Record Number of Attendees & Screenings at MIPCOM 2016

CANNES: This year’s MIPJunior and MIPCOM saw a record number of attendees, more World Premiere TV and International Screenings than ever, Japan as Country of Honour, Shonda Rhimes as Personality of the Year, and a keynote from Sony’s Kazuo Hirai, among many other highlights.

Over the weekend, MIPJunior was attended by a record 1,600 participants, including more than 630 buyers (a 10 percent increase), 1,200 programs in the screening library and 260 new development projects presented to potential partners. There was a World Premiere TV Screenings of Splash and Bubbles, produced by The Jim Henson Company and Herschend Enterprises, as well as Grizzy and the Lemmings from Studio Hari Production.

MIPJunior also featured presentations on new animation from Finland, animation co-production opportunities with India, popular children’s series in Norway, how to work in China, and how to co-produce with Japan, where animation accounts for 62 percent of the country’s television exports.

MIPCOM hosted delegations from 108 countries. Attendance reached approximately 14,000, with 4,900 buyers registered, including 1,500 acquisition execs for digital platforms and SVOD. Two thousand exhibiting companies were in the Palais, with new national pavilions uniting companies from Chile, New Zealand, Morocco, the Philippines, Russia and Japan. Outside of the Palais was ITV Studios’ two-story stand made of massive containers.

There were a record number of major drama launches in the World Premiere TV Screenings and International Drama Screenings. 
The World Premiere TV Screenings were Mata Hari (Red Arrow International), The Halcyon (Sony Pictures Television), The Same Sky (Beta Film), The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again (20th Century Fox Television Distribution) and an exclusive episode of The Catch (Disney Media Distribution). Two of the screenings, Mata Hari and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, were open to the Cannes public for the first time.

Laurine Garaude, the director of Reed MIDEM’s television division, commented: “The interest in the World Premiere TV Screenings and the International Drama Screenings continues to grow and it was great to be able to invite the Cannes public to Mata Hari and The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again. This bodes well for our plans to expand the 2017 MIPDrama Screenings next April and helps us as we continue to look at bringing a high-end drama festival element to our future events.”

With Japan as Country of Honour, 500 Japanese execs from 104 companies attended MIPCOM. Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, sent a special video message to the international TV community in Cannes. There was also a Japan-themed Opening Party and a keynote from Sony Corporation President and CEO Kazuo Hirai. In addition, Japanese star Kento Hayashi flew in for a special screening of Moribito 2: Guardian of the Spirit.

Shonda Rhimes was honored at the Personality of the Year gala dinner last night. Tributes were given by The Catch’s Mireille Enos, Tony Goldwyn from Scandal and Grey’s Anatomy executive producer Betsy Beers. The market also hosted a variety of talent, including Kiefer Sutherland for Designated Survivor; Kyle MacLachlan for the new Twin Peaks, Dennis Quaid for Fortitude; Constance Zimmer and Shiri Appleby for UnREAL; Hayley Atwell for Conviction; Jenna Coleman for Victoria; and Christopher Lambert and Vahina Giocante for Mata Hari.

Garaude added: “This has been an excellent edition of MIPCOM. Through the central theme of New Television we have showcased technical innovation, discussed how to reach out to younger audiences who consume entertainment when, where and how they want and brought together traditional television leaders with newer online companies. This year has seen a combination of plentiful deal-making, celebration, exchange of knowledge and keynotes from major industry leaders.”