Canada to Take Center Stage at MIPCOM

PARIS: Canada has been selected as the Country of Honor for this year’s MIPCOM.

MIPCOM, in partnership with the Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada, will organize a dedicated Focus on Canada, which will include a range of conference speakers, screenings, Canadian talent and matchmaking events. The Focus on Canada will run throughout MIP Junior and MIPCOM. The focus will also shed light on the federal and provincial financing and funding opportunities offered in Canada; the broadcast, cable and satellite distribution market; and location scouting in the country.

“With more than 228 Canadian companies present at MIPCOM, including a wide range of independent producers and major television and film studios, and encompassing both English and French-language productions, Canada has been one of the most inspiring and active global players in the television industry for as long as we can remember,” said Laurine Garaude, the director of Reed MIDEM’s television division. “The Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada play a pivotal role in supporting the Canadian television, film and digital industries and that role is once again confirmed by their support for the Focus on Canada initiative.”

“The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is thrilled to partner with Reed MIDEM and Telefilm Canada to feature great Canadian talent and productions at MIPCOM 2012. The quality Canadian television and digital media projects that the CMF supports have generated $2.3 billion CAD in production activity across Canada since 2010,” commented Valerie Creighton, CMF’s president and CEO. “International audiences and partners are paramount to position Canada as a leader in today’s competitive global digital environment. This partnership is an opportunity to showcase the best of Canada and to share our achievements with the world.”

“The time is right for Canada to be in the spotlight at MIPCOM 2012. Whether it’s international visibility at the Oscars and Cannes, or $1.02 billion CAD from 2006 to 2010 in total feature film treaty co-production budgets, partnering with Canada means business,” added Carolle Brabant, Telefilm Canada’s executive director. “As outlined in Telefilm’s latest corporate plan, two of our strategic priorities include focusing on stimulating demand and on expanding financing sources for the Canadian audiovisual industry. Without question, foreign markets offer important opportunities for Canadian creators to reach new international audiences, and foreign partnerships provide additional resources to create high-quality productions with broad appeal.”