Event Preview: NATPE Budapest

The NATPE Budapest global TV market and conference is returning to the InterContinental Hotel, which provides sweeping views of the Danube river, from June 19 to 22.

The gathering, which focuses on Central and Eastern Europe, is gearing up to host more than 400 buyers and 150 exhibitors and will include screenings, a market floor, conferences and more.

***Image***“We are very excited,” NATPE’s president and CEO, JP Bommel, tells World Screen’s Anna Carugati. “First of all, because we have a beautiful hotel, the InterContinental, and the right forum for the event. The reason for that is that the exhibition floor and all the suites are on two floors. They are right next to each other, so it’s very conducive to business meetings.”

Throughout the week, there will be screenings from several studios. This includes Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, CBS, NBCUniversal and Lionsgate.

Monday will feature a conference component in the afternoon as a new addition to the event. There will be two “business intelligence” sessions, tailor-made for delegates coming to NATPE Budapest and designed to help set the scene for the opening of the market floor on Tuesday. The first session is entitled Opening the Window on CEE, and it will look at the complex process of windowing content around the world. It will be followed by CEE Market Overview: Regional Breakout Hits, Trends and Data, which will provide a comprehensive look at CEE television and content.

On Tuesday, June 20, there will be two sessions in the early part of the day, Success in Co-Productions: Maximizing Your Regional and International Business Partnerships, and A World of Formats: Insights and Strategies for Global Distribution, which will be moderated by World Screen’s Kristin Brzoznowski. In the afternoon, the CEE Regional Producers’ Summit will be a specially curated three-hour block of dedicated programming and interaction. The event seeks to meet the needs of local/regional emerging producers and content creators, with networking and introductions to senior executives from production companies and experts in sales; education regarding success strategies for emerging producers; and a pitch feedback session with leading distributor representatives and others.

Wednesday will include another set of focused sessions. The first is A New Perspective on the Emerging Asia Region, and the second, The Turkish Content Boom: How Local Programs Lead the Way Globally. There will also be a special spotlight on India, with Indian Programming: Volume and Regional Genre Interest.

Capping off Wednesday will be the Pitch & Play LIVE event. “It was so successful last year that we are doing it again this year,” explains Bommel. The aim of the event is to “recognize the best international potential unscripted reality show. Last year, Estonia won. It was a lot of fun. The winner will come to NATPE Miami and will be able to pitch the project and have meetings. It’s quite a nice takeaway.”

Bommel believes that providing networking opportunities to participants is essential to an event like NATPE Budapest. “On Monday night we have Buyers Welcome. We introduce the buyers and host a cocktail party on a terrace with a beautiful view of the Danube. On Tuesday evening there will be the Opening Night Party and then there is a closing party.”