Public Enemy Scores Top Prize at Inaugural MIPDrama Screenings

CANNES: The first-ever MIPDrama Screenings took place yesterday, culminating with a Coup de Coeur award being presented to Public Enemy, produced by Playtime Films/Entre Chien et Loup for Belgium’s RTBF and distributed by Zodiak Rights.

More than 350 TV acquisitions and studio executives from 55 countries took part in the event, which showcased 12 high-end drama series from 10 countries. Each series made its international premiere in Cannes, supported by talent and production executives.

Of the 12 finalists, Public Enemy was selected for the award by the MIP Markets Drama Buyers Advisory Board, made up of Ignacio Barrera, the head of acquisitions Albavision; Rüdiger Böss, the executive VP of programming and acquisitions at ProSiebenSat.1; Aline Marrache-Tesseraud, the senior VP of international SVOD global acquisitions at CANAL+; Anette Romer, the head of acquisitions and formats at TV2; Zelda Stewart, the head of acquisitions at Mediaset; and Sarah Wright, the director of acquisitions for Sky.

Marrache-Tesseraud noted, “The quality of the selection made it incredibly difficult to choose a Coup de Coeur. Each presentation made us want to watch the complete series. This event has been a unique opportunity to see international series and it has to be repeated next year. As a buyer, it gave me the chance to get an overview of the big picture in international drama production.”

“We’re delighted with the extremely positive reaction of buyers and distributors alike to the inaugural MIPDrama Screenings,” said Laurine Garaude, the director of Reed MIDEM’s TV division. “This is the first of what we expect to become a signature event at future MIPTVs. The success of the MIPDrama Screenings confirms the need for a curated, high-end drama showcase prior to MIPTV. Given the wealth of premium drama in the market, buyers have been asking us to help them identify some of the outstanding international series that they will focus on during their MIPTV meetings. In addition to being a business accelerator both for buyers and distributors, the MIPDrama Screenings offer a platform for creators and talent to reach a wide range of media that covers the vibrant drama genre.”