Events throughout the week, including highly anticipated screenings, producer panels focused on co-production opportunities, and a Spanish-themed opening party, among others, will celebrate Spain’s creative sector and promote international collaboration.
Mipcom Cannes announced that Spain will be the Country of Honor in the upcoming 40th edition of the International Co-production and Entertainment Content Market, to be held on October 21-24 in Cannes, marked by a program that highlights the country’s growth in the recent years as a major international production center and provider of quality content for global audiences.
The announcement was made today at a press conference at the ICEX Spain Export and Investment Auditorium.
This recognition comes at a time when Spain has seen a notable increase in both scripted and non-scripted productions in recent years, from both national and global producers. Spanish content is not only among the most viewed worldwide, but is also gaining greater recognition and international awards.
A series of notable events in the main entertainment content market will celebrate Spain’s creative sector and promote international collaboration. Events throughout the week will include highly anticipated screenings, producer panels focused on co-production opportunities, and a Spanish-themed opening party, among others. More details of these and other activities will be provided soon.
The program is organized by Mipcom Cannes in collaboration with ICEX Spain Exportation and Investment (public entity of the Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business). ICEX’s key mission, through its umbrella brand, Audiovisual from Spain, is to support the international promotion of content and services offered by Spanish production and distribution companies. The activity of Country of Honor is part of the “Spain, Audiovisual Hub of Europe” plan, an important public investment initiative of 1.6 billion euros over five years, which aims to increase audiovisual production by 30% in the country by 2025, within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan financed by NextGenerationEU funds.
“The Country of Honor is a celebration of a country’s culture and creativity,” Lucy Smith, director of Mipcom Cannes, said at the event. “The historical impact of Spain on international television is irrefutable and its presence on the global stage in recent years is inescapable. It couldn’t be more timely for Spain to be in the spotlight this year and we have very special plans to carry it out.”
Pablo Conde, general director of Company Internationalization at ICEX, said: “Supporting the internationalization of Spanish audiovisual companies has a clear objective for us: to expand opportunities to produce and distribute their projects abroad. We do this by promoting their visibility, creating networking opportunities for our companies with international partners and facilitating co-production. Being the Country of Honor at Mipcom Cannes in 2024 will promote these three fundamental aspects. In addition, it will be the perfect opportunity to celebrate the excellence, creativity and professionalism of Spain’s content industry.”
María González Veracruz, Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure of Spain, said: “For Spain to be chosen as the Country of Honor in the next edition of Mipcom Cannes means entering the first line of entertainment and audiovisual creation at an international level. This spotlight will illuminate the talent, strength and elf of our industry. It is a leap that can only be positive for our companies, employment, talent and creativity in the sector. Because we can only jump if our feet are firmly rooted. That is what we are looking for with the Spain Hub Audiovisual Plan: to consolidate the progress made so far and ensure that the audiovisual sector remains powerful, strategic and has a bright future.”
Mipcom Cannes is the flagship entertainment content marketplace for the international television industry, attended by more than 11,000 delegates from more than 100 countries in 2023. The 40th edition will take place in Cannes from October 21 to 24, 2024 with MIPJunior, the annual meeting point for the children’s sector, which will return to its traditional pre-market slot from October 19 to 20 with a pre-opening afternoon on October 18.
The Country of Honor is part of a week-long conference program at Mipcom Cannes that boosts the television industry through keynotes from global agents and opinion leaders, as well as screenings of highly anticipated series, activities and presentations with data exclusive.
Previous countries of honor have included Japan, Turkey, Mexico, France, South Korea and, most recently, China in 2023.
The Audiovisual from Spain brand will gain more prominence than ever in the traditional Riviera space of the Palais des Festivals. The Seaview Producers Hub, a space dedicated to networking sessions and meetings focused on co-production agreements, will serve as the setting for the multiple activities scheduled during the week dedicated to celebrating Spain as a Country of Honor.
