NATPE Budapest is ready to kick-off its 2023 edition

NATPE Budapest is ready to kick-off its 2023 edition, which will be celebrated from June 19 to 22 at the InterContinental Hotel of Budapest. This year’s marketplace, which is expected to have around 400 regional buyers in attendance, is the first NATPE Budapest to be organized by Brunico Communications, after the company acquired all the assets of the National Association of Television Programming Executives (NATPE) at the beginning of this year.

Each year, NATPE Budapest brings together leading players in the scripted, unscripted and kids industries, including TV programming, acquisitions and development executives, producers, distributors, streamers, buyers, and many more from around the world. For its 2023 edition, besides the 400 regional buyers in attendance, NATPE Budapest expects more than 100 exhibitors representing more than 50 countries.

NATPE Budapest 2023 will be opening the Market Floor a day earlier than usual to give attendees even more time for critical meetings. Access starts at 11 AM on Monday, June 19, and attendees can pick up their badges at the registration desk on the Lower Level anytime after 9 AM. “We have made this scheduling adjustment based on feedback that many of you have meetings spilling over into Monday, which is a sure sign that NATPE Budapest 2023 will be an effective market for getting business done,”  Brunico said in a statement.

Confirmed exhibitors for this year include All3Media International, Atresmedia, ATV, Banijay Rights, Calinos, Caracol, Cineflix Rights, Cyber Group Studios, Deutsche Welle, Disney Star India, Eccho Rights, eOne, Fox, Fremantle, Gaumont, Global Agency, Inter Medya, Kanal D, Lionsgate, Madd Entertainment, Mediapro, Mediawan, Mediterraneo, MGM Studios, Mistco, Movistar Plus+, NBCUniversal, Paramount, RCN, Red Arrow Studios International, Sony Pictures Television, Studiocanal, TelevisaUnivision, Warner Bros. International, and ZDF Studios, among many others. Furthermore, delegations from the Organization of Ukrainian Producers (OUP), Spain’s ICEX and the Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA) in the United States will be attending this year’s market.

Moreover, this year, NATPE's marquee media and market intelligence partner, CEETV, will once again run its Pitch & Play LIVE competition, showcasing the region’s best new original format concepts with international potential. The three finalists that will pitch their promising new format concepts live at the event in the seventh edition of Pitch & Play LIVE! are: “Scarman” (Heroes Formats, Ukraine), “Camper” (TVP, Poland) and “15 Questions” (Kanal 2, Estonia). They will be presented live by their creators during the Pitch & Play LIVE! session taking place on Tuesday, June 20.

NATPE Budapest will also launch its Co-Pro Connections program, which aims to help original film and television projects get established in the CEE region, a fast-growing media marketplace that is open to novelty and has a strong appetite for original content, new narrative styles and fresh design, according to the event organizers. Within this program, international projects in an advanced development stage will be paired with CEE-based co-production, acquisition and financing executives looking for first-look content opportunities.

Highlighting the importance of networking, all event attendees are invited to gather after dinner on Tuesday, June 20, from 8:30 PM to 11:30 PM on board the Europa, the same Danube River cruiser that has always hosted NATPE Budapest’s boat parties. Newly refurbished from head to toe, this impressive vessel has three decks – one of which will feature a live DJ and dance floor—plus plenty of seating for enjoying some conversation and taking in all of Budapest’s sights by night.