed that while most programmes are fun to watch, they don’t tell you what to do,” he said. “Some programmes focus on selling, while others exaggerate how investment is negotiated — but don’t talk about the moment before.”

The result was that Kelly decided to harness “the power of entertainment television to teach viewers how to start a business successfully while removing all of those stereotypes that to be a successful business person you must have a degree from a leading university or wear suits all the time. With the right guidance and mindset, anyone can build a successful business and the best place to start is with Ready Set Start UP.”

The MIPTV Opening Night Party, Red Carpet and Birthday Fireworks

… on Monday, April 17, at the Majestic hotel from 19.00

PARAMOUNT Global Content Distribution (PGCD) is partnering with MIPTV for the Super Sunday MIPDOC Opening Cocktail. During MIPTV the company will highlight its range of factual series and specials available to international buyers.

“Paramount has a wide range of factual content catering for audiences at all ends of the spectrum. From premium documentary features and docuseries through to popular returnable volume series, our catalogue includes content from Showtime, MTV Documentary Films, Smithsonian, See It Now Studios, CBS and Channel 5,” Lauren Marriott, senior vice-president, content partnerships and brand strategy, Paramount Global Content Distribution, said. “We felt MIPDOC was an ideal opportunity to highlight the strength of our slate and we’re pleased to be sponsoring the opening night party as part of this.”

Paramount is launching five new docuseries from Showtime, including Catching Lightning, a true-crime four-part series about a former MMA fighter who carried out the largest cash heist in British history. “Also from Showtime, we’re launching the feature doc Personality Crisis: One Night Only, directed by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi, which is a film about the famed NYC music legend David Johansen of the New York Dolls,” Marriott said.

The MIPDOC Opening Cocktail

… on Sunday, April 16, at the Debussy Theatre Foyer from 18.00 to 19.30

She added: “For higher volume fare, we have FBI True from See It Now Studios which features FBI agents telling the true stories behind some of their most high-profile cases. For some stunning scenery offerings we have Smithsonian’s Aerial Argentina and from Paramount’s international studio Nick Knowles’ Amazing Railway Journeys.”

PIM managing director, Luis J Kelly

Paramount senior vice-president, Lauren Marriott

Evan Shapiro

‘Stop building walled gardens’

MIPTV has partnered with industry thought leader Evan Shapiro on exclusive research to be revealed in a scene-setting keynote on the opening day of the 2023 market

EVAN Shapiro, an Emmy Award-winning producer and professor of television at New York University, will share brand new audience research, exclusive to MIPTV, which upends assumptions and provides insights into global industry shifts. “I’m coming to Cannes to challenge the international TV community to move beyond incremental change and reimagine television for the way our audiences want content now,” he said.

RX France entertainment division director and director of MIPTV, Lucy Smith said: “MIP markets are about context alongside content, provided by the industry’s best minds. Evan is a one-off.

His predictions are bold, incisive and thought provoking, his style unique. In a rapidly evolving ecosystem such insights are not only invaluable but inspirational.”

Speaking to the MIPTV Magazine, Shapiro said: “We’re at a moment in time when the media ecosystem is shedding its skin but hasn’t decided what it wants to look like

afterwards. At the event, I’ll try to convince participants in the ecosystem to stop redesigning the bathroom in a house that is burning down. Instead build a new house.” Shapiro lasered in on two key themes — walled gardens and the creator economy. He said: “The big media owners need to stop building walled gardens — consumers don’t want them. They need to stop frustrating consumers with these corn mazes that create paralysis of choice.” Shapiro said the problem isn’t just the walled gardens that companies have built to compete with each other, “it’s also the walled garden they have built within their own businesses. Why are Paramount+ and Pluto TV separate? Why does Amazon have Amazon Prime Video, Freevee and Twitch as separate propositions?” Medium-term, Shapiro predicts a small number of super apps that offer consumers video, gaming and music all in one place. “The bigtech players are already well-positioned to lead this shift, so for the likes of Disney and Netflix it’s about how they respond.”

In the immediate future, he argued, platforms will need to focus heavily on utility: “If consumers don’t have a reason to use your platform multiple times a week, probably every day, then you’re toast. Platforms don’t want to be in a position where consumers drop in to watch a piece of content then

churn out. Already, we’ve reached a position with some segments of the audience where churn is the new channel zapping.” Possible antidotes to this are news and sport, “because they force consumers to come back in every day. Netflix doesn’t have that — but one group which does is Europe’s public broadcasters. They are moving quite slowly, but they do have the advantage that audiences are returning to them every day.”

Turning his attention to creators, Shapiro urged them “to stop relying solely on gatekeepers to greenlight their future — they should start greenlighting it themselves.

Don’t turn your back on the traditional model entirely, but create your own channels that give you the audience and data you need to build you own media economy. I guarantee that if you do that, then the gatekeepers will come running to you anyway.”

He cited actor/producer Reese Witherspoon as an example:

“Through her company Hello Sunshine, she built a book club that allowed her to turn books into bestsellers and then bestsellers into TV series. She sold Hello Sunshine for $900 million. Hello Sunshine is a good producer, but it’s a much better creator economy business.”

Meet Evan Shapiro

…on Monday, April 17, 11.45 to 12.15 in the Debussy Theatre

“Churn is the new channel zapping”

Evan Shapiro

Evan Shapiro

Anna Marsh

Anna Marsh, CEO, StudioCanal and deputy CEO of Canal+ Group, will explore the changing dynamics of content strategies in a Media Mastermind Keynote at MIPTV. She will outline how StudioCanal has managed to establish itself as a key player in the rapidly-evolving global content business, active across both feature films and TV series

SPEAKING to the MIPTV Magazine, Anna Marsh said recent changes, such as the rise of SVOD and the resurgence of ad-funded models, are “undoubtedly an opportunity. It’s all about adjusting to a fast-evolving world and helping audiences access what they are looking for at any moment; whether it be in the theatre, in the home, or on the move.”

al scale. Increasingly, new streaming services exist in the ecosystem without eroding other more traditional forms of consumption. You need to tailor the creative to the business and understand windowing, so an audience can access content when they desire and not be frustrated because they can’t find what they are looking for.”

Marsh said a great example of this at StudioCanal was “our French hit Bac Nord (The Stronghold) which garnered 2.2 million admissions theatrically and went on to be the top-rated film on Canal+ and myCanal. This is as well as finding success for Netflix globally.”

Marsh said that her company has a key competitive advantage. “With 24 million subscribers and a presence in 50 countries, being part of Canal+ is undoubtedly a strength for StudioCanal. But beyond our group, StudioCanal works with all partners, collaborating with both broadcasters and platforms, for example: La Promesa for TVE, The Lazarus Project for Sky, Anansi Boys in production for Amazon Prime, and The Monster Of Florence in development with Apple.”

In a tough market, Marsh cites several USPs that will future-proof StudioCanal: “Our strength lies first and foremost in our leadership in Europe. We truly embrace our unique European DNA, which defines our approach to storytelling across all disciplines. We own one of the world’s most extensive libraries spanning over 8,000 titles. This provides us access to a wealth of incredible stories and IP.”

Distribution is a core strength, she

added: “Our local presence in major territories allows us to stay close to the consumer, ensuring that our experienced teams are agile and make quick, informed decisions.” Another is the “array of wonderful talent we partner with, many of whom work in both film and television”. This will be on show at MIPTV: “Our line-up includes The Night Logan Woke Up, Xavier Dolan’s first series with Canal+ and Thomas Vinterberg’s Families Like Ours, as well as our project in development Corto Maltese.”

Marsh said StudioCanal also prides itself on its ability to offer a variety of genres and formats. “Documentaries and children’s programming are part of our expertise and have been very successful. At MIPTV, we will be launching Rise Of The Vikings and Narco Circus among others. On the kids side, we will mention Paddington [Seasons 1, 2 and 3], our biggest franchise, and animation series Smarty Pants.”

To achieve this, Marsh said it is essential for producers “to embrace innovative distribution models and ensure their films and series never lie dormant and are seen by the largest audience possible on a glob -

Marsh said content companies need to continuously reinvent themselves to remain relevant. “The real challenge comes from the audience, as with a plethora of content out there; standards are rising and for many it is becoming harder to stand out. Ultimately the answer comes down to pushing creative boundaries and working with like-minded, visionary talent with fresh and original ideas.”

‘The real challenge comes from the audience’

“Standards are rising and for many, it is becoming harder to stand out”

Anna Marsh

Hear Anna Marsh in Cannes

…on Monday, April 17, 15.00 to 15.30 in the Debussy Theatre

Anna Marsh

Susan Zirinsky

‘We live in a tsunami of content’

A highlight of the MIPDOC schedule will be Monday morning’s keynote, during the closeddoor MIPDOC Co-Production Summit, from Susan Zirinsky, former head of CBS News and now the driving force behind See It Now Studios

SUSAN Zirinsky’s action-packed career started in the 1970s when she was involved in the uncovering of the Watergate scandal. Having covered everything from the Tiananmen Square massacre to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, she was also instrumental in the launch of CBS News’ long-running crime strand 48 Hours. Known for her inexhaustible energy, Zirinksy launched See It Now Studios in 2021, with backing from CBS News and its parent group Paramount.

At launch, Zirinksy said that the studio would “deliver impactful non-fiction series and unscripted programming”. True to her word, she has already built a remarkably

the wives of Russian oligarchs and the role of right-wing hate groups in the insurrectionist attack on Washington’s Capitol building. Speaking to MIPTV Magazine ahead of her keynote, Zirinsky described See It Now as “eclectic. Our unit produced more than 50 hours of programming in 2022 and emerged as a premium provider of non-fiction, multi-platform content that attracts high-level talent, respected co-production partners and draws large levels of viewer engagement.”

The MIPDOC International Co-Production Summit

Keynote: Susan Zirinsky

…Monday, April 17, in the Marguerite, Riviera 8, 11.00 to 11.20.

By invitation

diverse slate. Projects have included The 26th Street Garage: The FBI’s Untold Story Of 9/11 and Race Against Time: The CIA And 9/11. There have also been documentaries on Ghislaine Maxwell,

She added: “We gravitate to humanity in stories that capture something emblematic and true about our times. Our work focuses on projects that feature diverse voices and cover issues impacting everyone, ranging from health and wellness, gun violence, hate, sexual abuse, true crime, music, international events and missing indigenous people. We want stories with relevance, something viewers are curious about, something they may have encountered only briefly and then lost sight of in the crush of a 24-hour news cycle. What really caused that incident and what did being there feel like?”

She cites the example of recently renewed series Never Seen Again, “which enlists the audience via social media to help locate people who mysteriously disappeared

and get answers for the family and friends who loved them”.

Other outstanding credits include 11 Minutes, which talks to survivors of the Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting in Las Vegas. Calling it “arguably our most impactful series”, Zirinsky said: “One of our producers had been at the concert and connected us with the survivor groups. In the process, we obtained almost 250 personal cell phone videos of the event enabling us to capture a variety of minute-by-minute experiences.”

In terms of upcoming projects: “If we are not passionate it’s a pass. We are working on a film about a major upcoming event. It hasn’t been announced but this film is told with people who have never spoken before. You come away with a more sympathetic feeling for someone you thought you knew. In another story,

we have been given exclusive access to a famous cult where hundreds of hours of unseen film are made available to us. What’s different about this story is that we are telling it from the perspective of a young woman who was born into the cult.”

So how does a factual storyteller cut through in today’s chaotic media environment? “We live in a tsunami of content — a cacophony of voices — many told without objectivity. The storytelling technique for us becomes a critical player. Making the right editorial choices is the toughest and sometimes most heartbreaking part of our jobs. I do want to say, however, a great story, great access to something, always has the possibility of breaking through and getting on our slate of shows. We take on films that will make noise, move people, and touch them somehow.”

“We take on films that will make noise, move people, and touch them somehow”

Susan Zirinsky

Susan Zirinsky

Ruth Berry

‘The bedrock of our business is amazing talent’

At MIPTV, ITV Studios’ Ruth Berry will deliver a keynote during which she will explain the company’s recently announced new structure — and will also focus on broad trends in the global content market. She spoke to Andy Fry

EARLIER this year, Ruth Berry, managing director of ITV Studios Global Distribution, was handed additional responsibility for sister division ITV Studios Global Entertainment. She now oversees a sales operation that encompasses a 90,000-hour catalogue of scripted and non-scripted programming and more than 250 formats including The Voice and Love Island. Speaking ahead of her session, Berry said the primary rationale for the move is “to super-serve clients. The

scripted series such as the upcoming Fifteen-Love — not to mention our natural-history productions like A Year On Planet Earth.”

In addition to streamlining client-facing relationships, Berry said the new structure will help ITV Studios to “respond more quickly and effectively to emerging opportunities like AVOD and FAST. We also have a fantastic set of production labels around the world and this clearer leadership structure will be useful in terms of building constructive conversations with them.”

content market has changed dramatically in recent years and a lot of our bigger customers have moved towards a single-buying-point mentality. In the new set up, we can raise our game on selling content, offering clients an incredible range of shows from formats like Project Icon to

Berry is not anticipating a massive structural overhaul: “There will be some massaging to make sure we are as focused as possible. But what I really see is an opportunity to harness skillsets we already have across the group in new ways. For example, we have a brand team that does great work around formats like The Voice — which could be doing a similar job in scripted or natural history. And we have amazing digital capabilities that have been built around our YouTube channels. These could, perhaps, be utilised in new areas.”

Aside from discussing the re-organisation, Berry’s keynote will be an opportunity to talk about new shows including hotly anticipated formats Scared Of The Dark, My

Mum Your Dad, Maryland and Essex County. “One of the key points I’ll emphasise is talent relationships. The bedrock of our business is amazing talent, because it gives us a strong pipeline of content and a recurring track record that make us a meaningful partner for clients.” The session will also be a chance to touch on key industry themes and trends. “I know there has been a different tone to industry conversations recently, including a sense of retrenchment among global streamers. But I remain really optimistic. Buyers are still spending a lot of money for the right content. The challenge for us, with such a large portfolio of quality shows, is finding the right opportunities and building

on them. We have to be really aware of the fact that audiences are not just watching TV — they’re migrating to YouTube, gaming, the metaverse. So what do those environments mean for monetising our brands?”

Outside the keynote, Berry said MIPTV is an opportunity “to talk frankly about how we solve challenges. The kind of topics I expect to be thinking about include cost inflation and deficits, how to reach audiences and the growing role of data in our industry. Data has its value, but I think we have to be careful it isn’t allowed to quash our creative gut instincts. On the formats side, for example, I wonder whether we are always giving new shows enough time to breathe.”

“I wonder whether we are always giving new shows enough time to breathe”

Ruth Berry

Ruth Berry on the Cannes stage … on Tuesday, April 18, from 15.45 to 16.15 in the Debussy Theatre

Ruth Berry

Sister’s Jane Featherstone

‘Pushing for the best from everyone’

MIPTV delegates will hear from one of the TV industry’s leading drama producers during a fireside chat with Sister co-founder and chief creative officer Jane Featherstone — in Cannes representing the company and its co-founders Elisabeth Murdoch and Stacey Snider, and to collect the Variety International Achievement in TV Award on Sister’s behalf. She spoke to Julian Newby ahead of her on-stage appearance

Do you identify three distinct skillsets between you and your co-founders? Or do the three of you work as one?

We three hail from different professional backgrounds — be it Liz’s entrepreneurial and business background or Stacey’s peerless film expertise — but we’re cut from the same intellectual cloth. We’re united by an appetite for established and emerging talent alike, on global and local scales. Our approach is grounded in decades of collective international industry experience, strong relationships and trusted insight.

A lot of Sister’s output features top storytellers and talent. What is the creative strategy behind this?

Sister rebalances the power dynamic in favour of creators — enabling them to challenge boundaries, and tell transformative stories.

We make it our business to forge partnerships which put the creative and their vision first — providing both the freedom and support that they need every step of the way. In doing so, we try to champion and empower each individual in their work in a way that lifts a whole

project to be greater than the sum of its parts; this holistic approach in pushing for the best from everyone — writers, directors, gaffers or runners — is what we love doing. With a growing community of like-minded creatives who are con stantly pushing for the best from themselves and those around them, you can’t help but to create great.

Take an example: the adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s The Pow er for Amazon, starring Toni Collette. What was the process towards securing those rights? I had the book thrust into my hands one Friday evening and I simply couldn’t put it down until I’d fin ished it on the Sunday morning. It was then and there I knew this just HAD to be made and that Sister had to be the one to do it.

Sister recently took a minority stake in Dorothy Street Pictures. Are there plans for further part nerships and acquisitions?

We’re always open to additive like-minded partners across gen res, as we’ve seen with Julia Nottingham (Dorothy Street) in doc-

umentaries. These partners share our vision and are drawn to our family of companies. We’re particularly interested in the ability of technology to blur the boundaries of different channels and mediums — which is also how we see consumer habits shifting in the future. People who are able to harness that are exciting to us. Our most recent announcement: the investment in Richard Bacon’s Yes Yes Media, who is operating in the non-scripted arena, speaks to that. We’ll know future partners when we see them; partners who share our core values and interest in working with innovative creative minds across the global media landscape.

How does Sister face up to the ever-changing TV landscape?

Being fiercely independent with a global outlook gives us the freedom to write our own rules, collaborate across borders while remaining nimble enough to adapt to the constantly shifting landscape. I mean it’s a bit like the French Riviera in that no two days are the same, but you can guarantee it will be time well spent.

Aside from your on-stage interview in Cannes, what plans do you have for MIPTV?

The Sister team and I will be soaking up as much of the electric here at MIPTV as possible. We’re looking forward to bumping into some extraordinary thinkers and being predominantly London-based, we’re thrilled at the prospect of some sunshine. Don’t let us down Cannes!

…Sister with Jane Featherstone, Monday, April 17, in the Debussy Theatre, from 17.15 to 17.45

Variety International Achievement in TV Award & Keynote

Jane Featherstone, Elisabeth Murdoch and Stacey Snider

Photo: Luke Varley

‘We know what to do, we just have to do it’

THE ANNUAL MIP SDG Award this year goes to Silverback. The Award will be collected by Jonnie Hughes, co-founder and director of Studio Silverback, a production company specialising in natural-history specials and series, notably Sir David Attenborough’s phenomenally successful film A Life On Our Planet, which was produced and directed by Hughes. Silverback Films’ co-founder Alastair Fothergill launched sister company Studio Silverback in 2020, its aim to focus solely on films that tackle the world’s pressing environmental challenges.

The MIP SDG Award was launched in the same year to highlight media companies’ action and contribution towards delivering the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by all United Nations member states back in 2015. This year’s Award is dedicated to SDG 13, Climate Action; SDG 14, Life Below Water; and SDG 15, Life on Land.

“In A Life On Our Planet, Sir David Attenborough didn’t hold back

— he told everyone how precarious our situation is. However, the last 20 minutes of the film is a very hopeful breakdown of the solutions we have within reach,” Hughes told the MIPTV Magazine. “We know what to do, we just have to do it, and hope is critical to this. If we become defeatist, we will never make the changes we need. Christiana Figueres [Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change] talks of our duty to be stubborn optimists. A Life On Our Planet and some of our other productions, like The Earthshot Prize series with Prince William, support that idea.”

Hughes stressed the importance of communication in the battle against climate change. “Creating content that makes a difference is at the heart of everything we do at Silverback. Alastair, Keith [co-founder Keith Scholey] Colin [Colin Butfield] and I identified a few years ago that saving the planet is not just a technological challenge, it’s also a communications challenge,” he said. “We all need to hear the truth about our species’ impact on the planet and, importantly, a new story in which a sustainable future is an aspirational, achievable future.”

The MIPTV SDG Award and Keynote in partnership with the United Nations and featuring Studio Silverback’s Jonnie Hughes … Tuesday, April 18, in the Marguerite, Riviera 8 from 16.15 to 16.45

Melissa Fleming

Of the Award itself, Hughes added: “We have spent recent years coming up with creative ways to take this narrative to a mass audience, through mainstream wildlife series and features as well as our purpose-driven films. This Award feels like recognition that our efforts

have not been in vain.” Hughes’ point of view is in line with the SDGs. “Broadcasters, producers, programmers, and journalists across the world play an essential role in drawing the world’s attention to conflicts, threats to peace and security, climate change, and economic and social issues,” UN Under-Secretary General for Global Communications, Melissa Fleming, said. “The United Nations has long-recognised how important they are in keeping audiences informed on the key issues of the day. In 2018, the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres launched the SDG Media Compact to inspire media and entertainment companies to use their resources and creative talent to advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. What began with 31 founding media and en-

tertainment companies has since grown into a powerful alliance of over 200 members around the world, spanning 160 countries on five continents with a combined audience of around two billion people worldwide.”

Fleming added: “Through its rich storytelling, Studio Silverback inspires audiences to better understand our planet and the challenges it faces. Around the world, nature is in dangerous decline. One million species of plants and animals face extinction while approximately 12 million hectares of forest are destroyed each year. Today, 60% of the world’s coral reefs are under threat. Alarmingly, human activity is at the root cause of all this destruction and it has to be reversed. It’s as the United Nations Secretary General tells us: there really is no Planet B.”

Jonnie Hughes

2023 IS A YEAR OF RECK NING.

It must be a year of game-changing climate action. We need disruption to end the destruction. No more baby steps. No more excuses. No more greenwashing. No more bottomless greed of the fossil fuel industry and its enablers. We must focus on two urgent priorities: cutting emissions and achieving climate justice."

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General

WHAT’S YOUR PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABILITY?

WE CAN ALL DO OUR PART: From content production on climate action, to support for ethical advertisers and sustainable production practices, there is so much we can do, together.

FAST & GLOBAL SUMMIT

Tuesday, April 18, from 08:30 to 12:30 in the MIP Lab

Your chance to learn FAST

With the FAST-channel business a hot topic, MIPTV is staging FAST & GLOBAL, a first-of-its-kind FAST Channel Summit focused on the opportunities for content producers, IP rights holders, buyers and commissioners — with highprofile sponsors including conference partners Amagi, OTTera, Vevo, Wurl and Vice Distribution and industry partners Okast and SoFAST. The MIPTV Magazine caught up with some of the thought leaders taking part

Stephen L Hodge, chairman and CEO, OTTera

What has been your FAST experience so far?

We were pioneers within the publishing industry, launching Toon Goggles as an AVOD OTT service in 2011 and eagerly adopting the Toon Goggles FAST channel in 2015. We have since managed to establish an efficient and cost-effective business model.

Why is it such a hot topic?

The utilisation of FAST channels creates a unique avenue for the distribution of content branded experiences, which may closely resemble traditional linear networks. Furthermore, the familiarity of the linear programming structure promotes increased ad request, fostering a more fulfilling content discovery experience. These channels offer a nuanced yet promising platform for distribution and monetisation of engaging and high-quality branded content.

What are the next trends in FAST?

With FAST channels being cloud-based, there is an evolution around viewer engagement. As ad-sales teams shift their focus, streaming services and even cable and satellite channels are starting to explore FAST channels to capture ad-dollars that favour the ability to target viewers with greater accuracy.

What has been your FAST experience so far?

As technology pioneers in the FAST space, Amagi offers cloud-powered solutions to create, distribute and monetise linear channels. Over the last 36 months, we have enabled more than 500 content brands to launch FAST channels across genres such as sports, news, entertainment, documentary, travel and more. We have built deep technical integration with leading FAST platforms like Samsung TV Plus, Roku Channel, Xumo and others facilitating smooth delivery of FAST channels for content owners. We are enabling content owners to distribute their content to multiple regions; our assessment is that nearly 25% of the FAST channels use Amagi technology to run their FAST channels.

Why is it such a hot topic?

Rob Christensen senior vicepresident, US sales & global distribution, Vevo

What has been your FAST experience so far?

FAST is a major growth area for Vevo and over the past few years we have become the world’s largest FAST network, with almost 150 linear channels currently live across North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Some of our global distribution partners include Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Pluto TV, Hulu Live, Plex, rlaxx TV and Amazon Freevee. We have our largest FAST channel line-up in the US right now, but we are looking to expand further in Western Europe and double our existing channel line-up this year.

Why is it such a hot topic?

It’s still early days for FAST, but this kind of viewing is growing as people look to lean back and be programmed to, especially bingeable, niche content. As we see rapid adoption of smart TVs and connected devices, FAST will prove its sustainability. FAST enables us to launch channels quickly, as well as uniquely programme and monetise content.

What are the next trends in FAST?

Content is king. Given how competitive this space is, I think we will see more exclusive content, as well as platforms updating their UX to help consumers not only navigate content, but also stay and engage with that content. We’ll also see more traditional broadcasters launching on FAST to cater to niche fandoms.

Based on our experience, FAST is the hottest topic in the streaming space. Being linear, FAST can provide a TVlike viewing experience and has, therefore, increasingly replaced cable TV in many parts of the globe. Audiences get to choose content across genres. All of this absolutely free!

What are the next trends in FAST?

In the cable TV model, all households receive a common Electronic Programme Guides (EPG). This limits channel discoverability. FAST can approach this differently by having dedicated EPGs for each household, making it possible for viewers to discover more channels. With FAST, the possibilities are endless, and we are just beginning.

Friedman senior vice-president, business development, Amagi

Lior

FAST & GLOBAL International FAST Channel Summit

What has been your FAST experience so far?

I’m a cable TV programmer by background, so driving audience growth and engagement on linear TV is my métier. FAST has proven that a cable-like, multi-channel linear experience still appeals to viewers. Now at Wurl, my engagement with FAST involves supporting content companies in creating and executing on their FAST strategies.

Why is it such a hot topic?

As traditional broadcast and cable business models continue to decline, FAST is expanding rapidly, and that’s exciting to people in our industry. Linear turns out not to be dying, but rather evolving to a streaming model

that’s free and available from the moment you plug in your new smart TV. FAST has broad consumer appeal for two key reasons: 1) it’s free and 2) it provides a leanback experience where viewers don’t have to sift through an overwhelming number of shows to make decisions.

What are the next trends in FAST?

On the content side, I see more premium, more recognisable brands and IP — especially as bigger players start to get into the space, like Warner Bros., Discovery, NBCUniversal and Disney. Also, how the viewing experience evolves from the cable imitation EPG model to something new is a big question and big opportunity.

Cédric Dufour CEO and president, Rakuten TV Europe

What has been your FAST experience so far?

Rakuten TV acts as both a FAST platform and FAST channel producer. We’ve seen a significant increase of usage and revenue contribution on our platform since we’ve entered this segment. FAST enriches our content offering, broadens our customer base and gives more flexibility to our users on how they consume content.

Why is it such a hot topic?

What changed was technology and UI/EPG improvements on CTV [connected TV], which has allowed customers to watch hundreds of FAST channels mixed with their FTA line-up. For the channel producer, it is much simpler and cost-effective to build a channel and such a landscape is favourable to more niche or long-tail content to be exploited. There’s also a clear migration of advertising investment towards CTV, which helps solidify the segment’s growth.

What are the next trends in FAST?

More established content providers and broadcasters will put efforts in launching their own FAST channels, improving the overall quality and local relevance of the FAST channels line-up. Leading TV manufacturers including Samsung, LG and HiSense have entered this race early on, but more TV manufacturers will soon be in a position also to act as a gatekeeper for these FAST channel proposition.

Dave Bernath vice-president, sales & partnerships, Americas, Wurl

Shaun Keeble vice-president digital, Banijay Rights

What has been your FAST experience so far?

Banijay Rights has 21 live FAST channels, spanning various territories. We are launching more channels which will bring the number of live streams to over 80 — all dealt with by our skilled in-house team. We have the ability to build channels dedicated to single IP or aggregate genres, but to do this you need content volume which, for a major producer-distributor like Banijay, we have in the form of our catalogue.

Why is it such a hot topic?

I’ve always said that FAST channel distribution is complementary and incremental to linear TV distribution. So, it hasn’t quite come out of nowhere, but of course we can’t ignore the fact that macro-economic factors are making free TV [supported with ads] a compelling option for consumers. FAST is also very on-trend because of the continuing adaptability of distributors, with barriers to entry remaining low. This allows titles in third or fourth windows to per haps reach new audiences. In essence, all of this is permitting the advertising markets to continue to mature and adopt FAST.

What are the next trends in FAST?

I expect more premium content to appear in the FAST realm. But for this to hap pen, commercial models will need to adapt to the growth across key and emerging markets.

CANADA. HERE. BIG.

CANNESERIES - CANADIAN SELECTION

COMPETITION

BON MATIN CHUCK

(OU L’ART DE RÉDUIRE LES MÉFAITS)

DOCUMENTARY SERIES COMPETITION

LAC-MÉGANTIC - CECI N’EST PAS

UN ACCIDENT

SHORT FORM COMPETITION

L’AIR D’ALLER

Sarah Pellerin, Jean-Christophe Réhel

SHORT FORM COMPETITION

STREAMS FLOW FROM A RIVER

COME MEET CANADIAN COMPANIES: CANADA PAVILION - RIVIERA 7 (R7.L26)

Mathieu Cyr, Jean-François Rivard St Laurent TV

Urbania

Philippe Falardeau Trio Orange

Christopher Yip Fae Pictures

Channel Summit

What has been your FAST experience so far?

I have been working in the FAST industry almost as long as this industry has existed. Pluto TV, the pioneer service in FAST, was launched in 2014 and I joined just a couple of years later, when Pluto TV acquired Quazer, a TVlike service based on artificial intelligence, very similar to a FAST service, which I co-founded. It is amazing how FAST has become such a powerful industry segment.

Why is it such a hot topic?

The FAST model combines the comfort of traditional television within the streaming landscape, while addressing audiences’ needs in a unique way that complements other streaming services. FAST is easy to use and takes the stress out of deciding what to watch from the consumer. FAST also presents a new opportunity for advertisers to reach their target audience, making advertising an integral part of the viewing experience and guiding users to discover new products.

What are the next trends in FAST?

First of all, we should expect advertisers to be heavily investing in FAST services in the future. The advertising world is changing rapidly and advertisers are adopting FAST and CTV as part of their media mix. The power of FAST is to combine a CTV audience, meaning the impact of TV advertising (full-screen, non-skippable, stitched into ad breaks) with the power of digital (measurement, targetability, dynamic ad insertion). In a world of popular franchises, FAST is a perfect way to reach a mass audience.

Teresa Lopez, vice-president, content partnerships, rlaxx TV, table host at the FAST Roundtable Breakfast

What has been your FAST experience so far?

Since day one we have been fully committed to creating an independent European FAST/AVOD streaming service for global expansion. In just two years we have made it to launch in 27 countries, we have developed in-house app versions of rlaxx TV for all kinds of platforms — from Smart TVs of nearly every brand you can think of, STBs, web, mobile, tablets — and created 120 channels using our own technology.

Why is it such a hot topic?

It was the next logical step to monetise viewing time. Our sister company, Foxxum, has been in the CTV in-

Bob McCourt chief operating officer, Fremantle International

What has been your FAST experience so far?

Fremantle has a long history in this space, which started with the launch of Buzzr in 2015. This US channel houses all of our classic game shows. Today, we have 12 channels in the US and 11 outside the US with plans to launch several new channels in 2023. At Fremantle, we have an extensive library and local production capabilities in 20 countries — so we are in a great position to become a truly global player in the FAST industry.

Why is it such a hot topic?

It is undeniable that FAST is attracting more and more users. Whether it’s due to SVOD saturation, subscription fatigue, penetration of connected TVs, easy discoverability, reasonable ad-loads; FAST is here to stay. FAST is a progressive next-step in the evolution of content distribution and is 100% compatible with our business model at Fremantle.

What are the next trends in FAST?

As platforms compete for viewers they will try and differentiate themselves from the competition by looking for exclusive content or an exclusive launch window for new content. Traditional broadcasters will see the growth in FAST and look to launch their own FAST channels as part of their channel portfolio. In the US, Warner Bros. Discovery, A&E, AMC and Paramount have already done so. Interactive ads and branded content may become important elements. And consolidation is likely to continue as competition continues to intensify.

dustry for over 10 years and the ad dollars are just following the viewing time behaviours which are increasingly growing on CTV as opposite to linear. FAST combines both worlds — linear and on-demand TV watching — and tries to catch viewers in a new environment.

What are the next trends in FAST?

From the content perspective we are going to see more customisation per country and less generalisation, in terms of delivering local content. From the ad perspective, I could imagine FAST platforms will focus more on direct sales rather than programmatic and build inhouse teams to achieve goals more effectively. And from the platform perspective, the integration of FAST channels as part of the Smart TV ecosystem together with the TV linear/EPG section could happen.

Olivier Jollet executive vice-president and international general manager, PlutoTV, Paramount

BREAKFAST

is looking for a new way to monetise content’

FOLLOWING MIPTV’s FAST & GLOBAL summit, there will be a special FAST Roundtable Breakfast, on Wednesday, April 19, from 09.00 to 10.30 in the Marguerite. Chaired and introduced by Global Media Consult’s (GMC) Christian Knaebel, the session will give delegates the opportunity to interact with key executives who are currently driving innovation in the sector.

Knaebel said: “At MIPCOM, we focused on What is FAST? But this time we concentrate more on the question of How do I do FAST? For MIPTV 2023, we invite users rather than suppliers of FAST services, as our table hosts. As a result, more operational experience, learning and benchmarks will be shared.”

The goal is to generate discussions that are “more about the journey that various market participants took to launch a FAST service. These hosts were all hand-picked and represent a diverse range of international market participants and also, to create the widest possible opportunity, we expanded the number of tables and the time.

“We sincerely hope to share insights and best practices from people with extensive experience,” Knaebel said.

“Anyone interested in learning what to consider when launching a FAST service or how it fits into their market or business should be able to hear from other participants what they learned when they launched their FAST channels or platform.”

The US has led the way in FAST,

but Knaebel stressed that: “MIPTV and GMC had a specific wish to focus on the experience in Europe and share developments here. The setting should allow for a highly interactive session in which participants can speak candidly and openly about what has and has not worked.

“What most people find appealing about FAST is the possibility of a new revenue stream. Everyone is looking for a new way to monetise content, especially now that traditional models like pay TV and SVOD are under pressure. FAST appears to be simple to understand and implement.”

Knaebel said FAST will “undoubtedly become a stable component of any TV business strategy, playing an important role in targeting new audience segments, reducing churn and learning more about your customers. It will also be an important marketing tool and acquisition funnel.” He does warn, however, “that its feels a little like a gold rush: too many market participants are hoping for a quick win and huge profits”.

In the next phase, Knaebel said: “We will see FAST penetrate international markets with a first wave of pan-regional and international players already getting traction. The true test will be in whether strong local services can emerge and get substantial market share. I believe

that local platforms and operators have now started to realise that this is a product that can be an essential component of their TV offer and that they have to get involved in it. Consequently, I see and hope for more diverse content and platform offers around FAST. There will be a special growth opportunity when it comes to target local, thematic and niche communities.”

Roundtable hosts include: Gary Woolf, executive vice-president, strategic development, All3Media International; Philipp Rotermund, CEO, Video Solutions; Daniel Nordberg, CEO, Playground TV; Marion Ranchet, managing director, The Local Act Consultancy; Teresa Lopez, vice-president, content partnerships, rlaxx TV; Cédric Monnier, CEO and founder, Okast TV; Natalie Boot, vice-president, media sales, Insights TV; Johan Kim, co-founder, business develpment, NEW ID; Linette Zaulich, manager VOD and B2C channels, ZDF; Jennifer Batty, head of content acquisition, Samsung TVPlus Europe; and Yinka Mayungbo, director, African Movie Channel... and more.

For ZDF’s Linette Zaulich, the Roundtable “will bring all relevant players together, which can help with shaping the European FAST landscape. It’s interesting for me to learn more about other strategies and experiences and, of course, I am also looking forward to meeting new people from the FAST world.” ZDF has been involved

with FAST partners since 2018, so Zaulich is bringing some experience to the Roundtable. “Following the success in the US, it is a natural process for innovations to appear in Europe sooner or later,” she said.

“FAST is still establishing itself in Europe and there are still many chances to participate and become a relevant player.”

‘Everyone

Global Media Consult’s Christian Knaebel

ZDF’s Linette Zaulich

Linette Zaulich, manager VOD & B2C Channels, ZDF

Market opens with an analysis of the TV year across the world

THE FIRST session on the opening day of MIPTV is One TV Year In The World: Cracking Audience Trends. Presented by Avril Blondelot and Frederic Vaulpré of Paris-based research company Glance, the session will highlight content trends in scripted and unscripted genres, focusing on those that have encountered audience success, as well as diving into the 2022 ratings alongside those from the first quarter of this year. “One TV Year In The World will specifically be looking at which new series were most watched in 2022 and in the first quarter

of 2023 across more than 30 key TV markets. In an even more fragmented environment, this helps us answer the big questions, for example ‘Which elements do the most widely watched shows share?’, ‘What is common to all markets?’ and ‘What is specific to each market?’”.

Blondelot added some technical insight: “We consider ratings to be the local currency in each market that we cover and these are provided by each country’s respective television audience measurement agency. We’ll be discussing how and why the major broadcasters

‘Demand for non-scripted content remains buoyant’

RECENT months have seen a slowdown in scripted commissioning as streamers double down on profitability. But in 2023 the fac tual market is still looking very vibrant. According to K7 Media communications manager David Ciaramella: “Judging by the projects that come across our desks during our analysis of the global market,

demand for non-scripted content remains buoyant.”

Ciaramella will drill down into this subject during his presentation on factual trends at MIPTV. At MIPTV 2023, “one of my headline themes will be the increasing number of subjects being tackled as both scripted and non-scripted productions”, he said.

According to Ciaramella, this trend covers a wide range of scenarios, though it lends itself especially well to true crime. Recent examples include The Staircase, which made its mark as a documentary series before being turned into a big-budget drama starring Colin Firth. Netflix took

remain leaders in their respective countries and how the linear and non-linear worlds are slowly converging into one market. The battle for attention is just as intense today as ever, meaning that shows that clearly stand out are even more valuable in the current climate.” Vaulpré offered a breakdown of the major programming trends: “Scripted is predominant overall, with crime series in particular doing well. Entertainment formats resonate well with younger viewers and there’s a clear trend towards games that has become more pronounced over the last few years.

And we’ve observed that the first quarter often features most of the programme launches that will have a significant impact on the year in many markets. April is therefore a good time to be looking at what lies ahead.”

One TV Year In The World

presented by Glance … on April 17, in the Debussy Theatre from 09.00 to 09.45

a similar approach to the Jeffrey Dahmer story — streaming both Ryan Murphy’s acclaimed drama Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and doc series Conversations With A Killer. “It’s not just US content,” he added. “We’ve seen a similar approach recently with the ITV UK drama The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe — which now has a documentary.”

This approach can work either way round, Ciaramella said, with documentaries and dramas feeding off each other.

Other editorial areas that Ciaramella is planning to discuss include the growth in documentary series that investigate dynasties, both royal and otherwise. “Perhaps it’s because of the drama series Succession, but there seems to be an increased fascination in families like the Murdochs. I also

think there’s been some growth in series about cults. Cults have always been a popular subject for filmmakers, but that’s coming back in 2023.”

Ciaramella added that “we’re seeing more factual series that have a high-end cinematic feel to them. Leading distributors are definitely looking to invest in premium factual, so perhaps that’s a response to increased scripted budgets.”

Hear about the latest Factual And Documentary Trends

… from David Ciaramella of K7 Media

Monday, April 17, in the Marguerite, Riviera 8, 10.00-10.30

David Ciaramella

NEW SERIES

The WIT launches Fresh TV Garden

THE EVER-popular Fresh TV sessions, presented by The WIT CEO Virginia Mouseler, feature a new format, Fresh TV Garden, at the 60th MIPTV. This new addition to The WIT’s long-established analyses of global TV trends, covers emerging unscripted shows from all sources, a hugely popular genre that these days constitutes a third of all shows broadcast on streaming platforms, according to research company Wonder. “Fresh TV Garden is an offshoot of Fresh TV Formats,” Mouseler said. “And for this new session we have been looking for what we consider to be the non-scripted shows of tomorrow, they’re mainly ideas that need to be nurtured to grow and they come from a range of sources, including new content creators, independent producers, and even from previously uncharted territories and the digital space. As an extra twist, they will all be submitted to an exclusive AI evaluation of their market potential.” TV trends have always been determined by hit shows and what the buyers demand and right now the market for unscripted is heavily influenced by dating shows: “Love Island is the absolute gold standard in that sub-genre, but the recent surprise success of The Traitors, a strategy/mystery reality game show also provides an interesting pointer to what else might be emerging. It’s not unreasonable to expect more adventure/mystery

reality shows and strategic/twisted dating shows in the coming months,” Mouseler added. And despite TV’s Golden Age being more than a decade old now, there doesn’t seem to be any slowdown in fresh, attractive new shows and formats coming to market: “In terms of fiction and formats, the really pleasant surprise is that among the large number of new shows launched on the market, there is an incredible amount of creativity coming through, both in non-scripted and scripted,” Mouseler said. “In one sense, the focus on using existing IP across all genres, including revivals, franchises, and televised versions of books, is seen as reducing what is termed organic creativity. But, in actual fact, given that these IPs are extending the possibilities of creativity and inspiration through to all available formats — such as spin-off books, movies, podcasts, and digital content — we have never seen so many new ideas trying to reach buyers and viewers.” Such consolidation and focus on IP-derived productions could be seen as excluding independent newcomers to the market, but Mouseler is not convinced: “That’s exactly why we created this new session on Monday at MIPTV, where Fresh TV Garden will run right after Fresh TV Formats and is dedicated to the shows of tomorrow and the creative talents of tomorrow,” she said.

Get Fresh

…and get there early as these sessions fill up fast

Fresh TV Formats, Debussy Theatre, Monday, April 17, 13.00-14.00

Fresh TV Garden, MIP Lab, Monday, April 17, 15.30-16.15

Fresh TV Fiction, Debussy Theatre, Tuesday, April 18, 13.15-14.00

THE INTERNATIONAL DRAMA CO-PRODUCTION BREAKFAST

THE INTERNATIONAL Drama Co-production Breakfast is MIPTV’s annual gathering of leading creative and business leaders shaping today’s international drama. For 2023 the focus is on Co-Producing With The World; co-production experts and key industry executives will address ways in which to work and co-produce with specific regions to a room comprising primarily producers. “Co-production means many things — depending on who you ask,” according to Nicola Merola, president and owner of Montreal-based Pixcom Productions. “But one thing is certain and universal: it is about putting resources together. Finance, of course, but also creative. It is about sharing the risk. It is about not being alone in an adventure.” He advised always “to go into co-production with someone you could be friends with. Because should merde hit the fan, you’ll be pleased you found a partner that will work out a solution with you, not create more problems.”

Executive director of the Ukrainian Motion Picture Association and CEO of Film.UA Group, Victoria Yarmoshchuk, likens co-production to a marriage. “And any marriage, including a co-production, cannot be successful unless based on mutual benefits and a win-win strategy,” she said, adding that bringing new players into the business could bring benefits. “The new kids on the co-production block could bring more flexibility and speed, plus cost efficiency,” she said. “In addition, newcomers sometimes can come up with unu-

sual creative ideas and production know-how which are not used in more developed markets. So if you mix energy and fresh views with proven mechanisms and experience, the result could be oneplus-one equals three. This is what is happening now in my country,” despite the fact that Ukraine is being “torn by the war. Last month two international co-productions began shooting in Ukraine. They are commercial projects aimed at the international market, backed by international distributors and broadcasters from Europe. And this is not charity, it is business.” She added: “Look for opportunities that are beneficial for all parties. Find what you can bring to your partner, not what your partner might bring to you.”

Also speaking at the breakfast, Amanda Groom heads up The Bridge, which brings together the international media markets of east and west, specialising in TV and film co-productions. “The paper walls that once divided English-speaking drama in the west and Asian drama in the east have largely evaporated today,” Groom said. “We need only to consider the success of Squid Game to realise this. The flow of authentic local drama from Asian regions is increasing into global markets but a still greater opportunity presents itself through co-production. It’s sometimes claimed that that there are no new stories, only new ways of producing stories. Nonsense! Asia is a rich mine of fascinating, illuminating and new stories that would help us better understand

our world today and that provide amazing opportunities for co-production for global audiences.”

Speakers at the Breakfast also include Ijeoma Onah, CEO of Nigeria’s SuperTV and founder, Nigerian International Film & TV Summit; Anke Stoll, vice-president, acquisitions and co-production, Keshet International; Marie Lora-Mungai, founder & CEO, Restless Global, Nigeria; Karin Marelle, vice-president, programme acquisitions, Starz, US; and Esther Sánchez, head of strategy, Grupo Ganga Producciones, Spain.

The International Drama Co-Production Breakfast -Co-Producing With The World

… on Tuesday, April 18 in the Lerins, Riviera 8 from 08.30 to 09.30. Get there early, seating is limited. Doors open at 08.00

‘Co-production is about not being alone in an adventure’

Esther Sánchez

Karin Marelle

Amanda Groom

Marie Lora-Mungai

Anke Stoll

Ijeoma Onah

Nicola Merola

Victoria Yarmoshchuk

‘There are always surprising new discoveries’

A HIGHLIGHT of the MIPDOC series of events at MIPTV, the MIPDOC Project Pitch is an unparalleled opportunity for documentary and factual producers to pitch projects with global appeal to an influential industry audience.

Following a widespread call for entries, five finalists have been selected by a jury of decision-makers from the factual business. The finalists now get to pitch their concepts in the Palais des Festivals — with one winning concept

Eligible projects include factual and documentary series or one-offs at the early stages of production and yet to be presented at a festival or market. In its shortlist for 2023, the jury looked for project innovation, strength of subject and universality. They targeted concepts with potential for multiplatform extension.

selected live on stage in a session moderated by ITV Studios senior vice-president, global content non scripted, Cecilie Olsen. “At ITV Studios we work with platforms and producers from all over the world, from ARD, RTL and Tencent in China; to Northern Pictures in Australia and Pernel in France,” Olsen said. “The fact that MIPDOC allows for all voices big and small, from different backgrounds, to be heard in front of an international audience of buyers and platforms, is a fantastic fit for us.”

Jury members include Caroline Béhar, head of international co-productions and acquisitions at France Télévisions; Jack Oliver, head of co-productions at Sky; Lauren Billingsley, senior manager acquisitions, National Geographic; Yukari Harada, senior producer, NHK; and Kristina Hollstein, director of acquisitions and co-production, children and youth, at ZDF Studios in Germany. Hollstein said the Pitch has proved itself to be a highly relevant addition to the market “that gives projects international visibility”. She added: “I look for new approaches, storylines and access. The logline is important to me. You have to be able to pitch with a strong, short description.” Hollstein has been in the factual business for years, working with partners including National Geographic, Discovery, the BBC and France TV.

But she says there is still much to learn from the MIPDOC Project Pitch: “It is amazing to see how well thought out most of the entries are. We know many of the producers and talents pitching, but there are always surprising new discoveries,” she said.

ART-CULTURE

Women At War – The Invisible Army, Foxtrot Films, UK

TRUE CRIME

The Pink Panthers, Autentic, Germany

CURRENT AFFAIRSINVESTIGATION

Let Me Go Home, Heroes Creative Studio, Ukraine

ADVENTURE-TRAVEL

The Queer Traveler, Effervescence, France

SOCIETY

The New Face Of War, Bonne Pioche TV, France

Kristina Hollstein

Cecilie Olsen

Caroline Béhar

Jack Oliver

Yukari Harada

Lauren Billingsley

“You have to be able to pitch with a strong, short description”

Kristina Hollstein

‘We advocate, we educate and we innovate’

FRAPA — the Format Recognition and Protection Association

— is heading to MIPTV with a programme of events aimed at promoting, educating and connecting the global formats community.

FRAPA will be hosting its bi-yearly Summit in Cannes, which is open to anybody, FRAPA member or not, who wants to tap into the shows, trends and players that are setting the format industry’s agenda. The programme kicks off at 09.00 on Tuesday, April 18, with two on-stage conversations be-

tween a FRAPA board member and a prominent buyer, who will “articulate their vision of the marketplace and the needs of their platform”, head of BBC Studios Nordics and FRAPA co-chair Jan Salling, said.

First up is Joe Mace, ITV UK’s commissioning editor for entertainment, who will be interviewed by Nick Smith, All3Media International’s executive vice-president, formats — followed by Alex Adamo, TV4 Sweden’s senior developer and format manager, who will be interviewed by Salling.

The Q&As will be followed by one of the week’s centrepiece events for all those involved in formatted entertainment: K7 Media’s roundup of the shows and genres most likely to spawn the Next Big Thing in 2023, presented by David Ciaramella, head of communications at global media consultancy K7.

After Ciaramella, Michael von Würden of Danish production

company Snowman will be interviewed by FRAPA board member Lisette van Diepen. The Summit also offers the chance to “mix, mingle and swap cards”, Salling added. “Networking is one of the highlights. FRAPA’s board members will be out in force and happy to share advice and insights.” Recently, FRAPA has been expanding its mission and its services, added FRAPA co-chair Phil Gurin, CEO of newly launched specialist distribution company TGC Global Entertainment. “We advocate, we educate and we innovate. The value and ownership of intellectual property underpins the global ecosystem of unscripted content. If people don’t understand and respect that, there is no formats business — no Voice, no Survivor, no Wheel Of Fortune. So we advocate for good business practice, we educate on how best to protect IP and we innovate new products and services to help small- to medium-sized producers break into the formats business.”

But while FRAPA is committed to encouraging and supporting “new creative blood”, Gurin is equally focused on attracting the industry’s power players. “We also need what I call the GEGs — the

global entertainment giants — in the tent,” he said. “The GEGs need fresh ideas and energy, while the small creative outfits need the support of powerful partners, with their global networks and understanding of the complexity of our business. That way, everybody grows together.”

… Tuesday, April 18, in the Marguerite, Riviera 8, from 09.00 to 10.30

FRAPA board member Mike Beale, managing director of ITV Studios’ Global Creative Network, has an upbeat message for the format industry, despite the headwinds buffeting the world economy.

“I’m reminded from past experiences that every challenge is an opportunity to get creative, learn and grow,” he said. “Having been involved with a number of successful formats, I always hear the cry ‘We

can’t possibly afford that…’. But again and again, I see ever smaller territories finding ways to make formats happen. Only recently, we saw the final of the Ukrainian version of The Voice transmit live from an underground station in Kyiv. So where there’s a will, there’s a way — we just need to learn from one another in the global production community as to how and where to find it.”

‘Get creative, learn and grow’

Mike Beale

The FRAPA Formats Summit

Phil Gurin

Jan Salling

AFTER YOU WATCH, LISTEN.

Thousands of channels. Hundreds of shows. Five weekly ways to make sense of it all.

Creator conversations, reviews and insights into the hottest series.

FEATURING EXCLUSIVE SHOWRUNNER SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEWS, INCLUDING

NATASHA LYONNE

Poker Face

JASON SEGEL, BRETT GOLDSTEIN

Shrinking

JESSE

ARMSTRONG

Succession

QUINTA BRUNSON

Abbott Elementary

LISTEN WHEREVER PODCASTS ARE HEARD

LESLEY GOLDBERG Television Editor

HOSTED BY DANIEL FIENBERG Chief Television Critic

FOX ALTERNATIVE Entertainment has joined forces once again with MIPFORMATS to host the hotly anticipated MIPFORMATS Pitch. As in previous years, the process will seek to uncover innovative non-scripted entertainment formats with global potential. In selecting a winner, a Fox Alternative Entertainment (FAE) jury will be looking for the originality, universal appeal and returnability. In addition to a prize of $5000 for development, the winner will have the chance to see its format pitched to global buyers by Fox Alternative Entertainment as part of its $100m Unscripted Format Fund.

Allison Wallach, president of unscripted programming, Fox Entertainment said: “Last year’s MIPFORMATS Pitch was an amazing experience, proving that some of the most creative and innovative ideas can come from anywhere.”

Wallach is one of this year’s jurors, alongside Yasmin Rawji, executive vice-president, unscripted, FAE, and Nathalie Wogue, consultant,

MIPFORMATS PITCH with Fox Alternative Entertainment

international format strategist, FAE. Wallach spoke of the appeal of the MIPFORMATS Pitch: “I know it’s a cliché, but the best ideas really do come in the most surprising ways,” she said. “It’s such a competitive market that you really need to leave no stone unturned. As challenging as that might be, it’s what makes this business so fun and rewarding, and that’s also the beauty of the Pitch.”

In terms of the benefits to participants, Wallach said it goes beyond the $5000 prize: “When I was starting out, I always sought the opportunity to meet with as many people I could to talk and learn about the business. This is no different. Aside from the chance to discover the world’s next great format, we are happy to see pitches and give every one constructive criticism. Of course, some won’t be a right fit for Fox. But if we can give the participants direction that helps them achieve their dreams, we’re all for it.”

Last year’s Pitch, also in association with FAE, drew submissions from 27 countries with Cheat On The Glitch from the Philippines triumphing over concepts from Austria, Spain, Turkey and Japan.

Rawji said: “We left MIPTV last year excited because we discovered so many new voices with unique ideas. We were also inspired by last year’s participants who ventured to Cannes to pitch their projects. Even the most seasoned producers get nervous before a pitch meeting; but to present before a room full of people? That is admirable,

especially since it was the first time ever for some, including last year’s winner Christian Gamboa, who’s Cheat On The Glitch really resonated with us and is in development here at Fox.”

For 2023, Rawji said: “As a broadcast network, we’re looking for big, bold ideas that break boundaries and attract viewers across multiple audiences. Co-viewing is an important part of our strategy, so the bigger the performances, competition and stakes, the better. Whether the idea comes from here in the US or a small territory abroad, if we think it reflects our brand, we are interested.”

Ahead of MIPTV, Wallach said: “The market is very competitive

The MIPFORMATS Pitch with Fox Alternative Entertainment

…Monday, April 17 in the Debussy Theatre, from 15.45 to 17.00

because networks and streamers increasingly see the value in formats. But this as a good thing for Fox because the more competition, the better the creative. Between Fox Alternative Entertainment and our Format Fund with projects in Ireland, Thailand and elsewhere, the success we’ve had with imported formats, together with the great work we’re doing with Gordon Ramsay and Studio Ramsay Global on exporting formats like Next Level Chef, we believe we’re well positioned for future growth and success.”

‘The more competition, the better the creative’

Allison Wallach

“To present before a room full of people? That is admirable”

Yasmin Rawji

MIPFORMATS CASE STUDY

The Traitors

EACH year, the global formats business laments the risk averse nature of the TV industry and the lack of ideas breaking through. But the reality is that there is usually one new show creating a buzz — and right now it is De Verraders, aka The Traitors. Created by Dutch writer, director and producer Marc Pos, The Traitors first saw the light of day in 2021, when it was produced by IDTV and PosVideo for RTL4 in the Netherlands. An immediate hit, the show has now been picked up by more than a dozen territories. Media platform Slate described it as “the deviously addictive reality show that’s taking the world by storm.” The Financial Times called it “reality TV at its most immersive, dramatic and addictive”.

At MIPTV, the format will be the subject of a Case Study session involving IDTV creative director Jasper Hoogendoorn; RTL Netherlands content director Peter Van Der Vorst; M6/Studio 89 head of creation and development Céline Caudelier; Syeda Irtizaali, editor of unscripted, BBC; and All3Media executive vice-president formats Nick Smith. The panel will offer an assessment of why the show captured the imagination of Dutch audiences and how it has rolled out globally. The Traitors plays with the idea that not all participants are what they seem. There are 18 contestants, of

whom 15 are known as the ‘faithful’ and three are ‘traitors’. The faithful don’t know who the traitors are but the audience is told in the first episode. Each night, the traitors gather in secret to decide who to eliminate from the game. This contestant is said to have been killed and doesn’t show up the next day. There is also a regular council meeting where all contestants vote on who should be eliminated from the game. In this round, the faithful hope to eliminate a traitor. Along the way, there are various challenges to win rewards — including a shield which can provide one-off protection from elimination. Despite its seeming complexity, the format has proved popular with audiences in many key markets. The BBC in the UK, Peacock in the US, Network 10 Australia and M6 in France all had hits with the series in 2022 and ordered second series. In the case of the BBC3 version produced by All3Media-owned Studio Lambert, the audience actually built to a peak across season one — something of a novelty in the TV business. Not only that, it proved popular across both live and catch-up platforms.

NBC Universal-owned streamer Peacock, has demonstrated that there is also a strong life for the show in distribution — picking up tape versions of the UK and Australian shows from All3Media Internation-

al, to go with its own US version. When the show was greenlit for season two by the BBC, Stephen Lambert, CEO of Studio Lambert, explained why fans were so enthralled: “They told us they enjoyed the drama and entertainment of watching our players judge each other, often leaping to false conclusions, but also forming alliances and real friendships.”

Another key part of the attraction is undoubtedly the fact that the show is filmed in an atmospheric location, rather than a studio. This gives some of the immersive qualities of established hits like Survivor and I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. Peacock’s version, for example, was filmed in an evocative Scottish castle. As is often the case, ratings success in the US, UK and Netherlands helps drive global momentum in the format business. New broadcasters to come on board in 2023 include RTL Germany, HBO Max in Spain and TV2 Denmark. In other words, the format appears to be capable of switching seamlessly between public broadcasters, commercial broadcasters and international streaming platforms. The next big question, which may be answered at MIPTV, is whether The Traitors can also secure interest from Asian, Latin American, Middle East & African buyers…

MIPFORMATS Case Study

… on Tuesday, April 18, in the Marguerite, Riviera 8, from 10.45 to 11.15

‘Reality TV at its most immersive, dramatic and addictive’

From the top: M6/Studio 89’s Céline Caudelier; All3Media’s Nick Smith; the BBC’s Syeda Irtizaali; RTL Netherlands’ Peter Van Der Vorst; and IDTV’s Jasper Hoogendoorn

Claudia Winkleman, host of the BBC’s version of The Traitors

Photo: BBC/PA

The Class of ‘23

One of the highlights of MIPTV 2023 will be the return of Producers To Watch, a dynamic creative-led programme that seeks to introduce ground-breaking independent producers to the global marketplace

COVERING scripted, factual, formats and kids, this year’s Producers To Watch cohort represent more than 30 companies from around the world. On the eve of the market, Producers To Watch was scheduled to unveil factual producers from Canada, France, Italy, Korea, Spain, the UK and the US. Each of the producers in this genre is bringing shows at various stages of development — in the hope of finding partners.

Sunah Kim, producer/director at Korea-based Gina Dreams Production heads to Cannes with four-part food documentary series Temple Food Masters and three-part series Untold Truth Of The BTA Army.

Leading French producer Gedeon is also part of the programme, and arrives with around a dozen projects in development, including The Seven Lives Of Pablo Picasso. Executive producer Fanny Glissant said the firm is seeking to build co-production or co-financing opportunities. “ We’re looking to extend our reach internationally, but also with an additional emphasis on new major streaming players in the US and Europe. ”

In fiction, there are nine producers from Bulgaria, Germany, Iceland, Lebanon and the UK. Flying the flag for Iceland is Hörður Rúnarsson, producer/co-owner of Glass-

river. He is looking for co-production partners and collaborators for three projects: As Long As We Live, Cold Haven and Magaluf. From Bulgaria, Agit Prop’s Martichka Bozhilova is bringing a large slate including Gold War and Babyland. A 6 x 55-minute series, Gold War is set in the 1980s and tells the story of three young athletes and their coach impacted by the politics around the Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984 Olympics.

Formats brings seven strong candidates to MIPTV from Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the UAE and the UK. From Turkey, Lucid Dream Entertainment CEO Nilufer Kuyel brings a mixed slate of scripted and non-scripted formats. Key titles include The Wall Project, a winner at MIPformats, and 40 Questions, a popular primetime format, that has been on air for 100 episodes in Turkey and also sold internationally. The Netherlands is represented by Roy Aalderink, founder and chief creative officer of Concept Street.

Backed by MGM, Aalderink’s slate includes studio-based guessing game We Are Family and dating formats Virgin Island and The Mating Game. In kids and teens, producers to watch include eight firms from Australia, Finland, Italy, Nigeria, Spain and the UK.

Damilola Solesi, a producer at Smids Animation Studios in Nigeria, has Markebolts, a 2D animation about three friends uncovering exciting adventures in an abandoned junkyard. Spanish executive producer Iván Agenjo from Peekaboo Animation will be at the market pitching My Little Heroes (52 x 7 mins); while Lucia Geraldine Scott of Red Monk Studio in Italy will be “looking for partners for our shows and pitching our new development slate”. In addition, ”we’ll be introducing our newly set-up studio in Milan. Thanks to a merger with the Superprod Group in early 2021, Red Monk Studio has opened a three-floor studio in Milan, counting 80 workstations and fully running 3D and 2D pipelines and a strong creative team.”

Clockwise from top left: Sunah Kim, Fanny G, Nilufer, Hörður Rúnarsson, Martichka Bozhilova, Iván Agenjo, Lucia Geraldine Scott and Roy Aalderink

“PRODUCERS To Watch is a great initiative to put the spotlight on production companies and talent with high potential, but not so well known yet in the international TV landscape. In our case, the global success that Spanish fiction has been experiencing in recent years is helping the Spanish audiovisual industry as a whole to gain greater visibility abroad. We have both established names and newcomers among the professionals who are starting up new production companies — focused not only in the scripted genre, but also in factual series, entertainment formats and kids content.”

The process of bringing so many talented producers to Cannes and creating a networking platform for them is facilitated by producers’ associations around the world. We spoke to association members and to producers who have experienced the event in the past …

“THE PRODUCERS

To Watch event which launched at MIPTV last year was a great initiative that brought focus onto the importance of international production and co-production. The UK PACT members who took part last year, who were in the early stages of internationalising their business, really benefited from taking part.”

“IT IS a great honour to be included in Producers To Watch. I got involved after our TV series Bullets was a winner of the Buyers Coup de Coeur Award at MIPTV in 2018. In all, this initiative provides fantastic networking opportunities with interesting people and companies. It gives very good visibility to the producers involved. For me MIPTV has been very important market as we have launched many series here. Our latest launch was drama thriller A Good Family in 2022.”

“People — broadcasters, streamers, producers, thinkers, bankers — come here looking for one single thing: content”

DBCom’s Nicholas Boucher

‘It gives very good visibility to the producers involved’

Ana Cañadas Méndez

TV contentinternational promotion manager audiovisual ICEX, Spain

Dawn McCarthySimpson MBE managing director business & global strategy. PACT, UK

Minna Virtanen creator, executive producer Vertigo, Finland

Damilola Solesi creative director and CEO Smids Animation Studios

THE PRODUCERS To Watch initiative is amazing; I was able to network and connect with a few producers from various backgrounds from the first event, and I was soon able to develop my tribe through the programme. In addition, there was a networking event where we met other producers, which was beneficial. Overall, MIPTV has been my best market yet. The market is so comfortable and allows for deep, advanced interactions with possible partners. I met the people I needed without having to worry about schedules, and the session was very straightforward and tailored to my needs.

Nicolas Boucher executive producer, CEO DBCom, Canada

“FOR US, The Producers To Watch initiative is a source of credibility. It’s a proof, for all potential partners, that you really do stand out and that you really do deliver. In our case, we deliver what others don’t. And we produce in ways that others won’t. People — broadcasters, streamers, producers, thinkers, bankers — come here looking for one single thing: content. And our job is to stun them with the unexpected by producing premium quality content as expected. And we’re here at MIPTV to do just that.

Thought leaders focus on the future of kids content

The way in which children and young people consume content is changing all the time; and producers, broadcasters, platforms and brands are constantly delving into the mindsets of shifting generations, from A to Z, in an attempt to stay relevant. The MIPTV Future Of Kids TV Summit will address this exciting and complex market sector

THE FUTURE Of Kids TV

Summit offers six sessions over three hours on Tuesday, April 18, ranging from Engaging With Generation Alpha to Adapting Your Business Model For The Future Of Social Media and led by key figures in kids TV from around the world. After an introduction from the session’s presenter Brandon Relph, CEO, Studio BE, Ashley Fell, of Australian research company McCrindle, will kick off the Summit

with a session on Generation Alpha — a term coined by the company’s founder Mark McCrindle who defined them as those born from 2010 to 2024.

“Generation Alpha is growing up in globally connected and diverse times, with a renewed focus on environmental sustainability and the importance of empathy. As a result, we have seen content on the international market reflect this,” Fell said. “Take for example, gender

diversity and how women are portrayed in TV shows or movies for children. It has taken on a renewed focus and so there are now media companies dedicated to putting the spotlight on content where female characters have power, ability, make good decisions, and act on them — women with agency. This is a change, happening now, that will have an impact on the future of movies and television and what Generation Alpha will grow up watching and being influenced by.” Generation Alpha is growing up as “super-informed and constantly connected consumers”, Fell said. “This means that their attitudes and consumption behaviour are different to generations past and are constantly evolving. They are tech-driven consumers, influenced by entertainment media, social media and their peers. The platforms they have grown up being influenced by as using like TikTok, Minecraft and Roblox have defined them as active co-creators rather than passive consumers. As they grow up, they will increasingly integrate technology

into their consumer behaviour and it will influence how they shop . As empowered consumers, they are more involved in the production and distribution of content than previous generations, as well as being impacted by their parents and in turn, driving what shows, media and entertainment enters the home. The best way to reach them is when they are involved and when content meets their expectations, aspirations and values.”

Fell is followed by MIPTV Media Mastermind keynoter Evan Shapiro, who will address the subject at the heart of the Summit: The Future Of Kids TV. He sees a number of ways in which the shifting nature of kids’ content consumption is changing the traditional model.

“YouTube is now the largest video platform on earth and one of the biggest channels for kids programming,” Shapiro said. “As YouTube consumption increasingly moves to the connected TV, it will compete more directly with more traditional TV — even streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney — for time

Clockwise from left: Ashley Fell, Brandon Relph, Nicolas Eglau, Evan Shapiro and Jesse Cleverly

and attention. More and more, this is the primary TV channel for kids.” Gaming is changing the business model too: “The asymmetrical narrative experience offered by immersive worlds like Minecraft and Roblox will garner more and more time and commerce from kids and parents. This demands that publishers and creators think about their IP beyond the edges of the television experience.”

Kids TV creators need to be comfortable with the ‘yes, and’ nature of content consumption and audience tastes, Shapiro said, and “would do well to follow the trends our kids are setting on those platforms to ensure a sustainable future for their content everywhere”. Shapiro will be interviewed at the end of his session by Deirdre Brennan, chief operating officer, Wildbrain. How To Engage Kids & Monetise

Content In The New Era will be addressed by Jesse Cleverly, creative director at UK-based Wildseed Studios and Nicolas Eglau, managing director at the UK’s Moonbug Entertainment. Cleverly sees value in both existing and future business models and said

to play across the world for years — but you usually need multiple seasons playing on partner platforms who are often incentivised to advertise the content and support L&M etc.,” he said. “That model continues to deliver results — especially at the younger end of the audience where it seems parents are still keen on the ‘always on but always safe’ qualities of terrestrial broadcast — evidenced by Sky’s new linear pre-school channel.”

content has increased.” Content needs to be engaging and provide learning benefits, in order to fulfill demands both from kids and parents, he said.

that the long tail enjoyed by kids content remains key. “If you can get a new kids’ property to launch then it has the ability to continue

But beyond linear, multiple seasons are harder to unlock as platforms fine-tune their launch strategies, he said. “In those cases, limited runs in walled-garden services don’t deliver the same long-tail, evergreen brand type of opportunities.”

For Eglau: “As kids spend an increased amount of time on mobile, the demand for shorter-form

Ideas grow in The WIT Kids Garden

THE EVER-popular Fresh TV sessions from Switzerland-based The WIT, has been adapted for The Future Of Kids TV Summit. During the presentation The WIT Kids Garden: What’s Fresh In The Kids And Tweens Space,

al market has not changed that much,” she said ahead of the event. “Change in content is happening mostly on YouTube and TikTok where kids and young adults have taken power and create the content they want to watch. Creativity here is driven by first-person storytelling and short attention span.” But while this content is available globally for viewers, it’s generally not available for international buyers or sellers of kids programming, she said.

12-year-olds wherever they want it — on regular TV, the streamers, social media or gaming.”

But social and technological developments haven’t always affected content. “Production of kids’ content has not changed so much,” Eglau said. “Producing high-quality content that kids love and parents trust remains at the heart. Our values have remained constant. We aim to inspire with fun and responsible storytelling, encouraging kindness, compassion and resilience in the next generation.”

Further sessions include Disrupting The Disruptors: Generation Alpha And Their Media with Dubit; and Adapting Your Business Model For The Future Of Social Media with Totem.

The WIT Kids Garden: What’s Fresh In The Kids & Tweens Space

… on Tuesday, April 18, in the Lerins, Riviera 8, from 14.00 to 17.00

CEO Virginia Mouseler will look at future trends in programming for those demographics.

“The kids and young-adult content available on the internation-

“It’s a kind of parallel universe and the aim of our session is to provide inspiration by showing what’s fresh in this space, from TV streamers to social media and gaming.” She added: “There’s a lot of speculation and anxiety about the future of kids programming. In the session I will try to give inspiring answers by showing fresh content targeted at eight- to

“Generation Alpha is growing up in globally connected and diverse times”

Ashley Fell

“Change in content is happening mostly on YouTube and TikTok”

Virginia Mouseler

‘Men and women must fight together’

THE INTERNATIONAL Women’s Mentoring Breakfast is happening once again in Cannes.

The ninth edition of the event is organised by MIPTV with Paris-based MédiaClub’Elles; confirmed mentors include France Télévisions’ Caroline Behar; Upgrade Productions’ Caroline Kusser; Black Pear

Consulting’s Sarah Wright; Mounia

Aram; the UN’s Caroline Peitit; Collective Media Group’s rebecca Knight; Vice Media’s Bea Hegedus; and Blue Spirit’s Eleanor Coleman. MédiaClub’Elles founder and president, Florence Sandis, said recently that the organisation aims to include politicians in future events, to raise awareness of the numerous issues that women and girls face in different parts of the world.

To this end, in February of this year, Media Club’Elles organised a tribute to Iranian women in the light of recent unrest in Iran — where film producer and distributor Katayoon Shahabi spoke publicly on the subject for the first time.

“In other countries such as Iran

or Afghanistan, where the political system depends on the ideology of radical men in power, woman’s rights are disregarded,” Shahabi told the MIPTV Magazine. “And today Iranian women are fighting for democracy. I strongly believe that the world is very much connected; so, the deprivation of women from their basic rights — such as education in Afghanistan — will at some point, affect the lives of those living in other parts of the world. That’s why men and women have to fight together against all types of discrimination, no matter where they come from.”

Working recently in France, Shahabi has observed that women in media are not always profiting from the same rights as men: “For instance, women have more difficulty negotiating their contracts

Doing well, but could do better

A MENTORING session is taking place on Wednesday at MIPTV where executives with expertise and experience in diversity and inclusion will mentor delegates in a roundtable format. The premise of the session: “A diverse and inclusive workplace boosts productivity and innovation. The TV industry is better than some, but it still has a way to go.”

Those attending will break into groups to hear presentations and seek advice and insight from five experts on the subject.

Topics to be discussed include Lack Of Access For Minorities

In The Entertainment Industry, with Hanan Lancaster, executive

producer, In the Zone Films; and Equality For More Diversity

In The Workplace with Bouchra Réjani, founder and CEO, WeMake Productions.

Other mentors include Dixi Stewart, managing director, SandStone Global; Adrian Smith, co-founder, producer and presenter, The Three Drinkers; and Fathima Beckmann, senior vice-president global inclusion at Paramount.

Joining Forces To Accelerate Diversity & Inclusion

… on Wednesday, April 19, from 11.15 to 12.15 in the MIP

Women’s Mentoring Breakfast

... with MédiaClub’Elles on Wednesday, April 19, in the Lerins from 09.00 to 10.15

and salaries. So they are paid less and work in worse conditions despite being as capable — and sometimes more capable — than their male counterpart.”

Katayoon Shahabi

Florence Sandis

Dixi Stewart

Hanan Lancaster

Adrian Smith

Fathima Beckmann

Bouchra Réjani

Lab

Hollywood’s Richards in Cannes to launch crypto-crisis drama

HOLLYWOOD actor Denise Richards comes to Cannes with a new drama series, Paper Empire, along with its creator, writer and director — and unexpected co-star — Robert Gillings.

Paper Empire claims to be the first-ever series to take on the future of crypto currency; in Gillings’ words, it “follows crypto into its dark universe”.

The show has an all-Star cast including Richards, Robert Davi, Anne Archer, Steve Guttenberg, Robert Knepper, Cuba Gooding Jr, Richard Grieco, Carol Alt, Wesley Snipes and Kelsey Grammer — and director Gillings, who stepped in at the last minute to play the character Noir after an actor had to withdraw.

Speaking to the MIPTV Magazine, Richards said that pretty much all of the shooting schedule had been dic-

tated by the pandemic. “We started it pre-COVID and we’d stop and start over quite a period of time and mostly we didn’t have scripts, we only got individual pages of our scenes with no continuity. But I loved working with this cast — and Robert Davi, it was great working with him. We had so much fun together and the chemistry was great.”

Richards plays Bentley Fintch, wife of Laurence Fintch — played by Davi, who believes himself to be the world’s financial saviour but whose digital technology spirals out of control bringing about a global financial armageddon. And while the project began some three years ago, the subject of the series has turned out to be highly pertinent given recent global financial events. “I cannot believe that, yes!” Richards said. “I don’t

really follow that stuff but recently with everything that’s going on, that coincidence — that’s amazing.” At press time the COVID-hit series was still going through chang -

next level of adventure reality’

BE-ENTERTAINMENT is an international format distributor representing a catalogue featuring some of the most popular content

coming out of Belgium. In Cannes for MIPTV the company will be parking its Destination X bus outside the Palais des Festivals to pro -

mote its next big hit, Destination X, created by Geronimo Productions for Flanders’ VTM. Described as a “larger-than-life adventure reality competition, Destination X features 10 contestants who embark on a road trip. They board the bus where nothing is what it seems. Not only do the windows on the bus have black-out blinds, reality is regularly distorted to mislead both the contestants and the viewers at home. There are clues designed to help the contestants decide whether or not they can trust what they see — and at the end of each episode they must put an

es: “It’s ongoing. Every now and then I’ll get an email that says they want to add some more scenes and change some things,” she said. “That’s what I found so interesting about doing this show; I never read a complete script. I just had to play all my scenes out, not knowing what had happened before or what would happen after. It was fun — it was exciting!”

X on a map to mark where they think they are. The contestant who places their X furthest away from the correct location has to leave the game — and loses the chance to win a cash prize.

“The Geronimo team clearly outdid themselves in creating a mind-blowing and spectacular show with a gameplay that will keep families engaged and playing along, on all screens,” Be-Entertainment managing director Gepke Nederlof said. “This really feels like the next level of adventure reality. The positive feedback we’ve already received is overwhelming and we’re looking forward to placing ‘Destination X’ on the international map.”

‘The

Denise Richards as Bentley Fintch

Coming to Cannes: Destination X

ECAD stands up for distributors in the new TV landscape

A REINVIGORATED ECAD (European Coordination of Audiovisual Distributors) comes to MIPTV seeking to forge relationships between producers and distributors. Delegates who want to learn how ECAD can help them navigate the global content market are invited to attend a public presentation on Tuesday, April 18 at 15.30.

ECAD president Thierry Detaille told the MIPTV Magazine: “The organisation was founded in 2009 but has been revived under new leadership. Now we have around a dozen members, mainly in factual — but we are aiming to expand into new genres. The main criteria for ECAD membership are independence from major media groups and a focus on TV rather than cinema.”

Explaining why it made sense to rebuild ECAD, Detaille pointed to “rapid changes in the TV industry, including consolidation and ever-increasing production budgets. Distributors need a lobby group that can develop a practical response to these challenges while

Team Up! 10 Tips For Global Success With Your International Distributor

Presented By ECAD

… on Tuesday, April 18, in the MIP Lab from 15.30 to 16.00

also helping the industry retain a diversity of culture and point of view.” In terms of trends impacting on distributors, Detaille cited topics ranging from inflation and terms of payment to evolving working practices. He also said firms are having to re-assess their role in the food chain. “We are working more upstream, so we need a new model that brings us sufficient revenue. We carry a lot of strategy, consulting, sourcing financing activities which are not valued as they should be.” During the MIPTV presentation, Detaille and his team will provide tips for producers wanting to team up with distributors. There will also be a gathering with members to discuss the state of the industry and a drive to recruit new members. “We want to welcome more members and create working groups on the issues we are addressing,” he said.

In terms of priorities, ECAD is reaching out to a range of European organisations to discuss a multi-tiered agenda. “We are talking

Sony reveals new camera technology

ON THE same day, Sony will once again host a production seminar, in particular to discuss a number of new technologies that it has developed for visual artists. Sony Group has been a key player in the creative industries for a number of decades, especially in the context of technologies applied

to the production of visual media for television and films.

In this seminar, a panel will focus on virtual production services developed by Pixomondo (PXO), and Sony’s Venice Rialto camera extension system.

PXO, with offices in Canada, Germany and the UK, first teamed with Sony in October 2022. It offers award winning VFX and virtual production services for both television programmes and feature films. The Venice Rialto technologies have also been widely utilised for major film and TV productions.

Yoshikazu Takashima, senior vice-president, advanced technolo-

gy at Sony Pictures Entertainment, a distinguished engineer and co-ordinator and producer of the session, said: “This seminar presented by Sony will feature real-world examples of how these technologies have been used in actual productions.”

“The seminar will present practical applications of these systems and how they help creators realise their visions. A follow-up discussion with the audience will make the session even more fruitful and useful,” Takashima said.

MIPTV participants who are looking for innovative content creation and are interested in using these products and services for upcoming

to Creative Europe Media about creating subsidies for distributors. We are also approaching the EBU about unifying digital standards and the possibility of increased licence fees to cover digital delivery. Also, we’re looking for more indepth surveys from the European Audiovisual Observatory and closer links with markets like MIPTV.”

new projects will benefit from attendance at the seminar, where they will be able tol discuss their production needs with experts from Sony and its group partners.

“MIPTV is one of the most appropriate markets for meeting creative producers and business partners,” Takashima added. “As a creative entertainment company, Sony is always excited to participate at MIPTV.”

The Sony Content Production Seminar

… on Tuesday, April 18 in Auditorium K, from 16.30 to 18.00

Sony’s Yoshikazu Takashima

ECAD’s Thierry Detaille

What do buyers want?

Buyers from all over the world are heading to Cannes for the 60th MIPTV. We spoke to some of them ahead of the market to find out what types of content they are on the lookout for at MIPTV … Dirk

Neuhoff

head of documentary, NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk) Germany

“We’re looking for political and investigative stories like Snowden’s Great Escape, Net Wars or Putin’s Games; docudramas like Otto Weidt – A Blind Hero’s Journey or Albert And Hermann Goring – Two Dissimilar Brothers; documentaries like Grand Illusions About Eco Food or Counterfeit Drugs. In general, strong, untold, exclusive stories!”

Bernarda Grum editor and buyer, RTV Slovenija

“My focus is on scripted drama and comedy series. I’m looking for a high-quality new productions — European, but also some non-European production — different genres including contemporary, period drama, crime, comedy and biopics and finished, ready-to-air, programmes.”

Mila Mayi vice-president, acquisitions & co-productions, Corporacion RTVE, Spain

“We are Spain’s public television service and we look for quality content. Particularly fiction series, feature films, animation, live action for children, and documentaries.”

Qi Yu head of international, JYS Media, China

“We’re looking for finished programming in the genres of kids & teens, docs & factual, entertainment, animation, history & civilisation, nature & wildlife and science & knowledge.”

Junita Budvytiene head of acquisitions, Lithuanian Radio and Television

“The priority is given to drama and documentaries applicable to all the family. On the main channel we have got five daily daytime series. Weekends go for daytime series and movies. The primetime series slot at 23.00 is more focused to action, thrillers — a male audience.

Karin Marelle head of acquisitions, Starz, UK

Lionsgate+ is the streaming arm of US premium channel Starz. Lionsgate+ is searching for premium, provocative, propulsive scripted series. We look for addictive, ambitious break-out hits with ultra-premium production values, writing quality and character. Less slow-burn, more edgeof-seat. From-the-heart, territory-tailored stories — our co-production commissions seek projects that resonate in-market and have international appeal.

Laura Ní Cheallaigh

commissioning & acquisitions

editor, TG4, Ireland

“We’re looking for strong feature films and drama series for primetime linear viewing as well as VOD box sets — english or foreign language. Documentaries — blue-chip natural history/wildlife, sports, music but also any strong doc that might resonate with Irish audiences and fit with our channel/schedule needs. Daytime series with volume — factual entertainment/doc/lifestyle, nostalgic/light drama that will resonate with audiences, long-running branded quiz shows. Music performances and music/popular culture documentaries that appeal to a broad Irish audience.

Loren Baxter head of acquisitions, Off the Fence, UK

“We look for series and specials that resonate with international audiences. At the moment, there is a need for ancient-history topics, nature and wildlife, WWII, premium science series — either in health, pop science or technical, such as engineering — as well as topics that come with unique access to people or places.

Isabelle Palmitessa buyer, RTBF Belgium

“RTBF is a public service media which aims to promote its values — audacity, connection, respect, transparency, diversity — and to offer content for all generations in an increasingly digital society. We’re looking for French-speaking or French-dubbed documentaries about history and social issues.

Marina Capretti rights acquisition, La7, Italy

“La7 Spa is a free television broadcasting channel mainly focused on current and politics events with live shows on daily slots and four primetime slots. This makes our channel recognisable as one of the most important news and information channels. We’re looking for historical and current documentaries and library feature films, series and mini-series.”

Nina Tuominen acquisition executive, YLE Finnish Broadcasting Company, Finland

“I’m looking for wildlife, history, art and science docs, both one-offs and series, with high-production values, strong stories and innovative storytelling. I’m eagerly searching for new, previously untold stories.”

Jean-Philippe Ceppi senior producer, Radio Television Suisse, Switzerland

“We’re looking for investigative breath-taking documentaries and factual. Social, political, environmental, crime and social issues.”

Kaye Warren acquisitions manager, non-scripted, SBS Australia

“We look for strong storytelling that explores different perspectives and unique viewpoints with recognisable, global talent that drive viewership. We look for shows that inspire conversation and elevate debate, both locally and globally. We look for relevant and contemporary narratives and programmes which attract a broad audience. In the non-scripted genre, we look for presenter-led history, travel and science along with big global stories of historical significance. Factual entertainment with appeal for our distinct audience is also something we are on the look-out for.”

Sandrine Ventezout acquisitions and co-productions executive, Histoire TV, France

“We look for original, momentous and sharp content proving that history is exciting and significant for us all. We acquire, pre-buy and co-produce, also on an international level.”

perfect balance of business and pleasure’

Leading LatAm TV market MIPCANCUN turns 10 years old this year, it promises to have expanded from its over 800 participants from 45 countries in 2022, when it opens its doors on November 14 this year

WHETHER you are involved in producing, distributing, financing or buying TV content for Latin America and US Hispanic audiences, MIPCANCUN is a TV Market designed to put you face-to-face with people, content and ideas tailored to your business.

The MIPCANCUN Content Market offers one-to-one pre-scheduled meetings between international content distributors and TV content buyers from the LatAm and US Hispanic markets; while the MIPCANCUN Co-Production Forum offers one-to-one pre-scheduled meetings that match producers across Latin America with top commissioners from the region as well as talent agencies, heads of development, financing companies and writers. Up to 25 guaranteed meetings will be included in delegates personalised

agendas, alongside the many other networking events on offer during the four-day event in Mexico. And while this one-on-one format is exclusive to MIPCANCUN, what also sets it apart is the location.

“Mexico is what truly makes MIPCANCUN unique. We are the only international content market in Latin America,” MIPCANCUN director Maria Perez-Belliere said.

“Mexico is not only the largest TV production market in Latin America, but it’s also the bridge between all of the Spanish and Portuguese TV producing countries from the South and the US Hispanic TV market to the North.” She added: “Cancun is an ideal location for a MIP market. It allows us to provide the full MIP market experience that is synonymous with our shows in Cannes. It

allows us to bring people in from around the world and to create this community combined with a productive and enjoyable business experience, a unique MIP promise.” The one-on-one matchmaking format is at the heart of MIPCANCUN. Buyers and sellers receive an agenda of pre-scheduled meetings based on mutual preferences. Participants also have the opportunity to add more meetings to their calendars through the show’s networking platform as well as benefiting from numerous gatherings and parties “creating the perfect balance of business and pleasure”, Perez-Belliere said. “Everything that happens at MIPCANCUN is highly curated. Last year around 150 distribution companies and 180 buyers were part of the one-to-one programme.”

Highlights for MIPCANCUN

2023 include: the launch of FAST & GLOBAL Summit For The Americas; The MIPFORMATS Pitch; a series of events under the brand Women In LatAm; the seventh edition of The PRODU Awards; and The MIPCANCUN Fiestas. “And there’s much more,” Perez-Belliere said. “There’s no way anyone should miss out on this years’ edition.”

The MIPCANCUN Co-Production Market

THE MIPCANCUN

Co-Production Market offers guaranteed prescheduled meetings that match producers across Latin America with top commissioners from the region as well as talent agencies, heads of development, financing companies, and writers. It also features industry insight sessions from leading TV executives. The guiding philosophy of the Forum is that “your future partnerships, business deals and friendships are made best in a relaxed premium environment where face-toface meetings and relationship building are top priority”.

…from November 14 to 17, at the Moon Palace, Cancun, Mexico www.mipcancun.com

‘The

INCISIVE ANALYSIS. VARIETY INTELLIGENCE PLATFORM

CONTENT FOR SALE

BAVARIA MEDIA INTERNATIONAL

BAVARIA Media International brings the Portuguese historical thriller Codex 632 (6 x 45 mins) to MIPTV, which tells the story of a history professor whose discoveries might dramatically change our perception of the past. Another highlight is the biopic Alice (2 x 90 mins), uncovering the work of feminist icon Alice Schwarzer, who revolutionised thinking around gender roles and has been the subject of heated debates in 20th-century Europe. White Silence (1 x 90 mins) is a thriller inspired by the true events surrounding a nurse who became one of the biggest serial killers in German history.

PBS INTERNATIONAL

KIDS programming from PBS International includes Baby Animals: The Top Ten (6 x 60 mins/HD), with themed episodes including fastest, largest, strongest, cuddliest and most mysterious; and What Can You Become?, a new series of live-action three-minute shorts that aims to open kids’ eyes to various careers. Aimed at four- to six-yearolds, the series will also be available on YouTube. A highlight from the factual catalogue is Casa Susanna (1 x 97 mins/HD), about how in the 50s and 60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York. Further titles include: Putin And The Presidents (1 x 54 mins/ HD); Ancient Builders Of The Amazon (1 x 53 mins/ HD); Evangelicals: From Faith To Power (3 x 52 mins/HD); and Ruthless: Monopoly’s Secret History (1 x 52 mins/HD).

DANDELOOO

FRENCH animation producer and distributor Dandelooo is at MIPTV with new hybrid 2D series The Super Heroes Of Nature (30 x 3 mins). The series includes live footage and takes a poetic and often humorous look at biodiversity. Each episode features an animal or organism, looking at subjects including intelligence, behaviours or reproduction. The company has also begun production on The Upside Down River (8 x 26 mins), based on the novel by Jean Claude Mourlevat. Also available are: four series of The Treehouse Stories; Stinky Dog (52 x 11 mins); Billy The Cowboy Hamster (52 x 11 mins); animated feature Houdini; and animation short Mum Is Pouring Rain.

TERRANOA

A HIGHLIGHT for the French documentary distributor at MIPTV is Moochie: Who killed Jill Halliburton Su?, a new six-part true-crime series about the investigation of the brutal murder of a woman who came from a well-known oil family in Florida. Another new release is If You Kill, Call Me, about the world of narco-lawyers, featuring unprecedented access to the most notorious legal defenders of the cartels in Mexico, Colombia and the US. Also available at MIPTV is a profile of Spanish movie icon Javier Bardem.

The Super Heroes Of Nature (Dandelooo)

Moochie: Who Killed Jill Halliburton Su? (Terranoa)

Alice (Bavaria Media International)

Casa Susanna (PBS International)

Here we highlight some of the content brought to MIPTV by companies from around the world

TWO TITLES top the MIPTV priority list for Korean formats specialist Something Special. Survival Hunt is a new game show featuring two competing groups of five people chosen from all walks of life, often with opposing views. They then participate in a 10-day survival game in the forest. The teams compete to win prize money and must work together in the face of the same enemy, the Tagger. Will they be able to put aside their differences and work towards the common goal? The second, a game show, is Battle In The Box, which features two pairs of celebrities living together in a house. Each team starts with the same sized room and budget, but the size of the living space and their budget to buy essential items are determined through a series of games and challenges. The team winning most missions gets more space and more cash for shopping. After all the missions are completed, the team with the bigger space wins and wins all the purchased items.

DAEHAN MEDIAWORLD

THE NEW series from Korea’s Daehan Mediaworld, A Return To Architectural Tradition (6 x 50 mins/4K), looks at the traces of civilization and cultural exchange around the world. The series spotlights religious spaces and the link between gods, humans and nature. Another series is Flavors Of Fermentation (12 x 26 mins/4K). Fermentation is an ancient method to preserve produce, and every culture has a variety of fermented foods. This series looks at how the boundaries between what is rotten and what is fermented. The difference is that spoiled food is harmful to human health, and fermented food is a natural way to prolong foods during harsh winters and food shortages.

DCD RIGHTS

LONDON-based distributor DCD Rights brings Exploring India

With Bettany Hughes (2 x 60 mins) to MIPTV. Seasoned adventurer, historian, author and broadcaster, Professor Bettany Hughes, alongside local experts and academics, presents her curated selection of Indian treasures in this two-parter. Travelling north to south, through stunning countryside and spectacular cities, she discovers elements of a fascinating past. Exploring temples and palaces, the latest finds in vast archaeological sites, local festivals and traditions, she reveals the things that make India unique.

WEST ONE INTERNATIONAL

SINCE its creation in 1947, there is one gun which has featured in conflicts all over the world. Weapon Of The Century (2 x 50 mins) is a documentary, brought to MIPTV by the UK’s West One International, that charts the rise of the AK:47. The programme takes a historical overview, examining warfare and political conflict through the lens of the legendary gun and explores why it permeates popular culture. Weapon Of The Century explores conflicts from Stalingrad and Afghanistan through to modern-day Ukraine, and features dramatic re-enactments using the Unreal Engine technology.

STUDIOCANAL

MONDO TV

PRODUCER and distributor Mondo TV, brings a range of animated content to MIPTV. Co-productions include Monster Loving Maniacs (52 x 11 mins/2D/HD), about three siblings training to become monster hunters. Another highlight is Agent 203 (26 x 22 mins/3D/CGI), about Zoe, who is on a quest to save the universe while trying to be a regular teenager. Grisu (52 x 11 mins/3D/ CGI/HD) follows a little dragon who wants to be a firefighter. Annie & Carola (52 x 11 mins/ 2D/HD) is about Carola, who builds Annie, a robot clone, as a friend. One Love (26 x 7 mins/ 2D/HD) allows children to learn about handling emotions, kindness, courage and friendship. The second season of environmentally themed adventure and edutainment show MeteoHeroes (2 seasons/ 4 TV movies/2D/HD) is ready in time for Earth Day in April. Further highlights include: The Tales Of Wonder Keepers (52 x 11 mins); and Leo’s World (10 x 12 mins), featuring a little boy on the autism spectrum.

FRENCH-language action drama The Brigade (8 x 60 mins), brought to Cannes by StudioCanal, is set in an elite police unit specialised in fighting organised crime and terrorism. Said, an ex-member of the special forces, oversees the team of young cops whose over-confidence occasionally causes problems. He has taken over the role from Patrick, a charismatic leader who had a partnership with a notorious Parisian gangster. Said attempts to integrate into the new team while preventing a gang war in Paris. The cast includes Sofian Khammes, Ophelie Bau, Theo Christine, Wael Sersoub, Bruno Todeschini, Nina Meurisse, Sami Outalbali, Vincent Elbaz and Emmanuelle Devos.

Survival Hunt (Something Special)

Weapon Of The Century (West One International)

One Love (Mondo TV)

The Brigade (StudioCanal)

Exploring India With Bettany Hughes (DCD Rights)

A Return To Architectural Tradition (Daehan Mediaworld)

BELIANE

PARIS-based Beliane brings a range of documentaries to Cannes. A Bra Story (1 x 52 mins) traces the history of an item of clothing that was originally a liberation from the corset before it became popular around the world. The Great Scallop’s Odyssey (1 x 52 mins) looks at this creature’s ability to provide accurate information about the state of the oceans. The Transamazonica: Between Heaven And Earth (1 x 52 mins) follows Sylvestre Campe in his microlight plane as he discovers the beauty, riches and people of a threatened area of the Brazilian forest. Violins Of Hope (1 x 52 mins) profiles Amnon Weinstein who in his Tel Aviv workshop repairs violins that were abandoned or snatched from victims of the Holocaust. Amnon has gathered 105 violins and a few cellos, which form a collection that carries a universal message to concert halls around the world.

RED ARROW STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL

RED ARROW Studios International is launching The Gone (6 x 60 mins) at MIPTV. This character-driven mystery drama follows Irish Special Branch detective Theo Richter as he travels to New Zealand to help search for two young Irish tourists who have vanished. Another key priority is Stranded On Honeymoon Island a dating format that sees couples matched by experts stranded on a deserted island. Isolated and pitted against the forces of nature, will true love blossom?

FRANCE TV DISTRIBUTION

FRANCE tv distribution is launching the second season of adult animation series Lastman (6 x 45 mins) at MIPTV. The success of the first season of the original French manga, is followed up by a new series in which each episode follows a character evolving through a particular genre, including thriller, musical and horror. The characters of Richard and Duke are back together again, competing in their internationally televised fight, which takes an unexpected turn in the first round when Richard turns against his own partner and knocks him out cold with a monstrous punch.

The Gone (Red Arrow Studios International)

Lastman (France tv distribution)

The Great Scallop’s Odyssey (Beliane)

RED BULL STUDIOS

BORN To Fly (1 x 94 mins) is a documentary about the meteoric rise of 23-yearold Swedish-American pole-vaulter Armand “Mondo” DuPlantis. The film chronicles DuPlantis’ journey to breaking world records and winning Olympic gold in Tokyo by the age of 21, fulfilling the lifelong dreams of a child. It is also a coming-of-age tale in which a young man’s drive clashes with his ability to navigate this new world. He has now broken world records six times in less than two years, won gold at the European Championships, the World Championships, and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Director, Brennan Robideaux followed DuPlantis, capturing footage, gaining exclusive access his inner circle and tapping into a treasure trove of private home videos.

GAD

FRENCH documentary

OUTFIT7

CURRENTLY in production, Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super (52 x 11 mins) is a 3D CGI animated series about best friends who find themselves transformed into real-life superheroes. Together, they’re on an adventure to figure out their powers. Gender inclusive and promoting positive values, the show has been developed to appeal to the whole family, with education integrated into the plot. Outfit7’s Talking Tom & Friends brand, has achieved 101+ billion video views, 20+ billion mobile game downloads, and 96+ million YouTube subscribers for the Slovenian company.

WOODCUT INTERNATIONAL

APC

ADAPTED from the book by Pascale Robert-Diard, The Missing Heiress: Betrayals In The Riviera (3 x 52 mins) is ARTE’s first true-crime docuseries, produced by Rectangle Productions. Another APC factual priority is Eiffel Tower: Life Behind The Scenes (3 x 52 mins), fromTerminal 9 Studios. From the scripted catalogue comes: crime thriller Wolf (6 x 60 mins), an APC Studios originated co-production with Hartswood Films for the BBC; crime drama Minor Offence (6 x 52 mins); and Broken Ties (10 x 52 mins), produced by Dalit Kahan and Endemol Shine Israel for Yes, a dark drama set in the murky world of baby trafficking.

PRODUCED by InbornMedia for Viasat World, and brought to Cannes by the UK’s Woodcut International, The Underground Army (4 x 60 mins) tells the story of the Polish Underground State, the largest organisation of anti-Hitler guerrilla and conspiracy actions in occupied Europe during World War II. The series reveals the crucial part the movement played in gathering intelligence, communicating with the Allies and disrupting the German war machine. It discovers the secrets of the conspiracy, unique weapons and daring military actions, and the liquidation of traitors, torturers and even one of the largest bank robberies in history.

distributor GAD returns to MIPTV with a wide-ranging catalogue. Ambre, Travelling By Hair (4 x 53 mins) follows a young woman who sets up in a street, on a beach or in a village square and offers to cut hair to those who need it, and through that meets people and learns about the area. The Secrets Of Mount Olympus (1 x 52 mins/4K) features scientists who seek explanations of events which gave birth to myths. Great Natural Monuments (3 x 52 mins/4K) includes the Grand Canyon, Icelandic volcanoes, the Namib desert and Mont Blanc. Moo! The Epic Horns (4 x 52 mins/4K) looks at the relationship between humans and bovines around the world. Recipes From The Neolithic Era (1 x 52 mins/4K) and Recipes From Prehistory (1 x 52 mins/4K) consider the many factors affecting our ancestors’ diet. The Mystery Of The Nazca Lines (1 x 60 mins/HD) looks at this archeological mystery in Peru. The company is also looking for pre-sales for The Glorious History Of French Cuisine (1 x 90 mins/4K), Destination Ancient Rome (1 x 52/90 mins/4K) and Animals & Space – A New Horizon (1 x 52/90 mins/HD).

The Underground Army (Woodcut International)

Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super (Outfit7)

The Missing Heiress: Betrayals In The Riviera (APC)

Born To Fly (Red Bull Studios)

Ambre, Travelling By Hair (GAD)

DYNAMIC TELEVISION

PRIORITY titles for MIPTV from Dynamic Television

include: the second season of Harry Wild (6 x 60 mins), starring Jane Seymour as a recently retired English professor who discovers a knack for investigation and cannot help but interfere with the cases assigned to her police detective son; Savage River (6 x 60 mins), in which Miki returns to her hometown after eight years in prison, and after a shocking local murder, becomes the focus of suspicion, forcing her to prove her innocence; The General’s Men (8 x 60 mins) follows the true story of the Special Anti-Terrorism Unit created in response to the attacks launched by the Red Brigades in 70s’ Italy; Reindeer Mafia (8 x 42 mins), a dark comedy crime saga about a power struggle between members of a family that controls a local reindeer business; and the fourth season of The Sommerdahl Murders (4 x 90 mins/8 x 45 mins), based on Anna Grue’s bestselling books, set in Helsingor on the Danish coastline. In this season investigator Dan Sommerdahl falls madly in love.

MEDIAWAN

HAVEN Of Grace (6 x 52 mins) is a drama following Pierrre, a respected docker from Le Havre, who sees his world fall apart when his youngest son is arrested with a kilo of cocaine in the trunk of his car. Another drama from France’s Mediawan is 9/12 (4 x 52 mins), which tells the story of how, following 9/11, dangerous chemicals, lost during a French operation, are recovered, bought, resold and transported by traffickers for terrorists who plan an attack in Paris. From the factual slate comes The Little Prince – A Star Is Born (1 x 52 mins), looking at the creation of the world-famous novel on its 80th anniversary. Another priority is the third season of Slice Of Life, created by Abba member Bjorn Ulvaeus, which takes celebrities on a journey through their culinary memories, using archives and music. Further factual titles include Iceburg Hunting: The ‘White Gold’ Rush; Charles III, The New King; and Taiwan, Forbidden Nation.

OUTTV

CANADIAN LGBTQ+ TV and streaming service OUTtv highlights a second season of For The Love Of DILFS (10 x 60 mins), a gay dating series. Two groups of singles — Daddies and Himbos — come to an island and participate in challenges and go on dates. In the end one of the couples walks away with a cash prize. Stormy Daniels lives alongside the singles, serving as host and relationship advisor.

Haven Of Grace (Mediawan)

Reindeer Mafia (Dynamic Television)

BASED ON MARKUS ZUSAK’S BESTSELLING NOVEL

For The Love Of DILFS (OUTtv)

3BOXMEDIA

SPANISH-German distributor 3Boxmedia offers new documentaries at MIPTV. Urak Lawoi. Brothers Of The Sea (1 x 52/70 mins/4K) looks at an ancient fishing technique used on the waters between Thailand and Malaysia. Wild Spain. A Tale Of Two Brothers (1 x 52 mins/4K) explores two brothers’ fascination with Spanish nature. Mamody. The Last Baobab Digger (1 x 50 mins/4K) looks at how in Madagascar people combat drought by building wells inside gigantic baobab trees. The War Diary (1 x 52/85 mins/HD) is a contemporary road movie that compares history with the current reality of Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia through the diary of an Armenian World War II soldier.

NIPPON TV

DOKI Doki Video is a new unscripted format which Japan’s Nippon TV is launching at MIPTV. The format challenges celebrities to hold back any facial expressions while facing shocking or surprising viral videos. Their reactions are often more amusing than the films they are watching. The company also brings comedy drama format Rebooting, in which a woman gets the unbelievable chance to transform her mundane life. When one day she gets hit by a car she finds herself in an empty white room where a clerk files her death and guides her towards her next life as a giant anteater. If she declines and chooses to re-live her old life in a better way to gain extra points, she will again be reincarnated as a human being. She chooses the latter but things do not go as planned. The drama has been trending on social media.

ABACUS MEDIA RIGHTS

THE MAN Who Stole The Scream (1 x 90 mins) is a documentary, brought to MIPTV by Abacus Media Rights, charting the story of the theft of Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream. Stolen during the 1994 Winter Olympics, it triggered an investigation involving the Norwegian authorities, the global media and Scotland Yard’s specialist Art Squad. The thief was a former professional footballer, but was the motive profit or obsession?

INA

PHILAE, The Last Temples

Of Ancient Egypt (1 x 52 mins/UHD) focuses on the archaeological rescue undertaken by UNESCO, where temples are dismantled and rebuilt in another place. Also on INA’s line-up are further titles concerning Ancient Egypt, all 1 x 52/70 mins, including: Nefertiti, The Raiders Of The Lost Tomb; Hatshepsut, The Queen Who Became Pharaoh; The Temple Of Hatshepsut; and Karnak: The World’s Largest Temples.

A NEW adventure comedy animation, Mystery Lane (26 x 22 mins/3D), is brought to MIPTV by Hari, the French producer of Grizzy & the Lemmings. Aimed at kids over six years old, Mystery Lane features a little hamster hero, Clever — the world’s best detective — and her little brother, the hotheaded Bro, who never shrinks from anything and is his sister’s indispensable sidekick for every riddle they investigate.

HARI

Mystery Lane (Hari)

The Man Who Stole The Scream (Abacus Media Rights)

Doki Doki Video (Nippon TV)

Philae, The Last Temples Of Ancient Egypt (INA)

Urak Lawoi. Brothers Of The Sea (3Boxmedia)

A RANGE of programming is brought to MIPTV by US distributor FilmRise. Included are: Not Like Mama (10 x 22 mins), in which a family member prepares their “family recipe”, which is then judged by relatives; Unsolved Mysteries: Behind The Legacy (1 x 60 mins), celebrating the long-running series — on its 35th anniversary — which explores disappearances, paranormal anomalies and shocking murders; comedy film Scheme Queens (1 x 97 mins), about four friends who decide to rob a ruthless jewel thief; A Screenshot To Santa (1 x 75 mins), a film featuring two daughters alone on Christmas Eve as their parents are held up in a storm, who are surprised by robbers looking for information about their mother’s latest inventions; Uncle Roger (15 x 30 mins) is hosted by comedian Nigel Ng, who plays an Asian man reviewing celebrity chefs who mess-up Asian cooking, notably Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay; and reality series Cheaters (692 x 30 mins/346 x 60 mins), featuring people who think their partner is cheating on them.

Unsolved Mysteries: Behind The Legacy (FilmRise)

A MIPTV highlight for Cologne, Germany-based New Docs is Megadrought (1 x 45 mins). Travelling through the western states of the US, the film takes a look at this region’s alarming water scarcity, on the one hand, and the appalling mismanagement of water resources on the other. Other titles include: Russia Vs Lawyers (1 x 52/90 mins), which follows the work of human rights lawyers in Russia for more than three years; and The Dark Side Of Algorithms (1 x 52/90 mins), which reveals how algorithms can destroy lives and how carelessly they are being used by public institutions despite their obvious flaws.

FROM THE CREATORS OF THE TRAITORS DO

FROM THE AWARD-WINNING PRODUCERS OF THE CIRCLE AND GOGGLEBOX

PGS ENTERTAINMENT

KASSIE’s Kreatures (26 x 30 mins) is an animation about a teenager who meets a mystical being and is thrust into an epic conflict. Kassie’s life changes when she moves far from the city to River’s Edge, and discovers Lumen, a cool being called a Kreature. Kassie then meets others, including Simon who can cause earthquakes, avalanches and volcanic eruptions, and Cool Pete, an ancient with incredible powers. Together with their human friends, Jake and Marta, they embark on a fun-filled adventure to save the world. The series is brought to MIPTV by PGS Entertainment, a company with offices in LA, Paris, Geneva, Barcelona and Hong Kong.

ZED

INVESTIGATIVE documentaries are in the spotlight for ZED with four films concerning international issues at MIPTV.

Tibet Vs. China (1 x 52/80 mins) is a comprehensive analysis of a long-running conflict with international ramifications, due for delivery at the end of this year.

Ukraine’s Grain:The War Over Wheat (1 x 52 mins) looks at how the production of wheat in Ukraine has become a major geopolitical weapon, and is scheduled for the third quarter this year. Inside Zuckerberg’s Meta Brain (1 x 52/90 mins) is a thorough portrait of the tech tycoon. And on the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice the French distributor brings to market a profile of the unpredictable North Korean Leader, The World According To Kim Jong-Un (1 x 52/70 mins).

PARAMOUNT GLOBAL CONTENT DISTRIBUTION

TWO CBS Studios-produced 60-minute drama series are brought to Cannes by Paramount Global Content Distribution. Fire Country stars Max Thieriot as Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining an unconventional prison-release firefighting programme in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. So Help Me Todd stars Marcia Gay Harden and as razor-sharp attorney Margaret Wright and Skylar Astin as Todd, her talented but aimless son, who she hires as her law firm’s in-house investigator. Margaret’s penchant for excellence and strict adherence to the law is at complete odds with Todd’s scrappy methods of finding his way through sticky situations.

TOON2TANGO

A HIGHLIGHT from the catalogue brought to MIPTV by Toon2Tango is Hey Fuzzy Yellow!, a spirited series with a focus on independent thinking and self-expression in the company of Fuzzy Yellow and friends. Production on Hey Fuzzy Yellow! begins at the end of April. Lily Of Fawonia is a new 26-episode series aimed at children over six. A blend of live action and animation, it is about Lily, who on her 15th birthday finds out that she is a princess and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Toon2Tango has also agreed with Finnish production house Animaker to develop, produce, finance and distribute a series based on a European franchise which has already produced two feature films, Niko & The Way To The Stars and Niko 2 – Little Brother, Big Trouble, with a third due next year. Niko is a young reindeer who discovers that his father is one of Santa Claus’ reindeer.

Kassie’s Kreatures (PGS Entertainment)

Hey Fuzzy Yellow! (Toon2Tango)

Fire Country (Paramount Global Content Distribution)

Tibetan Administration’s Penpa Tsering in Tibet Vs. China (ZED)

FANTAWILD ANIMATION

CHINA’s Fantawild Animation highlights two series at MIPTV. In Adventurer Carly (52 x 13 mins), aimed at sixto 12-year-olds, Carly is searching for her father, by teaming up with tech guru Bobby and Morgan, a young boy who can transform into a wolf. The trio is guided to the mysterious world of Yilo Kingdom, where the secrets of The Book of Life unfold. Fantawild also brings the second season of Boonie Squad (52 x 13 mins), set in a beautiful forest town and aimed at four- to seven-year-olds, which follows the group who try to help their friends overcome difficulties and obstacles caused by bad habits or lack of knowledge.

PASSION DISTRIBUTION

JFK: THE Home Movie That Changed The World (1 x 60 mins) focuses on the little-known history of the 8mm film that captured the horrific events of the President’s assassination, how it fuelled conspiracies, and how TV brought the murder into living rooms around the world. Known as the Zapruder Film, it played a pivotal role in the ensuing investigation. It’s the 60th anniversary of the assassination of JFK in November this year. Other titles from the UK’s Passion Distribution include: The Royals: A History Of Scandals (4 x 60 mins), in which professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores what role the press, parliament and public have played in spreading royal rumours across the centuries; Pet Psychic (4 x 60 mins), in which at the end of each episode the cases are followed-up to see if pet psychic Beth Lee-Crowther’s predictions came true; and Classic Car Garage (10 x 60 mins).

ZDF STUDIOS

BRAVE Bunnies (52 x 7 mins) is a 2D pre-school series produced by WildBrain, Glowberry, Anima and De Agostini. The story centres around two curious and adventurous bunny siblings, Boo and her big brother Bop. The bunny duo and their family (Ma, Pa and the Bunny Babies) travel the world in their Bunny Bus. Each day, they camp and explore a new landscape, play new games and learn that new friends sometimes do things a little differently. A second season is currently in production, and global rights are brought to market by Canada-headquartered Wildbrain.

MIPTV drama highlights for Germany’s ZDF Studios include: The Swarm (8 x 45 mins), a thriller about a group of scientists who discover an intelligent life force capable of manipulating the ocean, a being which has decided to drive humans to extinction; Clean Sweep (6 x 52 mins), about a mother whose life is turned upside down when she kills her former boyfriend and partner in crime when he threatens to expose her; and further crime series Dear Vivi (7 x 45 mins), Before We Die (8 x 60 mins), Stories To Stay Awake (4 x 50 mins) and Boundless (6 x 45 mins). Kids highlights include: Spellbound (26 x 26 mins), Superhero Academy (13 x 15 mins) and Maari – Adventures At The Reef (20 x 7 mins).

WILDBRAIN

Brave Bunnies (Wildbrain)

JFK: The Home Movie That Changed The World (Passion Distribution)

Before We Die (ZDF Studios)

Adventurer Carly (Fantawild Animation)

ALBATROSS WORLD SALES

THE ENTERTAINING wildlife stories in Cactus Hotel (1 x 52 mins/4K) take place around an old Saguaro cactus at an inn in the Arizona desert. Other titles brought to MIPTV by Germany’s Albatross World Sales include: Crimes That Changed The World (3 x 45 mins/HD), an exploration of major crimes that shook society; Born Out Of Fire: The Canary Islands (5 x 52 mins/4K), which looks at the volcanic landscapes, plants and animals that are special to this location; and Europe’s Highlands (4 x 52 mins/HD), which looks at the unique wildlife in these low mountain ranges, and the locals working to preserve it.

ONE OF the highlights from WildBear International’s new slate is the documentary Ride (1 x 85 mins), a tale of love, loss and triumph. Set in the world of BMX, Ride follows the 15-year journey of two premier Australian BMX racers, Sam and Alise Willoughby, who met at 17 and fell in love. They both became World Champions and Olympic Medallists, with Alise crowned the most successful rider of all time. A training accident changed everything. Sam could no longer walk and Alise no longer wanted to ride. However, they helped each other become World Champions again, this time as rider and coach.

FUTURUMKIDS

FOLLOWING a deal between Toonz Media Group and FuturumKids, production on new series Charlie’s Ark (52 x 11 mins) is under way. The series tells the story of a fiveyear-old boy and his ark-shaped toybox. The toys come to life and with Charlie they have magical adventures. Another priority is Ling-Ling (52 x 11 mins), the story of a panda from Shanghai who joins a pre-school in London.

GERMANY'S FIRST & FINEST SERIES EVENT

Cactus Hotel (Albatross World Sales)

Ride (Wildbear International)

Cinenova & Herbrand's

Charlie’s Ark (FuturumKids)

AUTENTIC DISTRIBUTION

DOCUMENTARY specialist Autentic Distribution has secured the rights to the portfolio of Terra Mater Studios, including Soul Of The Ocean (1 x 50 mins) and The View From On High (1 x 50 mins). Other highlights from the German distributor include Against All Odds (1 x 55 mins), about the war in Ukraine; Inside Guggenheim (1 x 52 mins), a tour of the legendary museum in Bilbao; and Women Above Clouds (5 x 30 mins), portraying female pilots who defy stereotypes in the most remote regions of the world. New titles from their production division include: A Cold War Of Spies (4 x 47 mins), about the era of intelligence warfare; and, ready for pre-sales, Mission Saving Paradise – Expedition To The Last Treasures Of The Indian Ocean (1 x 90 mins).

WEBEDIA

FRANCE’s Webedia brings a catalogue to MIPTV with a focus on millennials with a passion for gaming, music, outdoor sports and general entertainment. POG is a YouTuber, and in POG’s Gumball 3000, The American Dream (1 x 82 mins), he joins the rally across North America in his Lamborghini. Another highlight is McFly & Carlito (1 x 66 mins), featuring French YouTubers who cruise around Paris and invite celebrities to take on a series of silly challenges.

WINSING ANIMATION

ON THE slate from China’s Winsing Animation are: Xu Wu Bian Jing, with stories of repeated conflicts between humans and monsters; GG Bond: Racing 72H, set in a floating city in the air, featuring agent GG Bond, who discovers the core energy supporting the city has been stolen and he must retrieve it within 72 hours; and Team S.T.E.A.M., an upbeat series about a tightly knit team who enjoy solving problems and sharing knowledge by using the STEM curriculum.

Xu Wu Bian Jing (Winsing Animation)

Mission Saving Paradise –Expedition To The Last Treasures Of The Indian Ocean (Autentic Distribution)

POG’s Gumball 3000, The American Dream (Webedia)

DRAMA

series Days

That

Never Were tells the story of four women, each with their own issues and dark secrets, whose friendship is put to the test when a team of investigators look into the death of their former headmaster. In addition to original drama, the Austrian broadcaster ORF continues to produce blue-chip documentaries under the Universum strand, including: High Life In The Dead Mountains, a journey through a unique mountain habitat in Austria, with pristine lakes, primeval forests, meadows and fascinating wildlife; and The Raven’s Tale, profiling the dense forests, valleys and palaces of the Czech Republic, linking the natural history of the region with the magic of fairytales by telling the story of a small, innocent hero pitted against dark forces.

CASTA DIVA

ITALIAN producer Casta

Diva brings new and returning content into the spotlight at MIPTV, including several cooking shows for  Food Network. Pazzi Di Pizza 2, features a contest between two pizzerias from the same area. In C’e Ciccia 3, chef Luca Terni showcases regional meat from Tuscany. In Scarpetta D’Italia 2, two restaurants battle to win the title of best cuisine. Ci Vediamo Al Bar 2 follows a local culinary expert and actor as they cross Sicily to discover regional food. A new show for Food Network is Green Table, in which actor Vittorio Vaccaro profiles environmental agriculture companies in Lombardy. In other genres: for Discovery Italy Casta Diva is working on the local adaptation of dating show Guys In Disguise; and for Motor Trend, a third series of Fare, looking at aesthetic detailing on cars. The company has also opened a scripted-format division, and for Rai is developing a biopic on Italian singer Milva.

IMPS

ALONGSIDE all the favourite characters, in the second season of The Smurfs (52 x 11 mins/CGI) new character Wild Smurf is discovered living the heart of the forest. A character with a strong connection to animal life, Wild Smurf’s strange ways shake up the Smurfs’ daily routine. Also in the forest is Leaf, the fairy destined to replace Mother Nature. The Smurfs and friends are constantly pursued by the determined Gargamel and Azrael, and by twin ogres Bigmouth and Egghead. The series is produced in English and French and is targeted at five- to 11-year-olds. Also available are nine seasons of newly remastered versions from film originals of the classic series. The Smurfs, The Classic Series (272 x 24 mins) is a Hanna-Barbera production in collaboration with Lafig.

BOSSANOVA MEDIA

LONDON-based BossaNova brings Castle Secrets (8 x 60 mins) to Cannes, a series that in each episode explores three incredible or infamous castles, looking deeper behind the walls and inside hidden passageways, to unlock the story of design, the treasures and the secrets. Stories revealed include an accused witch locked in a dungeon, a sword wrapped in canvas and hidden, a forbidden ceremony, a secret burial and a ghostly figure running through mysterious tunnels by candlelight.

CJ ENM

COMPETITION series

The Time Hotel features 10 participants who check in to the Time Hotel, where time is the currency for survival. They are all given ‘time watches’, and a welcome time of 24 hours. Throughout their eight-day stay, they must earn more time by winning diverse daily games, using their intelligence, physical abilities, wit and luck. Alliances are crucial and they must stay alert to make sure others are not working against them. Competitors who run out of time are eliminated, and the last survivor wins. The Time Hotel is brought to MIPTV by Korea’s CJ ENM.

VICE DISTRIBUTION

A HIGHLIGHT for Vice Distribution at MIPTV is 100 Days To Indy (6 x 60 mins), produced by Vice World News for CW. The series follows the journey of the drivers, teams and fans towards the most famous auto race in the US, The Indianapolis 500. Each episode is set against the backdrop of one of the early-season races, with stories of the teams preparing, testing, qualifying and ultimately racing each week while taking into consideration the long-term ark of preparing for the Indy 500.

C’e Ciccia (Casta Diva)

High Life In The Dead Mountains (ORF-Enterprise)

Castle Secrets (BossaNova Media)

100 Days To Indy (Vice Distribution)

The Time Hotel (CJ ENM)

The Smurfs (IMPS)

NEWLY launched US-based distribution company TGC GE presents a primetime competition series at MIPTV, which debuted on CBC this year. Ultimate Challenge, originally launched as Canada’s Ultimate Challenge transformed the entire country into a giant obstacle course. The format uses both iconic and unexpected locations around a nation and creates unique, intense and fun physical and mental challenges. Teams of strangers are led by celebrity athlete coaches as they take part in solo, tandem and team events in a format that’s adaptable for any country.

DISTRIBUTION

DOUBLE Fault (8 x 60 mins) is the story of Charles, a professional tennis player whose career is off to a good start. However, through a combination of anxiety and addiction, and a mother with excessive ambition, his dreams are dashed. However, Double Fault is ultimately the story of Charles’s chance at recovery and redemption. KO Distribution also presents Fragments (10 x 60’), a drama about friends who meet up, in unusual circumstances, after 30 years. From the factual catalogue comes: Ultimate Rescue (12 x 30 mins), which profilesss rescues in extreme conditions; and Breaking The Glass Ceiling (6 x 60 mins), looking at the lives of 12 women who decide to emigrate to further their careers. A format highlight is Zenith, featuring 24 professional singers who compete to win over an audience of 100 people who represent four generations.

ORANGE SMARTY

AMONG the titles brought to Cannes by the UK’s Orange Smarty are: Cursed Treasures (10 x 60 mins), in which archaeologists and scientists uncover the truth behind the deadly curses bestowed on the finders of some of the world’s most fascinating treasures; and Scarlett’s Driving School (10 x 30 mins), a format fuelled with laughter, in which presenter Scarlett Moffatt gets behind the wheel with struggling learner drivers and the loved ones trying to teach them.

RAINMAKER CONTENT

AT MIPTV Rainmaker presents Killer Evidence (10 x 60 mins) which follows the painstaking investigations that solved 10 shocking crimes in the UK and US. Each episode features a different murder case and each clue is forensically analysed as the stories of brutal murders are told by the leading police or forensic experts on the case. Finally the killer evidence is revealed, that which proved the murderer’s guilt beyond doubt.

FRENCH film specialist Gaumont brings newly restored movies to MIPTV, all now available in 4K versions. Five of the headline masterpieces are: police thriller 36th Precinct (2004), starring Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil and Andre Dussollier; murder mystery The Crimson Rivers (2000), starring Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel; Luc Besson’s Nikita (1990), starring Anne Parillaud, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tcheky Karyo, Jeanne Moreau and Jean Reno; hit-man drama The Outside Man (1973), starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Ann-Margret, Roy Scheider and Angie Dickinson; and A Very Private Affair (1962), by Louis Malle, starring Brigitte Bardot and Marcello Mastroianni.

RTE

CHEAP European Homes (6 x 30 mins), brought to MIPTV by Ireland’s RTE, follows up the series Cheap Irish Homes, with presenter Maggie Molloy taking her house-finding skills to Europe. Her journey takes her to France, Spain and Portugal. In each location she is joined by a locally based architect, who advises on the condition of the houses, renovation possibilities and local planning and tax laws. The key focus is finding value for money.

Canada’s Ultimate Challenge (TGC GE)

GAUMONT

Double Fault (KO Distribution)

36th Precinct (Gaumont)

Cheap European Homes (RTE)

Killer Evidence (Rainmaker Content)

Scarlett’s Driving School (Orange Smarty)

KO

BETA FILM

MULTIPLE pan-European projects headline Beta Film’s slate. First ever Finnish-Swedish-Estonian co-production Estonia (8 x 60 mins), set against one of the biggest civilian maritime disasters in post-war history. Thriller Concordia (6 x 60 mins) explores surveillance, privacy and data security in a municipality of the future. From Italy comes Elsa Morante’s La Storia (8 x 60 mins), based on the bestselling and critically acclaimed novel. I Am Scrooge (6 x 60 mins) tells the true story of a department store extortionist. Set against the backdrop of the Austrian Alps, female-driven mystery thriller Snow (6 x 60 mins) takes the climate crisis as its subject. Continuing the La Unidad franchise (18 x 60 mins), standalone La Unidad –Kabul (6 x 60 mins) is set in the re-taking of Kabul by the Taliban.

POORHOUSE INTERNATIONAL

POORHOUSE International brings a feature-length documentary about the life of Albert Uderzo to MIPTV. The Adventures Of Albert Uderzo – Keeping Asterix Alive (1 x 82 mins/4K), profiles the best-selling comic books which spawned five live-action movies, 10 animated films, a theme park and video games, and have been translated into 117 languages and sold 380 million copies worldwide. Alberto Uderzo, a French man of Italian extraction, was the designer and eventual writer of Asterix. In 1951 he met writer and designer René Goscinny and in 1959 they founded the magazine Pilote and struck gold with the adventures of Asterix. Uderzo died in 2020 at the age of 93, though Asterix lives on in a new live-action film released by Pathé. Filmmaker Yannick Saillet, Uderzo´s widow Ada, their daughter Silvie and Goscinny´s daughter Anne and Antoine de Caunes are among the many contributors to the film.

A+E NETWORKS

SET ON the coast of Ireland’s North Sea, drama series North Sea Connection, brought to MIPTV by A+E Networks, charts the turbulent journey of the Kenny family. The tight-knit family has been fishing for generations, but find their lives forever changed when one of the children secretly agrees to carry out a drug run at sea for a deadly Nordic cartel. It goes wrong, and they then owe a serious debt to some of the world’s most dangerous people. From the factual slate A+E highlights Top Dog, a format that features trained dogs and their owners competing nose-to-nose in a series of rounds on a specially designed, supersized obstacle course.

CORUS STUDIOS

NEW SERIES Renovation Resort (7 x 60 mins) follows real estate expert Scott McGillivray who has purchased a lakeside vacation resort and is now on a mission to resurrect the dilapidated property. With the help of his friendly rival Bryan Baeumler, they oversee four contractor and designer duos who compete over seven weeks to create one-of-a-kind cabins. The winning team take the title Renovation Resort Champion and a reward of $100,000. The Canadian company also brings the second season of Pamela’s Garden Of Eden (8 x 60 mins), about Pamela Anderson’s transformation of her grandmother’s six-acre property on Vancouver Island.

MEDIAWAN KIDS & FAMILY

PIRATE Academy (52 x 11mins), aimed at 5- to 8-year-olds, follows Finn, Sam and Andrew, three kids from very different backgrounds who join the Pirate Academy, a school that counts the most legendary figures in pirate history among its alumni. But at the Academy competition between classes is fierce and the threesome find themselves in the Plankton class, with Captain Charlotte Le Crackers as their teacher, a semi-retired buccaneer who has some odd teaching methods.

The Adventures Of Albert Uderzo – Keeping Asterix Alive (Poorhouse International)

Estonia (Beta Film)

Pirate Academy (Mediawan Kids & Family)

North Sea Connection (A+E Networks)

Renovation Resort (Corus Studios)

MILLIMAGES

IN THE second season of Pirata & Capitano Pirata and her childhood friend, Capitano, and the loyal crew of her ship, journey on The Great Sea. They meet surprising characters as they explore mysterious and spectacular islands. They all learn to live together by understanding and helping each other. Another animation highlight from Paris-based Millimages is the sixth season of Molang. Piu Piu and Molang’s timeless friendship runs from the Stone Age through to the 20th century, from Greek Antiquity to the Royal Court of Versailles. The two kind and inseparable friends explore myths and history with wit and good spirit.

3DD

A 3DD Production in association with Sky Arts, the first episode of new series Classic Movies: The Story Of (6 x 60 mins) goes in search of the stories behind The Third Man, exploring the factors that make it a classic film. The show is presented and authored by Ian Nathan, who guides the audience through the streets of Vienna and speaks to Angela Allen, script supervisor on the film in 1948, who has anecdotes about Orson Welles to share. Critic Derek Malcolm, who knew director Carol Reed and writer Graham Greene, is also a contributor. Aside from Classic Movies: The Story Of The Third Man, the series features Brighton Rock, The Graduate, The Ladykillers, Ran and Terminator 2.

BLUE ANT INTERNATIONAL

DUBAI: Buying The Dream(6 x 60 mins/HD) is an aspirational reality series, showcasing the drama and properties on offer at a real estate company in Dubai. Another highlight from Canada’s Blue Ant is Ireland’s Wild Islands (3 x 60/2 x 60 mins/4K/ HDR), filmed in savage storm-ravaged locations and looking at the challenges wild creatures face to survive on these isolated outposts. The three-part version is hosted by Eoin Warner, one of Ireland’s leading wildlife and outdoor presenters.

Ireland’s Wild Islands (Blue Ant International)

ELECTRIC ENTERTAINMENT

AMONG the series that Electic Entertainment is highlighting at MIPTV is The Ark (12 x 60 mins), a sci-fi drama in which remaining crew members fight to survive after a catastrophic event causes massive damage to the spaceship during its mission to save humankind. The second season of Leverage: Redemption (29 x 60 mins) sees the return of the Hitter, the Hacker, the Grifter and the Thief, working as modern-day Robin Hoods, with help from a new tech genius and corporate fixer in this series. The Los Angeles, California-headquartered distributor also brings the second season of Almost Paradise (20 x 60 mins), about a retired US DEA agent in the Philippines, who, against doctor’s orders, uses his skills to help catch criminals.

MIAM! DISTRIBUTION

A MIAM! highlight for MIPTV is The MiniWhats (52 x 7 mins), from Doncvoilà Productions and Silex Films, a 2D comedy based on a graphic novel for kids. The MiniWhats are a joyful gang of six children who draw their own adventures. The series is set for a delivery later this year. The French distributor is also presenting Goat Girl (52 x 11 mins), which is currently in production. The 2D quirky comedy features 13-year-old Gigi, who tackles every challenge with a goat-like stubbornness and strength.

Classic Movies: The Story Of The Third Man (3DD)

Pirata & Capitano (Millimages)

The Ark (Electric Entertainment)

Goat Girl (Miam! Distribution)

IX MEDIA

THE DOCUMENTA

RY See The Unseen (1 x 86 mins) was shot in the Tibetan region of the Himalayas and took five years to produce. In the depths of this barren and vast mountain area the story follows a guru who nurtures a young monk, helping him to study while embracing philosophies surrounding life and death, and the ultimate goals of enlightenment. Another programme from China’s IX Media is Warm On A Cold Night, a romantic drama adapted from a well-known novel that features plot twists, entangled conflicts and elements of adventure and fantasy — as well as romance.

BEHIND The Beats (26 x 5 mins) is an animated music anthology aimed at tweens and families, produced by TeamTO and 22D Media Group, in association with YouTube Kids & Family Originals and France Télévisions. The series tells the stories of how talented musicians with different styles came together, revealing the often-unexpected origins of new musical genres, including new wave, rock’n’roll, G-funk, reggae, electro pop and trap. Rights are available for sale worldwide, excluding France. TeamTO also brings Ninn (1 x 70 mins), based on graphic novels, an animated film about an 11-year-old girl with a mysterious connection to the Paris Metro and an unusual passion for the city’s underground world. She knows every inch of the Metro and skateboarding through its convoluted tunnels is her favourite hobby. But how did an origami tiger turn into her protector and guide in the search for the secrets of her past?

FRANKY FILMS

AT MIPTV under the Quebec Creatif umbrella, Franky Films is presenting several titles at MIPTV. Besha (8 x 50 mins) is a period crime drama about a Polish immigrant who arrives in Canada around the beginning of the 20th century. Hungry for a better life, she abandons her husband and two young daughters to run away with her Italian lover, Rocco. Together they become the most powerful gangster couple in Canada and are involved in the illegal alcohol trade for the duration of Prohibition. In fantasy mystery Ghost And Friends (8 x 50 mins) a group of estranged teenagers find that their lives have new meaning when they join forces to stand against evil forces that threaten humanity. Finally, in documentary series Clubhouse Stories (10 x 30 mins) professional athletes tell behind-the-scenes and frank stories from their careers.

THE SECOND season of preschool animation Lupin’s Tales (78 x 7 mins/26 x 2.30 mins), co-produced by Xilam and online streamer Youku for France Télévisions, is due for delivery early in 2024. Lupin’s Tales follows a wolf cub who dreams of being like the storybook heroes he admires. The impetuous Lupin is far from perfect and it is not always easy for him to reach his goals. Luckily he can count on the narrator to guide him and help him learn from his mistakes. The second season will include new environments as Lupin journeys into space. Alibaba holds rights for mainland China and Xilam Animation handles the rest of the world.

BALANGA, the Paris-based distributor, brings a new biography of Pablo Picasso to MIPTV. The Mysteries Of Picasso (2 x 52 mins) is the France 3 primetime show produced for the 50th anniversary of his death this year. The two-parter explores the life and work of the infamous painter through unpublished and rare archives relating to his Spanish childhood, his commitment to communism after Guernica and the latest debates that took place after the #Meetoo movement about his relationships with women. Also included are testimonies from his daughter Paloma, and his grandchildren Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, Olivier and Diana.

TEAMTO

Behind The Beats (TeamTO)

Warm On A Cold Night (IX Media))

BALANGA

The Mysteries Of Picasso (Balanga)

XILAM ANIMATION

Lupin’s Tales (Xilam Animation)

Clubhouse Stories (Franky Films)

SPANISH national broadcaster RTVE returns to MIPTV with a live-action children’s adventure series. The Argonauts (20 x 22 mins) stars a gang of youngsters who are unexpectedly visited by pranksters who destroy their cabin. What seems like a tragedy leads them to a great discovery, a series of buried mosaics that are part of the ruins of a Roman house. The Argonauts are determined to unravel the riddle surrounding these findings.

PRIME ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

NEURODUB

NEURODUB is an AI-powered dubbing system which aims to provide its clients with cost-effective, high-quality video dubbing. Addressing the goals to globalise content, Neurodub enables clients to break language barriers and grow revenue streams in their target markets. Initial experiments dubbing informational content in scientific documentaries, biopics, news and sports segments have been successful. And, in a recent webinar Neurodub demonstrated live news streaming compatibility by taking a sample French news segment and simultaneously dubbing it into English. Neurodub offers 70+ language and locale options, 400+ voice-over options, and the Human Touch tool where translation experts review content to ensure accurate results.

YOUHUG MEDIA

A PRIORITY for Youhug Media at MIPTV is Gen Z, a Chinese modern romance set against generational conflict and inheritance issues. Gen Z follows the story of Ren Xinzheng, a professor at the University of Chinese Medicine, who devotes himself to spreading knowledge about traditional medicine methods. To continue this mission he sets up a series of classes on the subject, hoping to inspire people to carry on the customs. The series comes from screenwriter Liu Liu, her previous successful drama being I Will Find You A Better Home.

PRIME returns to MIPTV with a catalogue of factual programming, including new true-crime series The Conspiracy Of Silence (8 x 35 mins), which traces the investigation of serial killers who evaded capture, partly because certain locals tried to preserve their own reputations. Further factual titles include: Kelp! I Need Somebody (1 x 52 mins) and Chocolate To Save The Amazon (1 x 52 mins). Animation priorities include: Runes (26 x 22mins), which follows the 12-year-old heir to the throne of Normandy, disguised as a peasant boy: Ariol (2 x 24 mins), about a blue donkey and his friends; Vanille, A Caribbean Tale (1 x 31 mins); and Looking for Santa (1 x 26 mins). From the entertainment genre comes: Close Up (120 x 26 mins), a series that profiles actors; Hollywood’s Stories (13 x 26 mins); and Hollywood On Set (52 x 26 mins).

OFF THE FENCE

OFF THE Fence’s MIPTV highlights feature a series uncovering some of the most iconic mysteries of the world in Truthseekers (12 x 60 mins), produced by Big Media in co-production with RMC Story. Other titles include: Pernel Media’s Butterflies: Superheroes Of Nature (3 x 60 mins/1 x 60 mins), exploring butterflies’ unknown superpowers; and Blue Carbon (1 x 90 mins), produced by Make Waves Media, which unpicks the science and hope around the powers of the ocean to absorb significantly more carbon from the atmosphere than trees.

THE KITCHEN

MIAMI-headquartered localisation company The Kitchen returns to MIPTV as construction has begun on a full-service European hub in Madrid, Spain. The new office will receive content for processing, frame-rate conversion, edit to specs, graphic -re-versioning and proxy creation, among other services. The Kitchen already has studios in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Russia, Turkey and Israel, and the new European headquarters will provide access and service 24/7. Along with Miami, which services Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, the US and Canada, the hubs all use cloudbased secured platforms.

Runes (Prime Entertainment Group)

Gen Z (Youhug Media)

The Argonauts (RTVE)

Truthseekers (Off the Fence)

CYBER GROUP STUDIOS

DEVELOPER, producer and distributor Cyber Group Studios is highlighting Splash Entertainment’s catalogue at MIPTV, including more than 500 hours of content, available in multiple languages. Splash’s slate includes: animated series Chloe’s Closet (104 x 13 mins/52 x 30 mins); Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage Witch (26 x 26 mins); and feature-length animations about Norm Of The North (3 x 90 mins). The Paris-based company is also introducing the first episodes of the second season of Droners (26 x 22 mins/2D/CGI), an original adventure animation co-produced with La Chouette Compagnie and Supamonks. Aimed at kids from six- to 10-years-old, the series is anime-style with an emphasis on female leadership and ecological issues.

RSI RADIOTELEVISIONE SVIZZERA (RSI)

RSI BRINGS its new documentary The Whaler to showcase in Cannes. In 2022 Iceland killed around160 whales, the second largest animal in the world. The international commission that regulates whaling considers it an endangered species and has therefore banned hunting whales like these across the world. This documentary follows the Icelandic whalers and documents the cruel methods of hunting that are violations of international regulations.

FEDERATION STUDIOS

THE DRAMA slate from Federation includes The Cinderella Murder (8 x 48 mins), which revolves around the trial of a man and daughter accused of murder. The daughter claims she acted alone, but the prosecutors think she is trying to protect her father. Other priorities include: Six Women (6 x 52 mins), about a group mountain hike; Shake, a story of young love and jealousy in a triangle; and the second season of teenage drama Delete Me (6 x 23 mins). Documentaries include Vibrant (1 x 102 mins), a breathtaking dive into biodiversity, from Yann Arthus Bertrand, and Jacques Maleterre’s The Last Secrets Of Humankind (1 x 90 mins), launching at MIPTV, the biggest Franco-Chinese co-production ever, a docu-drama about Chinese pre-history.

GOQUEST MEDIA

GOQUEST Media is offering two crime dramas at MIPTV produced by Poland’s Telewizja Polska (TVP). Erinyes (12 x 45 mins) is based on the crime novels by Marek Krajewski and stars Marcin Dorocinski. Set in pre- and post-war Lviv and Wrocław, he is a detective of extraordinary intellect and physical strength who is tormented by visions caused by epilepsy attacks, which he uses to his advantage in investigations. Secondly, contemporary police procedural Crusade (13 x 45 mins) is a series focusing on the investigations conducted by Detective Jan ‘Manjaro’ Góra and his colleagues from the Crime and Criminal Terror Division of the Warsaw Metropolitan Police. They investigate a series of murders and kidnappings of celebrities which at first do not seem linked. However, behind these crimes stands an anti-authority terrorist organisation.

The Cinderella Murder (Federation Studios)

Chloe’s Closet (Cyber Group Studios)

The Whaler (RSI)

Erinyes (GoQuest Media)

UK PRODUCER and distributor Aardman brings a varied slate to MIPTV, including: Mitten & Shoe (52 x 7 mins), aimed at three- to five-year-olds, which follows a friends in a playground — an assortment of left-behind children’s belongings — looked after by an old brolly called Mc Drizzle; The Abominable Snow Baby (1 x 25 mins), a festive tale from author Terry Pratchett; preschool animated music show Yuki (52 x 7 mins), which offers a gentle introduction to musical concepts and themes of friendship; and Ready Eddie Go! (26 x 7 mins), which features a kind, giggly, brilliantly imaginative little boy, who also happens to be autistic. Whatever the day has in store — an easter-egg hunt, a train journey or a trip to the dentist — he always likes to know what’s going to happen in advance.

Queerstralia (ABC Commercial)

ABC COMMERCIAL

ABC COMMERCIAL presents Queerstralia (3 x 60 mins), a documentary series that sees comedian Zoë Coombs Marr uncover hidden LGBTQIA+ histories. Zoë meets gay diggers, lesbian convict gangs, trans pioneers, cross-dressing bushrangers, legendary drag acts and the modern-day heroes who have fought for change and acceptance. Untold stories also come to the fore in Inconceivable: The Secret Business Of Breeding Humans (1 x 60 mins), which charts one woman’s journey to learn the truth of her origins and to expose the secrecy in the multimillion-dollar fertility industry. ABC also brings a strong formats slate which includes revamped competition programme The New Inventors, and returning favourites Keep On Dancing and Australia’s Favourite Tree.

BEIJING TIME FLYING FISH (TFF)

BEIJING Time Flying Fish (TFF) has launched Crybabies-BFF in China, produced by the Spanish company, IMC. As content distributor and brand operator Beijing TFF has represented a raft of international animation content into the Chinese market. This year it will launch more IMC series, including VIP Pets, two more series of Crybabies and two series of Bubiloons.

MULTI-genre distributor

CLPB Rights comes to MIPTV with new psychological thriller, The Horla (1 x 90 mins), a modern take on a Guy de Maupassant novel, starring Bastien Bouillon. In this CPB Films-ARTE production, an invisible entity with a powerful presence is revealed in the story of a seemingly perfect family that has just moved to a new town. From its documentary slate, CLPB Rights highlights Marcus Klingberg, A Perfect Spy (1 x 52 mins/feature-length version), revisiting one of the greatest spy stories and most fascinating mysteries of the Cold War.

MEDIATOON DISTRIBUTION

PRODUCTION is under way on a new series that France’s Mediatoon Distribution has brought to Cannes in order to showcase the concept look to buyers. Versailles Unleashed (26 x 22 mins) tells the story of a friendship between two animals at the court of Versailles. Belfort is a young spaniel and King Louis XIV’s favourite dog. Lupin is his friend, a wolf who lives in the palace gardens. Worlds apart, Belfort and Lupin are united by the adventures they share. Ellipse Animation and Belvision are producing this 2D rendered 3D series, and Mediatoon is handling the worldwide distribution.

Mitten & Shoe (Aardman)

Versailles Unleashed (Mediatoon Distribution)

CLPB RIGHTS

The Horla (CLPB Rights)

Crybabies-BFF (Beijing TFF)

CINEFLIX RIGHTS

TEMPTING Fortune (6 x 60 mins) is a new format in which 12 strangers are dropped in a remote wilderness with the goal of a cash prize if they can reach a finish line — some 21-days trek away — without spending any of the money. As they travel they are offered enticing temptations designed to make their journey easier. Each one comes with an exorbitant price tag and every time someone gives in, the cost is removed from their shared prize pot. But when you’re exhausted and haven’t eaten for three days, how much would you be willing to pay for a meal or a bed for the night? The worldwide rights excluding North America are brought to MIPTV by the UK’s Cineflix Rights.

ABS-CBN

HAVING premiered the first-ever Filipino series at MIPCOM last year, Cattleya Killer, producer and distributor ABS-CBN is highlighting an international co-production at MIPTV. The Bagman (8 x 60 mins), a spin-off from a locally produced digital series Bagman, is an action-packed drama produced by ABS-CBN International Production Division, Dreamscape Entertainment, Rein Entertainment and Nathan Studios. The Bagman will star Arjo Atayde, reprising his character Benjo Malaya, who in this series learns that his family is missing and then has no choice but to return to the vicious underworld that he had turned his back on, as a Bagman for the sitting president of the Republic of the Philippines.

ALPHA GROUP

FRANCE’s Alpha Group is presenting new adventure/comedy animation series Quantum Heroes Dinoster at MIPTV. With the first delivery of 26 episodes due in May and the second batch due later this year, the show features a group of four friends who travel through a quantum portal to Dino Earth, a beautiful planet were dinosaurs still live. To safeguard the dinosaurs, they must overcome the challenges set by the eccentric scientist, Bex Hunter.

TOPPING the roster for Turkey’s TRT in Cannes are three drama series. Barbaros: Sultan’s Order is a period drama about the heroic struggle of Barbaros Hayreddin, who is appointed Captain during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent and establishes a secret intelligence organisation. This work puts his family in danger as, with his colleagues, he sets his sights on the conquest of Rome. Secrets Of An Angel is a drama in which, after almost 40 years of marriage and three children, the mother dies, and a letter emerges after the funeral that turns all that they know upside down. The Patriots is set in 2025, when the climate, migration, hunger and energy crises have deepened. In order to protect Turkey special military teams are formed to defend against rogue global powers and terrorists.

SHANGHAI XIXI PICTURES CULTURE MEDIA

NEW ROMANCE fantasy series, The Last Immortal, produced by Shanghai Xixi Pictures Culture Media, is adapted from Xingling’s novel of the same name. The series tells the story of Ayin, an aggressive and aspirational water phoenix, and Kujin, the son of a True God. They meet by accident and embark on a journey together to find immortality, eventually finding friendship, love and family. In 2022, the TV series Who Rules The World, also produced by Xixi Pictures, won the highest score for Chinese TV dramas on Netflix.

TRT

The Patriots (TRT)

The Last Immortal (Shanghai Xixi Pictures Culture Media)

The Bagman (ABS-CBN)

Tempting Fortune (Cineflix Rights)

Quantum Heroes Dinoster (Alpha Group)

satellifacts.com/en

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Founded in 1995 under the name Satellifax, used until October 2021, Satellifacts, the first daily newsletter in France for the media and film industries, is an independent subscription-based professional press title. Long considered the French "industry bible", Satellifacts is the first thing French broadcasters, producers, distributors, advertising agencies, research firms, legal professionals, online media, technical service providers and advertisers open each morning. With around 12,000 daily readers, Satellifacts has no rivals.

Daily Satellifacts (12 to 15 pages every day) is the perfect way for English-speaking executives to immerse themselves in the dynamics of the booming French media market, while also gaining a native-level understanding of government regulations and industry support.

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WHITE LIGHT DISTRIBUTION

THIS YEAR White Light Distribution brings its strongest slate of music film programming to MIPTV, including new-to-market titles: Biffy Clyro: Cultural Sons Of Scotland; Isle Of Wight Festival 2023; Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: This Much I Know To Be True, directed by leading filmmaker Andrew Dominik; plus the newly remastered classic Eric Clapton film 24 Nights. The film features performance from across 24 shows filmed live from London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1990/1991 and contains previously unseen performance not in the original release. White Light continues to widen distribution on behalf of Sony Music Entertainment, and also brings solid catalogue titles from artists including Depeche Mode, Elvis, George Michael, Oasis, Roy Orbison, P!nk, Paul Simon and Roger Waters.

AVALON DISTRIBUTION

THE UK’s Avalon Distribution is launching reality survival format Naked, Alone And Racing To Get Home (6 x 60 mins) at MIPTV. Produced for E4 by Avalon Factual, each self-contained episode follows two teams of two people (either strangers or couples) who are stripped of everything they rely on in the modern world, including their clothes, and are dropped in the wilderness. They must survive by navigating to checkpoints, hunting for bonus items, foraging for food, building shelters and avoiding trouble with the law on their way to the finish line to claim a cash prize.

GLOBAL AGENCY

COMPETITION format

ENCORE

CANADA’s Encore brings a slate of titles to promote in Cannes. Included are a number of series: Thin Air (L’Air D’Aller/10 x 22 mins) is an offbeat and inspiring comedy about four friends who all have cystic fibrosis; The Emperor (L’Empereur/9 x 45 mins) is about a woman who retrospectively accuses her boss of rape; Gorgeous (Les Bombes/6 x 45 mins) is about four women in their 30s who wind up in the same room at a rehabilitation centre; and family drama Pearls (Les Perles/13 x 22 mins) is about a family of women, in stories filled with humour and authenticity.

Blind Duets brings together four celebrity singers who sit in a jury and also perform with 12 contestants in a show highlighting talent and star quality as well as rivalry. The identity of each contestant, hidden in cabinets in the studio, is only revealed when a jury member chooses them, and they emerge to perform on stage with the celebrity. Each jury member sings three songs with the contestants and the highest-scoring celebrity summons their partners to perform and an overall winner is chosen.

Naked, Alone And Racing To Get Home (Avalon Distribution)

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: This Much I Know To Be True (White Light Distribution)

Thin Air (Encore)

Blind Duets (Global Agency)

CAKE ENTERTAINMENT

LONDON-based Cake Entertainment is showcasing Bock-Bock Chicken (52 x 5 mins) in Cannes. Set on Shape-Shape Farm, the quirky trio of Bock-Bock Chicken, Moo-Moo the cow and Baa-Baa the lamb have fun together. In their adventures a hoop can become a skipping rope, a cardboard box can become a dice and a button can become a wheel. Bock-Bock Chicken aims to bring the fundamentals of geometry to two- to four-year-olds. Created by Sarah Legg-Barratt, the series is being developed and produced by Paper Owl Films and Cake.

SUPERIGHTS

SUPERIGHTS’ highlights for MIPTV include Deep In The Bowl (52 x 5 mins), which animates the lives fishes lead when humans aren’t looking. Five different fish gangs explore relationships, joys, hopes, dreams and life’s queries — the same way humans do — with lots of humour. Another priority is Home Sweet Rome! (13 x 26 mins), a new Italian-Canadian live-action production for teens, focusing on 13-year-old Lucy who moves to Rome with her dad and new stepmom Francesca, a famous Italian pop star. As she learns to adapt to her new life, she is also navigating the growing pains of being a teenager separated from her best friend Kyla, who is 6,000 miles away.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

GUINNESS World Records is presenting its new kids series at MIPTV. Best In The World (40 x 15 mins), commissioned by the UK’s CBBC, showcases the greatest and wackiest record breakers in formatted games. The first product from the company’s documentary production outfit, GWR Studios, is Rumeysa: Walking Tall (1 x 90 mins), which follows the world’s tallest woman to the US, and her advocacy for positivity, diversity and research. Also, Guinness World Records Loves Animals is a co-production currently in development with Nature Film, New Zealand.

INTER MEDYA

CONTENT brought to the international market by Inter Medya includes a roster of dramas. On the list are: Deception, featuring a respectable family court judge living in Istanbul, who discovers that every member of her family, whom she loves, is lying to her; Poison Ivy, a love story that develops against the odds; Another Chance, about a geography teacher with a troubled past who decides to take care of five students from a reformatory; Tuzak, the story of the entanglements and conflicts of three siblings; Interrupted, about a journalist who is given the chance to come back to life after a fatal accident; Respect 2, which profiles an obsessional psychopath; and Dreams And Realities, which follows four well-educated, working young women in Istanbul whose lives are up-ended with the sudden death of their friend.

Bock-Bock Chicken (Cake Entertainment)

Tuzak (Inter Medya)

Best In The World (Guinness World Records)

Deep In The Bowl (Superights)

THE PARTY FILM SALES

LINEUP INDUSTRIES

THE GREAT DNA Experiment is a series that explores the possibilities of DNA on both a human and scientific level. With a combination of the emotional and theoretical, each episode explores an overarching theme, including cloning, disease or crime, which is then looked at through the lens of DNA. The episodes feature a celebrity who has their genetic sequence mapped, along with 10 members of the public. The Great DNA Experiment is a format created by De chinezen for VTM in Belgium. Lineup Industries represents global rights to The Great DNA Experiment alongside De chin

ezen’s formats Radio Gaga and Emergency Call.

BOAT ROCKER

BOAT Rocker returns to MIPTV with a slate of reality titles for presentation. Included are Cross Country Cake Off (10 x 60 mins/HD), an original competition series that celebrates the unbridled creativity of some of the best cake-makers and showcases the stories that inspire them; the third and fourth 10 x 30 mins seasons of The Cowgirl Vet, which follows Dr Keri Hudson-Reykdal, who runs a vet clinic and mobile service in rural Manitoba; and Listing Large (10 x 30 mins/ HD), which follows Odeen and Lamont as they build a real-estate empire while juggling parenthood, friendship and love.

PARIS-based distributor The Party Film Sales brings documentary Orlando, My Political Biography to MIPTV, which was directed by trans writer and philosopher Paul B Preciado and just won four awards at the 2023 Berlinale. Further titles include: The Matrix, Inside & Out (1 x 52 mins), to be broadcast on ARTE, which highlights the prophetic aspect of the film saga and pop-culture phenomenon; and the launches of Pascal Plisson’s new project Happy!, currently in post-production, and Mothership by Muriel Cravatte, an unprecedented investigation into the NGO boat Ocean Viking and its women’s shelter, as it rescues refugees in the Mediterranean Sea. The company has also completed documentaries exploring new aspects of WWII — U-96, The True Story Of Das Boot and The Secrets Of The 1941 Green Ticket Roundup.

DEAPLANETA ENTERTAINMENT

SPANISH/Italian/French company DeAPlaneta Entertainment and The Magic Lilly Company from Germany are the co-producers of Magic Lilly. The upcoming animated comedy-fantasy-adventure series is based on the book series Hexe Lilli, which sold 28 million books around the world, and the animated series Lilly, The Witch. Magic Lilly follows the young girl who has had a whirlwind education in magic since meeting her best friend, a small and very smart dragon named Hector, who entrusted her with a coveted Book of Spells. The series has already confirmed its Spanish (Televisió de Catalunya) and Belgian (VRT) broadcasters, and a German broadcaster is soon to be announced.

Magic Lilly (DeAPlaneta Entertainment)

Orlando, My Political Biography (The Party Film Sales)

Cross Country Cake Off (Boat Rocker)

The Great DNA Experiment (Lineup Industries)

JETPACK DISTRIBUTION

THE UK’s Jetpack Distribution brings new live-action series DreaMars (20 x 22 mins) to MIPTV. The series takes place in 2045, when the resources of Earth have been depleted, and tells the story of eight teenagers who fly to Mars on a mission to prepare for settlement. When they land they discover that they are in the wrong place, and have lost communication with Earth. Emma is a 16-year-old space geek who infiltrates the expedition under a false identity. She then manages to communicate with the space minister’s daughter and together they lead the rest of the crew to reveal a dark secret about the failures of the expedition.

Living Earth (RGITV)

RIVE GAUCHE INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION (RGITV)

DOCUMENTARY series Living Earth (3 x 60 mins), brought to Cannes by RGITV, reveals pieces of the ecological puzzle that keeps us all alive. Looking, for instance, at how plants and animals survive in deserts, or how an apex predator can change the shape and size of sand dunes. Alongside a diverse cast of naturalists, scientists and First Nations peoples, the series combines new science with millennia-old knowledge to explore the fundamentals of ecology in a poetic journey that reveals the interconnectedness of every living thing on earth.

VIAPLAY

STOCKHOLM-based streamer Viaplay brings a range of programming to MIPTV, including: two seasons of Ronja, The Robber’s Daughter (12 x 45 mins), based on a book by Astrid Lindgren, which follows the adventures of a young girl born into a band of robbers, set in and around a fortress in medieval Scandinavia; Jana – Marked For Life (6 x 45 mins), in which after a high-ranking civil servant is murdered an assistant prosecutor realises that the killing has something to do with her own dark, half-forgotten past and she then steps in to participate in the investigation; and Börje Salming’s Story (6 x 45 mins), based on the true story of the journey of an outcast struggling to find his place in society who becomes a beloved and world-famous hockey player in the NHL.

APC KIDS

A FOCUS for APC Kids in Cannes is live-action sci-fi series Sky (72 x 22 mins), in which a UFO crashes into a forest near a small town. Inside is Sky, a young, adventurous alien from a planet 13 light-years away. While waiting to be rescued, Sky hides by transforming into the body of Millie, the entitled and snobby prom queen and the most popular girl in high school. With only three friends to help her, Sky must survive two weeks on Earth without being discovered. Other titles include: animation Jade Armor (26 x 26 mins), which follows Lan Jun as she takes her turn to be the mythical superhero Jade Armor, who with the help of her friends Theo and Alisha and the mystical Beasticons, is thrust into a series of action-packed adventures, combatting evil villains as well as the trials of teenage life; and On Our Own (56 x 22 mins), about four siblings who have to get along on their own with their irresponsible uncle after their parents are stuck abroad.

MISTCO

DISTRIBUTOR Mistco holds a portfolio of dramas, movies, animation and documentaries. Highlights for MIPTV include two dramas. In Bahar (100 x 45 mins) a young girl witnesses the murder of her father and is trying to prove that it was her stepmother, while nurturing a love affair that began just days before the tragedy. Long-running series Secrets Of An Angel is about a family whose members see their lives changed abruptly by the death of the mother after years of domestic abuse. When a lawyer reveals that the women left her a letter, she contacts the eldest son and they become close, although the letter causes family conflict.

DreaMars (Jetpack Distribution)

Sky (APC Kids)

Bahar (Mistco)

Ronja, The Robber’s Daughter (Viaplay)

MIPTVContentHighlights

KEYNOTES

Variety International Achievement in TV Award

Jane Featherstone, Co-Founder/CCO,

Tuesday 18th April, 15:45

Debussy

Monday 17th April, 15:00

FAST & GLOBAL

FAST & GLOBAL SUMMIT

Tuesday 18 April, 08:30-12:20, MIP Lab

Presented by Gavin Bridge

A series of talks moderated by Kate Bulkley with:

AMAGI / Banijay Rights / Blue Ant Media / Fremantle / Omdia / OTTera /

Pluto TV - Paramount / Rakuten TV Europe / Samsung TVPlus Europe /

The Local Act Consultancy / Vevo / Vice Media Group / WURL

Monday 17th April, 17:15

Debussy Theatre

Monday 17th April, 11:00 Marguerite

FAST ROUNDTABLE BREAKFAST

Wednesday 19 April, 9:00-10:30, Marguerite

Hosted by Global Media Consult

Meet and learn from hosts:

African Movie Channel (UK)

All3Media International (UK)

Global Media Consult (Germany)

Insight TV (Netherlands)

JOIN TV (Canada)

Love TV Channels, S.L. (Spain)

Magnite (UK)

MyZenTV (France)

NEW ID Co., Itd. (South Korea)

OKast TV (France)

Playground TV (Sweden)

Rights Stuff BV (Netherlands)

rlaxx TV GmbH (Germany)

Samsung TVPlus Europe (UK)

Tivify (Spain)

The Local Act Consultancy (Netherlands)

Video Solutions AG / wedotv.com (Switzerland)

ZDF Studios GmbH (Germany)

Anna Marsh, CEO StudioCanal & Deputy CEO Canal+ Group

Debussy Theatre

Susan Zirinsky, President, See It Now Studios

Ruth Berry, Managing Director, Global Distribution and Global Entertainment, ITV Studios

Theatre

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND GREENER WORLD

MIP SDG AWARD

In partnership with the United Nations

Tuesday 18 April, 16:20-16:50, Marguerite

Presented to

In Conversation with Jonnie Hughes, Award-winning Producer/Director & Director, Studio Silverback

Sunday 16 April, 16:30

Grand Auditorium Louis Lumiere

The CANNESERIES Selection: Preview Screenings

SUMMIT

Tuesday 18 April, 14:00-17:00, Lerins

Joining Forces To Accelerate Diversity & Inclusion

Wednesday 19 April, 11:15-12:15, MIP Lab

Mentoring session

International Women Mentoring

Wednesday, 19 April, 9:00-10:15, Lerins

In partnership with MediaClub’Elles

CONTENT INSIGHTS

Hear from top international speakers sharing their thoughts and insights about new generations changing the world of content.

DUBIT / ESHAP / Mccrindle / Moonbug

Entertainment / NILE / THE WIT / Totem / WILDSEED STUDIOS and much much more...

Prepare for the future. Catch up with the latest trends & insights.

ONE TV YEAR IN THE WORLD –CRACKING AUDIENCE TRENDS

Monday 17 April, 9:00-9:45, Debussy

FRESH TV

Presented by

Avril Blondelot Frédéric Vaulpré

FACTUAL & DOCUMENTARY TRENDS

Monday 17 April, 10:00-10:30, MIP Lab

Presented by

Presented by David Ciaramella

Virginia Mouseler

FRESH TV FORMATS

Monday 17 April, 13:00-14:00, Debussy

FRESH TV GARDEN

Monday 17 April, 15:30-16:15, MIP Lab

FRESH TV FICTION

Tuesday 18 April, 13:15-14:00, Debussy

THE WIT KIDS GARDEN: WHAT’S FRESH IN THE KIDS & TWEENS SPACE

Tuesday 18 April, 15:50-16:10, Marguerite

MIPDOC INTERNATIONAL BUYER SCREENINGS

Sunday 16 April, 15:30-18:00

The Inaugural preview screenings for buyers. Be the first to see the doc & factual hits of 2023. Open to all MIPTV buyers. Including an overview of key doc & factual commissioning trends

Presented by Beatrice ROSSMANITH from TAPE.

JURY OFFICIAL SELECTION

MIPDOC PITCH

Monday 17 April, from 14:30 to 16:00, Marguerite

MIPDOC Pitch Finalists 2023

MIPDOC Presents CANNESERIES

Documentary Series Competition

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW

Sunday 16 April, 9:30-10:30

Marguerite

• The Chevaline Killings: Finding The Missing Piece (France)

• Draw for Change! (Belgium)

• Juan Carlos: Downfall of a Playboy King (Germany)

• Lac-Mégantic - This Is Not an Accident (Canada)

• Miracle N° 71 (Belgium)

• Reading Again Mafalda (Argentina)

MIPDOC: What Do Buyers Want?

Tuesday 18 April, 15:30-16:00, Marguerite

Swedish Television / SVT Sweden Prison project “Little Scandinavia”

MIPDOC SPOTLIGHT Paramount Global Content Distribution USA Catching Lightning

Off the Fence Netherlands Blue Carbon

ARTE DISTRIBUTION France

NICOLE KIDMAN, EYES WIDE OPEN

Albatross World Sales GmbH Germany Cactus Hotel

About Premium Content France

The Singh Case: A Long Journey to the Truth

Abacus Media Rights United Kingdom THE FIRST INVENTORS

Mediawan Rights France

The Rise of Wagner

Autentic GmbH Germany A Cold War of Spies

Cabal Films Spain The Caravan

Federation International France The Vatican

With :

Autentic GmbH Germany The Pink Panthers

Effervescence France The Queer Traveler

LLC Heroes Creative Studio Ukraine

Foxtrot Films Ltd

Kingdom

At WarThe Invisible Army

Bonne Pioche TV France The New Face of War

MIPFORMATS PITCH

Monday 17 April, 15:45–17:00, Debussy

In partnership with

Jury Chair: Allison Wallach President of Unscripted Programming

PROJECTS

FRAPA FORMATS SUMMIT

Tuesday 18 April, 9:00-10:30, Marguerite

Speakers

ITV / TV4 / Snowman

Moderators

BBC Studios / ALL3MEDIA International / Marphes Media

Trends & Insights

K7 Media

THE TRAITORS – A CASE STUDY FROM THE FAITHFUL… OR ARE THEY?

Tuesday 18 April, 10:45-11:15, Marguerite

Speakers

IDTV / ALL3MEDIA International / RTL Netherlands / Studio 89 - M6 / BBC

WHO’S CREATING THE NEXT BIG HIT?

Tuesday 18 April, 14:30-15:00, Marguerite

Speakers

Filmrise / TBS / Armoza Formats

REINVENTING WINDOWING FOR AN UNSCRIPTED MULTI-PLATFORM WORLD

Wednesday 19 April, 10:30-11:00, MIP Lab

Speakers Keshet International / BBC / A+E Networks

LLC Heroes Creative Studio “Weekend without parents”

Selecttvformats LTD “The Love Pitch”

Format Espresso “Gold”

Formatworkshop “Show Must Go On”

The Connected Set “Eyes On The Prize”

All genres

Debussy Theatre Welcome Coffee MIPDOC International Buyer Screenings

10:00 - 10:30

Marguerite Factual and Documentary Trends Presented

15:30 - 18:00

Debussy Theatre MIPDOC International Buyer Screenings

14:30 - 16:00

Marguerite MIPDOC Pitch

18:00 - 19:30

Foyer Debussy Theatre MIPDOC Opening Cocktail In Partnership with Paramount Global Content Distribution

16:30 - 17:00

Marguerite MIPDOC Case Study: Charles in his Own Words with Tom Jennings, Executive Producer & Simon Raikes, Commissioning Editor, National Geographic

Debussy Theatre Variety International Achievement in TV Award & Keynote SISTER, with Jane Featherstone Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer

Marguerite

Case study: The Traitors – a Case Study from the Faithtul… or Are They?

With All3Media International, BBC, IDTV, RTL Netherlands, Studio 89/M6

14:30 - 15:00

Marguerite Who’s Creating the Next Big Hit?

MIPTV thanks its sponsors and partners

15:50

“GARDEN”: What’s Fresh in the Kids & Tweens Space

16:10 How to Engage Kids & Monetise in the New Era 16:30 Adapting your Business Model for the Future of Social Media 16:50 Wrap up

EXPOSING TALES OF ROGUE DOCTORS, TOPICAL FADS AND HOLIDAY HEALTH HORRORS