MIP Cancun Conference Program Unveiled

A double-bill of panels featuring top international showrunners, plus a session on new practices in TV production, will underline the focus on creativity at next month’s MIP Cancun Latin America content trade event.

On Friday, November 22, James Duff, creator and showrunner of the Emmy Award-winning series The Closer and Major Crimes, and Chris Brancato, co-creator and producer of the global hit Narcos, will hold a masterclass on creating scripted content built around strong female and male roles that engage audiences around the globe. During the course of this in-depth session, the pair will also explore the essentials involved in identifying and developing breakthrough stories and provide insight into the sector’s ever-growing demand for compelling and original storytelling narratives.

“The Showrunner’s Role in Latin America” is the theme of a panel discussion scheduled for Thursday, November 21. The American notion of a showrunner is a dream role in the TV industry, but the question remains as to whether they really exist in Latin America. Three prominent Latin American producers and directors are set to take part.

The panel features Mexico’s Fernando Rovzar, co-founder and head of Lemon Studios, who has produced more than a dozen films, including Kilómetro 31, the third biggest box-office hit in Mexican film history. His TV credits include acting as showrunner on four seasons of Sr. Ávila (HBO), for which he won an International Emmy.

Colombian producer and showrunner Juliana Barrera joined the Mediapro Studio team as director of content in Colombia. Her credits as executive producer include the first season of La Voz Colombia and the development and production of drama series Siempre Bruja, the first Netflix original series in Colombia.

Mexican showrunner and director Daniel Posada has made projects in Mexico, the U.S. and Colombia. His most prominent work is the political thriller El Chapo, which reached the top spot in most Spanish-speaking territories across Netflix. In 2017 and 2018, he served as creator and showrunner of the critically acclaimed Netflix series Tijuana.

A further MIP Cancun conference session is titled “New Practices in Production,” examining how roles are evolving. Speakers include EndemolShine Boomdog’s Leonardo Zimbrón, MGM International TV Productions Development Chief Diego Piasek and Manuel Martí, head of international development and multiplatform content at Polka.

This conference lineup rounds out the MIP Cancun market, with more than 35 speakers already confirmed, including Erik Barmack (Wild Sheep Content), Marcelo Tamburri (Turner Latin America), Joanna Lombardi (Movistar), Andres Reymondes (Vice), Nacho Gil (Vice Studios), Ana Paula Valdovinos (Telemundo International Studios), Federico Cuervo (Viacom), Moreyba Bidessie (A+E Networks International), Pablo Salzman (Connect 3) and Peter Naderman (Nadcon Film).

The sixth edition of MIP Cancun, the only dedicated TV content market for Latin American and U.S. Hispanic audiences, will take place from November 20 to 22, 2019, with pre-opening on November 19, at the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico.