Event Recap: MIA

More than 2,000 accredited participants from 56 countries took part in this year’s MIA—International Audiovisual Market, which in its seventh edition had both in-person and online components. Some 600 international players gathered in Rome, the organizers report, with 450 producers, 800 buyers, 59 panels, 40,000 B2B meetings and 800,000 impressions on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, as well as 96,000 page visits overall.

“The International Audiovisual Market is the result of a collective effort, of a systematic project in a moment of great [renewal] for the entire theatrical and audiovisual supply chain, including its creativity and global positioning,” Lucia Milazzotto, market director for MIA, tells World Screen Weekly. “MIA is once again an unmissable event for the domestic and international industry and an efficient and authoritative voice in the global ecosystem of the sector.”

Across five days, there were 150 market screenings (80 of which were premieres) and 150 projects and works-in-progress presented (70 percent of which were Italian). These cut across three divisions: scripted, curated by Gaia Tridente, including film and drama; unscripted, curated by Marco Spagnoli, including doc and factual; and strategic development, managed by Francesca Palleschi, comprising the market screenings, content showcases and activities related to the sale of completed product.

Milazzotto highlights that hot topics were covered during a “wide span of inspiring get-togethers, talks and roundtables, to have ideas and knowledge circulate for the growth of the industry—from the new frontiers of and opportunities within European drama to the new definition of film and its financing and distribution landscapes, from new documentary perspectives to factual and working with archives.”

During the event, the ethical behavior charter for the audiovisual sector was launched to support inclusiveness and diversity and prevent gender-based violence, body-shaming and discrimination in the cine-audiovisual sector. A sustainable event, this year’s MIA contributed to the reforestation of mountain areas in the northeast of Italy.

The strong participation in the event is proof of the growing importance of and rediscovered and renewed spirit leading Italy, Milazzotto notes, highlighting how creativity and productivity have led to MIA becoming an important part of the international audiovisual landscape. “I trust this is just the beginning of a more central role for Italian talent, producers and the country overall in meeting the challenges of the international and global market,” she adds.

MIA was founded by and continues to grow thanks to the consolidated joint venture between ANICA—l’Associazione Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche Audiovisive e Digitali, presided by Francesco Rutelli, and APA—Associazione Produttori Audiovisivi, chaired by Giancarlo Leone, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ICE (the agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of the Italian industry),MiC (Ministry of Culture), Ministry of Economic Development, the Lazio region and the MEDIA program of the European Union.