Mip Cancun 2023: Jimena Rodríguez and Manolo Cardona to give keynotes

MIP Cancun confirmed plans to welcome Wild Sheep’s Head of LatAm Jimena Rodríguez and Actor, Director, Producer and Co-founder of 11:11 Films & TV Manolo Cardona to take part in a joint keynote at the forthcoming 10th edition of the industry’s #1 international distribution and co-production market for Latin America and US Hispanic television (14-17 November). “MIP Cancun is where you get unrivalled insights up close…” Mip Cancun Director Maria Perez-Bellière said. “To hear from two of the Americas’ most prolific, globally-minded and multi-skilled producers in the shape of Jimena and Manolo as they share their experiences and advice around all aspects of IP will be invaluable and enlightening for the MIP Cancun community.”

Under the theme ‘IP Building in a Changing World’, the joint conversation will draw on the insights, experiences and multiple perspectives of the two Latin American production figures on how IP can be originated, adapted, rejuvenated and launched amidst transformative time for the global industry and audience. The session will be staged on Thursday 16 November at 11.30 at the Moon Palace Hotel’s Cancun Theater as part of the market’s Keynote series.

Founded by former Netflix Head of International Series Erik Barmack in 2019, Wild Sheep Latin America was launched in March this year, with Rodríguez joining to lead all development and production from their Mexico City base alongside the establishing of a dedicated investment fund dedicated to the region. Across more than two decades in the Entertainment Industry, Rodríguez’s experience spans production, distribution, marketing and exhibition, including founding Mexico’s first vertically integrated film company and producing multiple features including El Vestido de la Novia released in LatAm and the US on Vix and 3 Idiotas, the second top grossing film in the 2017 Mexican box office.

“Over the last year or so, the market has been shifting on a global scale and leaning into more solid packaging for content," Rodríguez said. "As Producers, we should respond to these needs and rethink on how we set up our projects in order for them to be viable and reach a worldwide audience. Exploring IP based content, from wherever it may come, could be just the answer.”

Rodríguez and Cardona recently collaborated on Wild Sheep Latin America’s first LatAm-set original, "A Deadly Invitation" in which Cardona starred. An adaptation of a best-selling murder mystery novel, the project which premiered on Netflix last month capitalises on the current popularity of the whodunnit genre through established IP. A co-founder of 11:11 Films & TV with brother Juancho, the pair signed a further development and production deal earlier this year with ViX with the brothers serving as executive producers, showrunners, and Manolo also starring in some of the projects within. These include original feature "Dime Lo Que Quieres," an adaption of original Argentine IP 'Dos más dos' which launched on the streamer earlier this year.

A popular Colombian actor, Cardona has also starred in global Netflix hits "Narcos" and "Who Killed Sara?." in addition to acclaimed films including "Undertow," "Plaza Catedral" and "My Brother’s Wife." This year saw him make his directorial debut on thriller "Death’s Roulette," shot across Mexico City, Puebla and Veracruz and currently streaming on Paramount + internationally.

Established across the last decade, and famed for its signature pre-scheduled matchmaking programme, this month’s MIP CANCUN is set to welcome back a community of over 800 delegates from over 40 countries. These span buyers, producers and distributors from global studios and major players internationally and from across the Americas, convening for a comprehensive four-day conference programme in the world’s largest production hub for Spanish-language content.