After 18 months without physical events, the content industry is ready for one of its most-awaited dates: Mipcom. The event is set to return as a physical reunion for global television communities from 11-14 October in the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.The market will welcome the industry for a week of face-to-face business meetings, content screenings, networking and a full conference programme.
Confirmed buyers attending the market include: A+E Netwoks, Al Jazeera Media Network, Amazon Prime Video, AMC Networks International, Arte France, BBC Children’s and Education, British Sky Broadcasting, CANAL+ Groupe, Discovery, Netflix, Nordic Entertainment Group/Viaplay, RAI Cinema, Showtime Networks, Starz, Super RTL/RTL Disney Fernsehen, Telefonica Audiovisual; TAD; TF1, ViacomCBS Networks International,; Warner Media, and ZDF.
This year, the event will be different. Due to the residual impact of the Covid pandemic, the layout at the Palais has been modified. Moreover, many of the major global distributors have opted out of a physical presence at Cannes. Most of the vast and flashy stands have been replaced by meeting tables, networking areas, and open spaces. Mipcom organizer RX is making a raft of changes to the event, integrating it with MipJunior, and reprofiling the available exhibition space offering. This year, the event will transform the Riviera 8 Hall into a multi-purpose events venue, that will be spacious and light-filled to accommodate the Mipcom Opening Party, Women in Global Entertainment Lunch, a series of conference-led formats, and a networking lounge.
Moreover, MIPJunior will now take place during Mipcom (Oct 11-14) in the Palais des Festivals and will no longer be scheduled over the weekend exceptionally for 2021. MIPJunior conferences and networking will take place in a dedicated location in the Palais. The MIPJunior Screenings Library will be integrated into the Digital Mipcom platform. Participation at MIPJunior will offer as part of Mipcom and will not require a separate registration.
Mipcom 2021 will be supported by a new digital extension, designed not as a virtual market, but as networking, discovery, marketing, and lead generation platform that can be used by everyone in Cannes, as well as those of you who are not able to travel, allowing to connect with the Mipcom community onsite. The MIPJunior Screenings Library will be integrated into the Digital Mipcom platform. Mipcom, in association with parent company RX and the City of Cannes, is implementing a coherent and comprehensive program of safety measures in response to Covid-19. These measures are updated on a regular basis.
RX announced plans to present a varied slate of global streamers. The event will feature senior executives from major global streaming platforms. Each participant will partake in a series of 20-minute back-to-back interviews in the Debussy Theatre, Palais des Festivals, to share programming strategies, production briefs, international roll out strategies and partnership opportunities with MIPCOM’s global audience of producers, broadcasters and distributors. Participants in the Global Streamers Keynote Series, who will be interviewed by Marjorie Paillon, Presenter-Founder, I Love Productions, include Discovery+'s Myriam Lopez-Otazu, Group VP Content & Acquisitions EMEA and APAC, Discovery; Paramount+'s Senior Vice President of Content Strategy, ViacomCBS Networks International’s Streaming Division Doug Craig, as well as Viaplay's EVP & Chief Content Officer, Nordic Entertainment Group, Filippa Wallestam.
Mipcom is set to host its Diversify TV Excellence Awards. The 5th edition of the event is scheduled for Wednesday 13 October from 16.00 to 17.00 CEST, in the Grand Auditorium, Palais des Festivals, Cannes, and will also be availbale for live stream. This year’s recipient is Academy Award nominated actor, writer, producer, and musician, Riz Ahmed. The event will also feature Salif Cissé as Master of Ceremonies this year, a graduate of the prestigious National Academy of Dramatic Arts. Salif, who starred in last year’s shortlisted drama Mental, staged his first project High Sign at the Cartes Blanches Festival in 2017.
Mipcom has also announced its market screenings and content showcases, which features an array of international businesses including All3Media International (UK), BBC Studios (UK), Beta Film (Germany), KOCCA Korean Creative Content Agency (South Korea), MEC Moscow Export Center (Russia), Movistar (Spain), TVP Polish Public Television (Poland), U.S. Agency for Global Media & Current Time (USA), and ZDF Enterprises (Germany). From October 11 to 13, more than 15 market screenings and showcases will be presented to delegates, buyers and international press, offering an exclusive look at the most-anticipated series and programmes across all genres from around the world.
To kickstart a week of world class content, Mipcom and Canneseries will present the World Premiere Screening of “Around the World in 80 Days” (October 10). The series, telling the well-loved story of the race around the world of an English gentleman, Phileas Fogg, is co-produced by the European Alliance formed by France Télévisions, ZDF and RAI, with additional co-production partners: Peu Communications in South Africa, Masterpiece PBS in the United States, Seven West Media in Australia, Be-FILMS and RTBF in Belgium, and Daro Films. Also featuring during Mipcom’s week of global content showcases are the 12th Annual Mipcom Buyers' Awards for Japanese drama, held in partnership with the Bureau of International Drama Festival in Tokyo, which will present and promote Japanese content; and Fresh TV Screenings, presented by The Wit, highlighting the latest content from around the world.
This year’s programme focuses on putting social impact at the heart of industry conversations. Some of its keynote speakers will be Alex Mahon, CEO of Channel 4; Bouchra Rejani, Founder and CEO of WeMake; and Hugh Evans, Co-Founder and CEO of Global Citizen. Alex Mahon will be in conversation with Bouchra Rejani as part of a Women in Leadership keynote super session, featuring top female industry leaders sharing insights on how they are embracing and driving change and striving to make a positive impact at their company and global society levels. Furthermore, Alex Mahon launched the Future4 strategy setting out Channel 4’s transformation into a digital-first public service broadcaster. Finally, Bouchra Rejani is the Founder and CEO of WeMake, a production and creative studio based in Paris, creating, producing and distributing original scripted and unscripted content for the French and international market.