The event, which had somewhat of an early end on Wednesday, shared that more than 10,500 delegates from 110 countries gathered at the Palais des Festivals, with 347 companies present, a higher number than the previous edition.
*By Luis Cabrera and Ana Paula Carreira, from Cannes, France
With Spain in the spotlight, more stars walking its halls and top-level keynotes, Mipcom Cannes 2024 experienced an “early closing” this Wednesday, during its third day, when a significant number of executives chose to start their trip back home.
This image should not overshadow what has been a successful event, in which the vast majority of companies consulted by ttvnews have said they were more than satisfied with the pace of meetings achieved during the first days.
The organization, in fact, shared that the event welcomed 10,500 delegates from 110 countries, representing 347 companies, 27 more than those that participated in 2023, and with 73 debuting companies. The 34 pavilions stood out, ten more than in 2023, thanks to the debut of countries such as Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria and Qatar.
“As the definitive week once a year where the entire global industry meets, Mipcom Cannes has once again proven to be unique and unmissable,” said Lucy Smith, director of Mipcom and Mip London, which had its presentation during this edition. “The feeling has been one of optimism, and the intense volume and concentration of activity in Cannes can only be a benefit and a boost for the entire industry internationally.”
The presentation of MIP London, meanwhile, showed an innovative proposal, which, based on the sensations collected, will have to dazzle in order to earn the place it seeks in a very busy event calendar for the industry.
SPAIN LEFT ITS MARK
With multiple screenings and different activities, Spain, as the Country of Honor, put the spotlight on itself during these three days of the event. As an example, today ICEX organized a meeting between Spanish and Mexican companies seeking to deepen the collaboration between the parties. “At Audiovisual For Spain they have organized a series of very interesting activities with producers from different territories, France, Mexico… they have helped create new contacts with companies or clients that we didn’t have. That is always fantastic for us. Anything that opens new channels of communication with new countries or players is always good,” said Esther Agraso, director of the International Area of Plano a Plano.
Spanish companies that have participated with their own space, such as Movistar Plus+ Internacional, have also made a strong impact at Mipcom, thanks to a powerful catalogue with titles such as Los años nuevos: “It is a pleasure to work with Rodrigo Sorogoyen again. We made Antidisturbios with him and now we have him for Los años nuevos,” said Rebeca Aguilar Domínguez, Distribution Manager for Movistar Plus+ Internacional in Cannes.
It has also been very positive for companies that are bringing new IPs, such as Krakatoa, which is debuting with Plim Plim after its association with Smilehood Media. “The experience with Plim Plim in Cannes is exceptional. We are here to present a project that is known by the general public, but very little known by the industry, which is paradoxical. Plim Plim has 34 million subscribers, 1.1 billion video views last month, and most of the industry is not familiar with it. That is why it is very gratifying to present it and share the data. There are very good feelings, with a lot of potential and great interest,” said Víctor López, CEO of Krakatoa.
TURKEY, CRADLE OF STARS
Turkish distributors have dazzled with the talent they have brought to Cannes and ATV Distribution was no exception, with the presence of Burak Deniz and Su Burcu Yazg, the main actors of The Nightfall, the series that is a hit with audiences on the Turkish screen. ATV held two different events: a photo shoot at its stand and then an exclusive dinner for buyers.
In terms of deals, Mediahub shared that it has imminent news for its catalogue: “In this market we achieved some future licensing possibilities,” said Elif Turna, Sales and Business Development Manager at MediaHub. “It has been great so far.” The company is presenting the latest additions to its catalogue, led by Alaca, its first production,
Something similar happens with Fauna Entertainment, which is growing, locally and internationally, thanks to its own IPs. “We came to Mipcom to present our new project Moi & Lana, which is about two brothers who are traveling around the world and exploring each country through their native songs,” said Beti Hekimoglu, Business Development Director at Fauna.
And within its wide catalogue of new releases, Eccho Rights also presented a new title from Turkey, Beneath the Surface: “Another of our new releases is a short series for the Turkish platform TOD, called Beneath the Surface. It is a police thriller. The first season of 10 episodes has been number one since it was launched on the platform,” said Violeta Trincado Murugarren, Sales Coordinator for Latam and Iberia at Eccho Rights.
THE POWER OF MEDIAPRO
With the presence of JC Acosta, director of The Mediapro Studio US & Canada, and director Juan José Campanella, among others, The Mediapro Studio held an important keynote in which it demonstrated the enormous strength of the company, which is preparing multiple new developments in all types of genres and formats. “Content is the center and heart of the studio. We are not entering this market for the first time and talent recognizes the power of the brand, for us it is a luxury to have this,” said Acosta.
The new productions from The Mediapro Studio include highly prestigious talent, both in front of and behind the camera, awarded and recognized throughout the world such as Evan Katz, Campanella, Juliet McDaniel, John Turturro, Melissa Leo and Anthony Carbone, among others.
Cineflix Rights dazzled with a stand whose pace of meetings did not slow down, thanks to a very deep catalog capable of responding to any need from buyers. “We are presenting a new series called Virdee, based on a best-selling book in the US and the UK. The series was made for BBC 1 and will premiere next year,” said Daniel Rodríguez, sales consultant for Latin America and the Spanish-speaking US at Cineflix Rights.
There is also room for children’s content and more independent products, such as those represented by Incredible Films, which include attractive films such as Amsterdamned: “It is a film whose original version is from 1988 and the story is about a serial killer,” shared Danielle Raaphorst, CEO of the Dutch distributor.
Tomorrow will be the official end of the event, where very low activity is expected, while the last executives will begin to return home. Whatever the case, in an industry that is still searching for the right models, when the curtain falls on the 2024 edition, the balance from Mipcom Cannes will once again be positive.
