MIPJunior Unveils 2024 Pitch Finalists

MIPJunior has unveiled the five finalists, selected from over 110 submissions, that will take part in the 2024 MIPJunior Pitch.

Based on criteria of originality, awareness about DEI and sustainability, universal appeal and the potential for brand extensions, licensing and merchandising, the selected finalists are Beakus’s Monsieur Roscoe (U.K.), Birdo’s Bia and the Beats (Brazil), Dominion of Drama’s Dogs Need Jobs (U.K.), Paper Jet’s Pumpkin Finds Her Queen (South Africa) and Toon2Tango’s Littlest Robot (Germany).

Monsieur Roscoe sees a happy-go-lucky basset hound fix broken objects at his store, Roscoe’s Repairs. He is accompanied by Fry, his goldfish companion, who helps him when he forgets his “words.” Roscoe doesn’t speak the same language as the townsfolk, and though he tries his best, he sometimes forgets important words. The series encourages bilingualism through stories about fixing and friendship.

Bia and the Beats centers on an excited, intense and musical 5-year-old who uses music as inspiration to do everything. When she puts her favorite headphones on, her musical energy becomes so powerful that it explodes into funny little creatures—the Beats. Every song inspires a feeling, and every one of those feelings takes shape as a Beat.

In Dogs Need Jobs, Casey and Terri’s mom brings home a new dog and tells them that “dogs need jobs” to keep their brains stimulated and their bodies busy. The kids take the order literally and attempt to get the dog employed in a real job, ranging from firefight to tax accountant, which she messes up (due to being a dog). Each episode introduces kids to real-world jobs in a fun way. It is based on the new picture book from Jeff Norton.

Pumpkin Finds Her Queen follows Pumpkin Pie, who comes from a long generation of magical healers. To access her special gift, Pumpkin must complete a task from their family book of magic, the Komvandaan, which reveals itself at times of great learning. When Pumpkin transfers to a prestigious new school, she struggles to navigate the world of wealth, cruelty and bullying. As she struggles to fit in, she loses sight of her magical task and her family soon suffers the consequences and begin to lose their magical gifts. Pumpkin must journey on a battle to conquer the. bullies on the outside and the bully within. Through a celebration of South African music, magical realism and heart, the show tells the story of a little brown girl’s journey to self-acceptance.

Littlest Robot features a tiny robot no bigger than a teacup who has no apparent special robot functions. His animal friends quickly learn that it’s actually his ability to learn his his and their feelings that make him special. If Littlest Robot ever becomes overwhelmed by a situation or problem, he simply reboots himself by switching off his switch until he is refreshed again and better equipped to resolve it. The stories show a group of friends, each with unique personalities, becoming aware of themselves and others and finding out how they fit together as a group. The more challenges they face, the more they learn and grow as individuals.

The winner will be determined by a jury comprised of Maud Branly, children’s acquisitions director and international TV channels children’s programming director at M6/Gulli; Rick Clodfelter, executive director of content acquisitions and partnerships at Disney Branded Television; Luiz Filipe Figueira, head of licensed content at Grupo Globo; Amanda Gummer, founder and CEO at FUNdamentally Children; and Kate Morton, senior head of children’s commissioning for 0 to 6 at BBC. Sallyann Keizer of Sixth Sense Media is moderating.