Robin Wright
The Monte-Carlo Television Festival announced the full programme and executive speaker line-up, featuring ten specially curated topics to be addressed during the Business Content, the Festival’s popular industry segment. This includes panel discussions and networking opportunities, taking place from 14–16 June within the event. The Business Content panel sessions and daily networking events are complemented by Festival Connect, a platform designed to facilitate exchange between industry attendees at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival.
Panels will be presented and attended by a unique blend of influential global executives from both in front of and behind the camera, international and independent producers, young creatives, trade media, and organizations. Sessions will highlight the incredible talent of the Golden Nymph nominees, with executives from fiction, news, and documentaries exchanging insights on trending industry topics alongside juries, committee members, and other guests—exploring what drives their success stories and the challenges they face in an ever-evolving entertainment landscape.
Festival Executive Director Cécile Menoni highlighted the exceptional quality of the speakers: “We’re extremely pleased to offer an expanded Business Content strand this year. With such an exceptional group of speakers from all areas of the global on-screen business, we’re looking forward to hosting strong and interesting debates as they explore many of the current and future opportunities and challenges facing our industry,” noted.
Headline sessions include “Embracing Challenges: Journey Thru the Lens of Two Women,” an insightful conversation with two internationally acclaimed leading ladies, Robin Wright and Rola Bauer, as they share their unique journeys as filmmakers and executive producers with Leo Barraclough (Variety). Robin Wright will also discuss her work as an actress and director, including her latest series which she stars in, directs, and executive produces—the upcoming psychological thriller, “The Girlfriend” (Prime Video), set to release later this year.
Rola Bauer will join Chief Creative Officer David W. Zucker (Scott Free) and Executive Producer of the Ridley Scott pilot-directed crime drama “Dope Thief” (Apple) and the summer release “Alien: Earth” (FX) for the panel “Embracing Chaos: Journeys Thru the Television Multiverse.” They will discuss their pioneering partnership spanning over twenty years of international co-productions, including their latest limited series, “Pompeii: A Day of Fire” (Amazon MGM Studios), with Stewart Clarke (Deadline).
A pressing topic in today’s financially conscious climate, “Counting the Cost: Where to Film & Get the Best Breaks,” led by Michael Pickard (C21 Media/Drama Quarterly), includes executive nominees Brendan Foley (“Sherlock & Daughter” for Starlings Entertainment), along with fiction jury member Brendan Fitzgerald (Secuoya Studios). They will reveal the locations they consider for filming series and offer insights and advice on the various tax breaks and incentives numerous countries offer production teams.
Likewise, competition producer nominees Moritz Polter (Hundertdreizehn, Windlight Pictures) and Anant Singh (“Don’t Give Up,” Videovision Entertainment), along with Brendan Foley, will lead a digitally focused panel, “Streaming Platforms & the Challenge of Audience Engagement Through Content,” with Remi Tereszkiewicz (BetaSeries). They will debate how the growing number of platforms brings an overwhelming amount of content and discuss tools to ensure audiences maximize personalized content and the impact this can have on a series.
Staying within the series theme, another perspective will be offered in “Marketing & PR: Measuring the Value of Series Campaigns,” highlighting how series can be elevated or crisis-managed and whether TV producers and shows really need PR. Experts including Brendan Foley, Judy Lung (TIFF – Toronto International Film Festival), and Alan Nierob (Rogers & Cowan PMK) will share their insights with Michael Idato (Sydney Morning Herald).
Another industry-shaping topic is “The Future of the Public Broadcasting Service in the Evolving Landscape.” PBS still attracts considerable audiences worldwide, delivering reliable, unbiased reporting amid increasing “fake news,” alongside risk-taking drama and factual programming. With funding constantly under review, this diverse international panel—including Matthew Deaner (Screen Producers Australia), Toma De Matteis (France Télévisions), Jinhyun Park (EBS – Korea Educational Broadcasting System), and Vance Van Petten (Dodge Film School, Chapman University, USA), led by UK television veteran Graham Benson—will discuss how they navigate the market among more commercial competitors.
Meanwhile, “Women in Television,” will feature an all-female lineup showcasing a vibrant panel of executive and creative women who have made their mark in television and entertainment, discussing the opportunities and challenges they have encountered. Mathilde Fiquet (CEPI) will lead this dazzling lineup of leading ladies, including Shelly Goldstein (performer/writer, “Sherlock & Daughter” for Starlings Entertainment), Marianne Levy (hybrid rom-com author), Judith Light (fiction jury president), and nominee Josée Vallée (“Deepfake,” Sphere Media), for a lively exchange between these influential industry women.
At the forefront of innovative technology revolutions, “That’s (AI) Entertainment!” explores how staying on top of the latest AI advancements is a crucial tool for professional creatives and executives. However, AI also brings challenges and requires a deep understanding of its capabilities and limitations. Moderated by Michel Zgarka (Hitlab), the panel includes creative, executive, and academic experts Toma De Matteis, Leif Holst Jensen (Inn University), and Vanessa Shapiro (Nicely Entertainment) debating this topical subject.
Documentaries remain an important genre for the Festival, especially this year with the launch of a new Pitch Contest—“Tell Me A Story,” in collaboration with pioneer and award-winning Executive Producer, Writer & CEO Tom Jennings (1895 Films). The contest aims to uncover compelling factual story ideas from a new generation of film creators. Selected finalists will pitch their projects before an international judging panel and have the opportunity to network with influential TV and entertainment executives during Business Content.
An added bonus from the maestro storyteller Tom Jennings, along with independent documentary producer Kristin Stasiowski, is a unique opportunity for young creators to join an exclusive afternoon masterclass on the art of filmmaking in the factual genre.
Additionally, a “Documentary Storytelling” panel will see Tom Jennings join Tonje Hessen Schei (Dox Division) and nominee Sue Turley (“The Stringer,” XRM Media) to discuss evolutions and challenges within the factual, creative, and commercial processes for networks and streamers, moderated by Kristin Stasiowski.
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