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October 14, 2025 2

MARKET NEWS P8

Including: MIPCOM

CANNES Opening Night Party; YouTube and the BBC; BrandStorytelling Summit debuts in Cannes; Women In Global Entertainment Lunch; meet the cast of Sony’s The Miniature Wife; Cannes session focuses on microdramas; Ken Burns talks about his series The American Revolution; dayone deals made in Cannes; and much more...

PRODUCT NEWS P43

Content from around the world for sale in Cannes

DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Michel Filzi MANAGEMENT TEAM Director Central Marketing, Arts and Entertainment: Morgane Morice; Entertainment Division Director + MIPCOM CANNES Director: Lucy Smith; TV Division Sales Director: Brice Dieulot; SVP Sales & Business Development: Robert Marking; Director UK Sales: Vanessa Van Santen Smith; Vice President of Sales: Louis Hilleson, Director of Sales EMEA APAC, Timothée Parent Sales Director Hicran Lefort; Marketing Director: Amanda Baird; Conference Director: Tania Dugaro EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor in Chief: Julian Newby; Deputy Editor: Debbie Lincoln; Contributors: Claire Atkinson, Clive Bull, Ben Cooper, Stuart Dredge, Andy Fry, Isobel Lee, Max Leonard, Jo Stephens; Editorial Management: Boutique Media International; Graphic Studio: studioA Design; Graphic Designers: Harriet Palmer, Sunnie Newby Photography: 360 Media/Yann Coatsaliou; Photographers: Frederic Dides, Olivier Houeix, Patrick Frega, Phyrass Haidar PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Publishing Director: Martin Screpel; Publishing Manager: Amrane Lamiri; Printer: Creamania, Fréjus (France). RX France, a French joint stock company with a capital of 90,000,000 euros, having its registered offices at 52 Quai de Dion Bouton 92800 Puteaux, France, registered with the Nanterre Trade and Companies register under n°410 219 364 - VAT number: FR92 410 219 364. Contents © 2025, RX France Market.

RX France and China’s SMG WingsMedia signed a Memorandum of Understanding reaffirming nearly three decades of collaboration.

Signed by RX France’s Lucy Smith and WingsMedia’s Guan Rui, it underscores MIPCOM CANNES’ role as a key platform for showcasing Chinese content and fostering international exchange

Carnet de santé chat 2024.indd 52

At the inauguration of MIPCOM CANNES 2025...

Cutting the ribbon: Mike Beale, ITV (left); Angela Colla, Globo; Jean-Michel Arnaud, SEMEC; Morgane Morice, RX France; Ruth Berry, ITV; Michel Filzi, RX France; Pedro Pina, YouTube; Lucy Smith, RX France; and Thomas de Pariente, Mairie de Cannes

Signing Ceremony: RX France & SMG WingsMedia Co. Ltd.

MIPCOM 2025

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NightOpeningParty

Stars of some of the many series showcased this week faced photographers on the red carpet before joining delegates at the Merzigo x MIPCOM CANNES pary

Parners in the pary with MIPCOM CANNES, media carographer Evan Shapiro and Merzigo CEO Yiğit Doğan Çelik Creator Nella Rose

From All3Media International’s Escape To The Chateau, Dick Strawbridge and Angel Adoree

Liz Tabish and Shahar Isaac from Lionsgate’s The Chosen

The cast of All3Media International’s Midsomer Murders: Nick Hendrix (left), Annete Badland and Neil Dudgeon

Joao Lucas Brasio and Cela Lopes from Keshet International’s Live Elevator Pitch

The cast of ZDF Studios’ Ku’damm 77

Cyril Chauquet from Fremantle Enterainment’s Unexplored Waters

Pedro Pina: TV giants ‘can be YouTubers too’

THE DEFINITION of YouTuber now stretches beyond individual creators to the biggest TV companies, according to Pedro Pina, vice-president, head of YouTube EMEA at Google.

“Everyone could be a YouTuber. BBC Studios is one of our best YouTubers!” said Pina during his Studios, Broadcasters & YouTube session on Monday.

“Every single content producer and content creator has a role, a space on YouTube,” he said. “The reason we are here [at MIPCOM CANNES] is to reach out to everyone. Our platform is open to collaborate with you … we would like to do much, much more.”

Pina’s mention of BBC Studios was no accident: Jasmine Dawson, its senior vice-president, digital, was onstage with him to talk about the success her company has seen on YouTube — while also growing audiences for its shows on legacy platforms.

“It’s not a mutually exclusive game. We’re not sacrificing anything. It is incremental, and that is a really powerful conversation to have with some of our distribution partners,” Dawson said.

“They understand that this [YouTube] is where the fandom grows, and it drives that incrementality.”

Pina said that the best way TV companies can be successful on YouTube is “just to be adventurous, to risk, to try things … and you have to hire YouTubers as well. They understand the pulse of the platform and how it works.”

Dawson agreed, saying that BBC Studios has hired YouTube creators “who are now in leadership positions” within its team.

“They understand fundamentally that this is about curating, taking care of your fandom,” Pina added.

Moderator Evan Shapiro offered his own prediction for cultural shifts on YouTube during the session.

“I believe that the biggest part of growth in the creator economy over the next five years is going to come from big studios and brands leaning in, bringing the wave — the tsunami — of content that they’ve been holding back,” he said.

“Every single content producer and content creator has a role, a space on YouTube”

Pedro

Pina

“It’s not a mutually exclusive game. We’re not sacrificing anything. It is incremental”

Jasmine Dawson

Meet us at MIPCOM stand no.

BrandStorytelling debut draws brands, creators and TV execs

THE OPENING day of MIPCOM

CANNES 2025 saw the launch of a groundbreaking partnership with brand-funded programming summit BrandStorytelling.

Founded and directed by producer, publisher and media entrepreneur Rick Parkhill, BrandStorytelling has developed into one of the world’s leading events supporting the growth and maturing of brand-funded programming in the US and beyond.

The partnership with MIPCOM CANNES is centred on a special two-day edition that has brought together brands, content creators and television creatives. IPG Mediabrands Entertainment Spain is sponsor and attendees include Banijay Entertainment, Blink49 Studios, BBC StoryWorks, Dentsu, Digitas, Forbes, Fremantle, Indeed, K7 Media, Toys“R”Us, Traverse32, Scenery, Sub-Genre and UTA.

BrandStorytelling head of content

Jordan Kelley introduced the first day’s programme and acted as MC.

His opening remarks were followed by a series of panel sessions with leading experts covering a range of key topics.

Kelley said: “10 years ago, when BrandStorytelling first gathered, the concept of brand-funded entertainment rather than brand sponsorship or branded content was still novel. But now brands are committing not just their capital, but their time, their energy and their effort to creating high-quality programming.”

And the sector goes much deeper than the Barbie movie or The Lego Movie. “It is happening at an incredible scale, with every type of brand. Audiences are finding that they really enjoy having the brands they feel loyal to and connected with reflected back to them in the content in which they choose to engage. That makes brand-funded entertainment a ripe opportunity that is more available than ever.”

How to build a brand narrative

BRANDED Entertainment: Why Now? was the question tackled by leading executives from Dentsu and McCann at the summit.

Brendan Gaul, global chief entertainment officer at McCann Worldgroup and global president Traverse32, explored whether brands are looking within themselves to

find original stories or characters.

“Brands might look to their history or heritage for ideas, as L’Oréal did with The Final Copy Of Ilon Specht,” he said. “But sometimes projects are less to do with the brand themselves, than with the constituency they are targeting. For example, we did a film with Johnson & Johnson about

BRANDED CONTENT: THE BOTTOM LINE

THE FIRST day of BrandStorytelling concluded with branded entertainment leaders confronting the big question: Measuring ROI –What’s In It For The Brand?

Farra Kober, vice-president of BBC StoryWorks at BBC Studios, began by stressing that it is important to avoid “vanity metrics. For a long time we have relied on impressions and reach, mistaking it for impact. I think we’re at the point where we can explain the real ‘why’ behind doing this type of programming.”

the nurses that tackled the AIDS crisis in San Francisco in 1983.”

Cathy Boxall, global head of entertainment, Dentsu, observed that “not every brand has a House of Gucci or House of Guinness story to tell. Often, you need to look at what a brand stands for, rather than trying to trawl through its history.” She cited the example of a project for Gillette which told the story of an American football team in Baltimore. “The coach was using football to get boys into college with scholarships. That aligned with Gillette’s brand purpose.”

Asked about the relative role of ads versus branded entertainment, Boxall said the two work well alongside each other: “If you’re trying to make a programme do all the work — brand, sales, product messages — it’s not going to be good entertainment.”

Megan Wells, filmmaker and brand entertainment futurist, said one of the problems with measurement is “the lack of a consistent lexicon. We’re not necessarily using the same terminology ... expectations may not be aligned. I think there is an opportunity to start systemising what we mean when we say brand entertainment, brand content, brand placement, brand execution.”

Aidan McLaughlin, global marketing director at Indeed, said AI could have a pivotal role to play. “With AI, you can set a framework that creatives can check against at the start. This doesn’t mean AI is the final arbiter but it means you train everybody that this is our tone, our philosophy, our values.”

Dentsu’s Cathy Boxall (left) and McCann’s Brendan Gaul

Jordan Kelley, BrandStorytelling

Farra Kober, BBC Storyworks

Fox deal with Holywater to take micro-drama to the max

ONE of the hot topics at MIPCOM CANNES is the rapid emergence of micro-dramas as a viable money-making enterprise. This was the subject of an intriguing panel involving executives from Fox Entertainment and Ukrainian tech startup Holywater.

The session was particularly timely because Fox has just taken an equity investment in Holywater. As part of the deal, Fox has committed to creating a portfolio of more than 200 micro-dramas over the next two years, with Billionaire Blackmail and Bound By Obsession among the first titles coming down the production pipeline.

Explaining why Fox invested in Holywater, Julian Franco, president of operations and strategy, Fox Entertainment said the company was impressed by what the company’s co-founders Bogdan Nesvit and Anatolii Kasianov have achieved since launching in 2020. He added that micro-dramas look complementary to Fox’s existing activities: “Vertical video (aka micro-drama)

is not directly competitive to the forms of content we already work with. I would say it’s an alternative to social media doomscrolling.”

Fox Entertainment Studios president Fernando Szew said Holywater typifies the kind of innovative production businesses Fox likes to work with. He added that Holywater’s ability to produce content rapidly at scale is a good fit with Fox’s own expertise.

‘It’s an alternative to social media doomscrolling’

Julian Franco

During the session, Nesvit talked about Holywater’s four apps, which collectively reach 60 million users. These include My Drama, a micro-drama streaming app; and My Muse, a platform for series produced with the use of generative AI.

Kasianov dug into the monetisation side of the business, saying the primary revenue stream is subscription. However he also said there are low-cost ways

for consumers to view content, for example securing access by watching ads.

By partnering with Fox, the Holywater founders said they would be able to explore a wider range of genres. Szew anticipated that there will be opportunities to create micro-dramas that tap into the US studio’s rich array of talent relationships.

DEAD FOR 15 YEARS: AMC NETWORKS celebrates 15 Years of The Walking Dead Universe with a panel session in the Grand Auditorium today at 15:30. Introduced by AMC Networks CEO Kristin Dolan, it includes stars and executive producers of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,

Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride; chief content officer of The Walking Dead Universe Scott M Gimple; and AMCN president of entertainment & AMC Studios, Dan McDermott. Moderator is award-winning director, actor, comedian and author Aisha Tyler.

Anatolii Kasianov, Holywater

Julian Franco, Fox Entertainm ent

‘It’s

about resilience; how quickly you can respond to the hard and move on’

THE ANNUAL Women In Global Entertainment lunch was punctured by moments of heartbreak and hilarity. But if there was an overriding theme, it was persistence in the face of overwhelming change.

Some of the world’s most influential women in the business sat down for a lunch at the Majestic hotel, ready to hear from four fun, ambitious and inspiring leaders, who shared their life journeys and advice on how they have navigated the tough world of business with humanity.

Comedian, author and former ITV director Cally Beaton set the tone as moderator, asking penetrating questions in a light-hearted manner and winning some inspiring insights from her guests. The uplifting lunch, held for the past 14 years, was co-sponsored by A+E Global Media and The Hollywood Reporter.

Beaton asked the panelists for their best words of advice. Kate Phillips, who was appointed BBC’s chief content officer this summer, lost her composure for a moment as she shared that it had been a tough year for her personally.

But her advice was to “value your friendships”.

“I’ve been working in telly for over 30 years now and the friendship and power of women [who] just drop everything at a moment’s notice to be with you — I could not have got through the last year without them,” she said. Phillips also related a shocking story about a former male colleague who had humiliated her early in her career by grabbing her chest. Still, the incident

fuelled her desire to advance her own career and she later had an opportunity to turn down a pitch by the same man.

YouTube executive Justine Ryst, managing director of France and Southern Europe, recalled struggling when working with young people well versed in technology in a very horizontally organised Twitter under prior owner Jack Dorsey. Ryst said she realised she didn’t need to know how to do every job, so instead focused on being the conductor and recognising the strength and skills of her staff. Sharing a piece of advice, she said: “Listen to me. I just took a three-month break to accompany my kids at an important moment in each of their lives. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Los Angeles-based Lauren Tempest, general manager of Hulu, is helping to take the Disney brand global. She said: “It’s not about making all the moments right and perfect and avoiding the hard — it’s about resilience; how quickly you can respond to the hard and move on. That’s a big challenge, to not constantly search for perfection but how quickly you can pull yourself back up.”

Beaton wound up the panel with a famous quote. “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it’s too low and we reach it.” She joked that the comment was from Michelangelo Ninja Turtle. It was, in fact, the famous Italian artist.

Moderator Cally Beaton (left); Lauren Tempest, Hulu; Kate Phillips, BBC; and Justine Ryst, YouTube

YouTube’s Doğan: ‘think of audience before algorithm’

MANY creators and TV companies spend a lot of time trying to make content that will satisfy YouTube’s recommendation algorithm.

However, this is the wrong approach according to Ecenur Doğan, YouTube’s senior strategic partner manager, MediaCo.

“Switch the word ‘algorithm’ with ‘audience’. Will the algorithm like this? No. It’s will the audience like this?” she said during a MIPCOM CANNES session yesterday. “Focus on your audience, and the algorithm will follow.”

The advice came as part of a MIP Innovation Lab workshop on how to cut through the noise of 20 million

videos uploaded every day to YouTube. While short-form videos are increasingly popular, Doğan stressed that long-form is enjoying its own surge on the platform this year — when people watch YouTube on their TVs.

“Half the watch-time on television comes from content longer than 20 minutes,” she said. “It shows the importance of long-form.”

She was joined by Tarif Rahman, senior content strategist at Little Dot Studios, whose clients include Dr Seuss, Gordon Ramsay and Prime Video.

“Invest in made-for-YouTube content. Really focus in on produ-

cing original series that only exist on YouTube,” he said. “YouTube is the new TV. And use your fans to tell you exactly what they want to see, and then serve it back to them.”

“Maximise your talent collaborations: have them involved in your made-for-YouTube content,” Rahman added. “And maximise your

IPs. I know it’s very scary, the idea of putting a full episode on YouTube for free … but you can repackage it in so many ways.”

Doğan also encouraged producers to lean in to the tone that goes down well with fandoms on YouTube. “Keep it comedic, lighthearted and interactive,” she said.

Banijay classics get YouTube reboot

IN JUNE of this year Banijay France and YouTube announced they were partnering on the Banijay Creators Lab. The initiative invited digital-content creators to pitch to reimagine a classic Banijay format, ranging from the 1960s game show La Tête Et Les Jambes to Dilemme from the 2000s. Since then, five creators have been chosen and, at a session this afternoon, some of the prime movers will discuss how the experiment is going.

In advance of the round table, Banijay France CEO Alexia Laroche-Joubert said the initiative was “an important move and a beginning. We’re a B2B industry, and we of course have to keep this as it’s our core business, but we also have to think about transforming ourself into a B2C company.”

She described the Creators Lab as “a bridge between us and the new creator economy. We started this huge movement to give our IPs to people outside the group for the first time. We want them to reshape the IPs — we want to see how they embrace them, how they change them, and how they will produce them.”

Each creator has been given €50,000 to make the pilot — a significant investment and, in terms of typical budgets for YouTube shows, a huge amount — as well as the support of a development team. Creators had to have made two YouTube videos with more than 100,000 views, but some also had significant audiences on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms.

For Laroche-Joubert, the Creators

Lab was a “win–win deal. The market is changing its mindset on this creator economy. This is the new way for young audiences to be in touch with our brands,” she said. “We’re doing this in a very humble way. We’re going to learn how they produce on a lower-cost basis, and how they disrupt. Which pillars of the format will they keep and which will they put aside?”

Working with YouTube has been “great”, Laroche-Joubert said, adding that the managing director of YouTube France, Justine Ryst, a former colleague at Endemol, truly understood the importance of big IPs.

The Reinventing TV Shows With Creators: The Tale Of Creator Lab – A Partnership Between Banijay France & YouTube session is at 17.30 in the MIP Creative Hub and will also feature Justine Ryst and SparkDise, one of the chosen creators.

Alexia Laroche-Joubert, Banijay France

Ecenur Doğan, YouTube

Merzigo partners with Zoo 55 to boost growth in UK and beyond

TURKEY’s Merzigo, a global distributor and monetisation partner for premium video content on YouTube and Meta, has launched a landmark multi-year partnership with Zoo 55, part of ITV Studios.

The deal marks a major step in Zoo 55’s growth strategy and Mer-

zigo’s UK expansion.

Under the agreement, Merzigo will optimise a selection of Zoo 55’s flagship channels — including The Voice Global, The Best of The Voice, Come Dine With Me and Taste — to enhance reach and engagement across YouTube and Facebook.

Ceyda Sıla Çetinkaya, chief operating officer, Merzigo, said: “Partnering with ITV Studios’ Zoo 55 marks an important milestone in our UK expansion and sets the stage for global digital growth together.”

“This partnership is an exciting step for Zoo 55 and an amazing growth op-

portunity for both parties,” said Martin Trickey, managing director, Zoo 55.

With over 5,000 managed channels in 30+ languages and 13 billion monthly views, Merzigo provides deep global expertise in content optimisation and social distribution.

Merzigo CEO Yiğit Doğan Çelik said that businesses partnering with Merzigo would be able to “unlock the full potential of their content”. He added: “Our in-house capabilities, from localisation and editing to rights management and community engagement, combined with the insights we gain from managing over 5,000 digital channels, allow us to maximise revenue opportunities like no one else.”

The company, which celebrates its seventh anniversary this year, launched operations in a small office in Istanbul in 2018. Today they also work from hubs in LA and London. The global distributor, whose clients include Disney, Fremantle, Warner Bros. Discovery, RTVE, Sony Pictures, Viacom18 and Zee, partnered with MIPCOM CANNES for the opening night party at the Majestic hotel on Monday evening.

Banjo duo sign up with ITV Studios

ITV STUDIOS has inked a deal with Banjo Formats, the recently-launched company founded by former Viaplay Group execs Karsten Bartholin and Kenneth Kristensen. The pair are known for commissioning bold reality formats, with Love Island, Survivor, MasterChef and Paradise Hotel among their commissions during their time at Viaplay.

“The new deal will see Karsten and Kenneth using their amazing experience commissioning and developing shows from around the world to boost our international format slate and create diverse new concepts that will resonate globally,” said ITV Studios managing director, global creative

network, Mike Beale.

The emphasis with the partnership is on finding new formats and rolling them out worldwide, Beale added.

“Their great ideas and ability to pitch across territories will greatly support our search for new IP.”

For their part, Kristensen and Bartholin said they will draw on their experiences leading Viaplay’s non-scripted content arm, as well as previous roles — Bartholin as co-owner of production company Babyfoot, and Kristensen’s 10-year stint at Viacom overseeing commissioning and content strategy.

Their past format hits include I Survived A Japanese Game Show,

Gay Army and Bingo Banko (Bartholin) and the Polish adaptation of Jersey Shore (Kristensen).

“We are thrilled to be working

with ITV Studios’ production and distribution teams to bring new formats and IP to life,” they said.

“We feel confident our approach — rooted in our experience from both sides of the table: commissioning and developing — will bring both companies much success.”

Kenneth Kristensen (left) and Karsten Bartholin, Banjo Formats

Martin Trickey, Zoo 55 (left); Graham Haigh, ITV Studios; Ruth Berry, ITV Studios; Yiğit Doğan Çelik, Merzigo; Kerem Ersoy, Merzigo; Ceyda Sıla Çetinkaya, Merzigo; and Valerio Motti, Merzigo

A marriage

in miniature

SONY Pictures Television’s new dramedy series The Miniature Wife was presented last night at an exclusive preview screening in the Grand Auditorium, followed by a Q&A with Emmy Award-winning star of Succession, Matthew Macfadyen, and fellow cast members O-T Fagbenle (Handmaid’s Tale, Presumed Innocent) and Sian Clifford (Fleabag, Quiz).

Based on a short story by author Manuel Gonzales, The Miniature Wife is a high-concept series that examines the power dynamics between spouses. Macfadyen plays husband Les, a scientist who ‘accidentally’ miniaturises his wife Lindy — played by Elizabeth Banks — to the size of a coffee cup. As the story unfolds, she takes revenge on him in ways that reveal the tensions in their relationship.

Speaking to the MIPCOM CANNES Daily News ahead of the screening, Macfadyen said: “When I read the script, Elizabeth was already attached, which was huge draw. And I thought it was just a fabulous thing to read. It’s just a brilliant idea and it was instantly exciting and interesting.”

As it turned out, Macfadyen did not spend as much time on set with Banks as he had expected. Due to the nature of the storyline and the miniaturisation of Lindy, they were mostly in different studios. “I was just talking to lots of little crosses

‘It’s just a brilliant idea and it was instantly exciting and interesting’

on the carpet, or whispering manically to tiny little things, and Elizabeth was in a green screen studio, shouting,” he said. O-T Fagbenle plays a fellow physicist who partners Les in trying to figure out the technology behind what has happened. “But I’m also obsessed with his wife — and I‘ve got to tell you, it’s pretty inconvenient to be obsessed with your boss’s wife. But there lies the drama,” he said.

Sian Clifford takes on the role of Elizabeth’s long-time friend and long-suffering literary editor. “Our characters had great successes together at the beginning of our careers. It launched both of our careers and then she’s not done anything since, whereas I’ve gone on to great success in New York, and there’s a lot of resentment between Les and I about that,” she said. The show is likely to have global appeal, especially for anyone who has been in a testing relationship. “It’s about couples who are trying to navigate their love through time, through their ambition, through infidelity, through lies and betrayal,” Fagbenle said. “Anybody who’s experienced anything like that will probably love the show.”

A Media Res production, The Miniature Wife is distributed by Sony Pictures Television and will premiere in the US on Peacock in 2026.

Matthew Macfadyen

O-T Fagbenle (left), Matthew Macfadyen and Sian Clifford

Marei Bruckmann (Director Junior, ZDF Studios), with Colin Williams, Stephen Coulter and Alexandros van Blanken from Sixteen South and Snapper Production’s Ben Butterworth

Tim Gerhartz, ZDF Studios‘ newly appointed Chief Commercial Officer (second from right), with Nadine Grünfeld (Brainpool TV), Ina Eck (Fabiola), Andrea Schönhuber (MoveMe), Markus Templin (BBC Studios) and Kirstin Benthaus-Gebauer (Vincent Productions)

Nikolas Hülbusch (Director Unscripted, ZDF Studios, center) with Pernel Media’s Céline Payot Lehmann, Marine Achon and Samuel Kissous and RTL’s Sophia Dauber

The creative team behind Ku’damm 77 is looking forward to Tuesday’s World Premiere Screening at MIPCOM Cannes: creator and showrunner Annette Hess (center) with (from left to right) Bernhard Strobel (Producer), Maurice Hübner (Director), Michael Schreitel (DoP) and Marc Lepetit (EP, UFA Fiction)

Czech Television’s Jitka Bodláková, Alena Poledňáková and Daniel Macho with Michaela Sabolcakova (RTVS) and ZDF Studios’ Jan-Frederik Maul (second from left)

Launches MIPCOM

with Exclusive Previews and Honored Guests

On the eve of MIPCOM, ZDF Studios welcomed industry guests to a vibrant ‘Sundowner’ event spotlighting its latest genre highlights: Ku’damm 77, The Lady Grace Mysteries, and Pharaohs at War. Special guests included Ku’damm showrunner Annette Hess, director Maurice Hübner and executive producer Marc Lepetit. With engaging conversations and exclusive previews, the evening set an inspiring tone for the days ahead in Cannes.

Photo Credits ZDF Studios / Sebastian Gabsch

Zolba Productions Jevgeni Supin, producer of Detective von Fock, with LTV’s Zane Valeniece, Markiza TV’s Viktorija Martinka and Kateryna Gaiduk

Karoline Meichsner-Sertl (Managing Director and CFO/ COO, ZDF Studios) with Ludwig Ganzert (CEO, Eikon Media)

Dr. Markus Schäfer, ZDF Studios‘ President and CEO, with Studio Zentral’s award-winning producer Lucas Schmidt

Kerstin Jaitner (Director Unscripted, ZDF Studios) with Katja Köpfli (CH Media) and Frank Aydt (ServusTV)

Mediaset’s Tania Villa with Yuliya Fischer (Director Drama, ZDF Studios)

Wedotv’s Philipp Rotermund, Fabiola’s Oliver Fuchs and Ina Eck with ZDF Studios’ Head of B2C Linette Zaulich

Banijay pioneer Marco Bassetti honoured during C-suite talk-in

MARCO Bassetti, CEO, Banijay Entertainment & Banijay Live, received the Variety Vanguard Award on Monday at MIPCOM CANNES, at the culmination of an insightful afternoon of C-suite conversations.

The Award, which recognises trailblazing figures who have helped shape the global entertainment business, is always accompanied by an on-stage address from the recipient. Presenting the Award, Variety’s Cynthia Littleton said that Banijay had scaled to become one of the industry’s strongest and most ambitious content groups.

In 2024 alone, Banijay inked some €3.3bn of content and posted an EBITDA margin of 15.8%.

Speaking after the Award presentation, Bassetti said that the company’s competitive edge meant being “very disciplined in controlling cash” which included “plans to deleverage the company”. He added: “We never take huge risks — we prefer others to take risks and to learn from them.”

He also noted that “scale and diversification” remained key, particularly in a difficult time for the industry. “The market has been flat for the past two years,” he said, “but we have a fantastic platform and a fantastic group of managers.” He added that Banijay’s capacity for “creativity and innovation” continued to stand it in good stead.

Six years ago, Banijay signed a deal to acquire 100% of Endemol Shine, which Bassetti said had strengthened the group’s distribution ca-

pabilities and IP depth. However, the takeover deal — conducted at the height of the pandemic, over Zoom — had also encompassed its own stressors. “Looking back, it was the only way to survive,” he said. Today, he said, the synergies gained had proved the springboard for even more successes in which “the retention of IP remains a central principal”.

Littleton’s conversation with Bassetti was preceded by two other fireside chats with industry titans. Elisabeth d’Arvieu, CEO, Mediawan Pictures, discussed her company’s international ambitions, noting that “international and US markets are key”. She said Mediawan’s deal in 2023 for a majority stake in Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment was helping them

‘The next big IP wave will be anime and video games’

Keith Le Goy

gain a crucial foothold in the US. “We wanted to follow up on the promise we made to our European talent to give the proper international exposure to their art,” d’Arvieu said.

In a similar vein, Mediawan recently moved its international sales office from Paris to London, appointing Sally Habbershaw to spearhead the dis -

tribution business. D’Arvieu said that “relocating that centre of gravity was important” and praised Habbershaw’s expertise in the US market.

Keith Le Goy, chairman of Sony Pictures Television, was the third industry chief to be quizzed on stage. He discussed some of Sony Pictures most successful IPs, and predicted that the “next big IP wave will be anime and video games”, which he said has the potential to fill the power vacuum left by comic-book heroes. He cited recent box-office hits Minecraft and Demon Slayer, reminding audiences that hit series The Last Of Us derived from a video game. He pointed out that sister company Sony PlayStation’s “relationships with video-game creators” made Sony Pictures “uniquely well-positioned” to offer “opportunities to develop iconic IPs still further”.

Marco Bassetti, Banijay

Elisabeth d’Arvieu, Mediawan Pictures

Keith Le Goy, Sony Pictures Television

Lahens’ warning to delegates ‘embrace GenAI or lose out’

GENERATIVE AI technologies are ushering in a new era of creativity, rather than replacing human craft, according to Infinite Studios CEO Adrienne Lahens. The former TikTok exec encouraged the MIPCOM CANNES community to embrace AI in her Infinite Creativity session on Monday. “AI isn’t replacing creativity. It’s not replacing creators. It’s expanding what’s possible. You can try to resist it, and get left behind, or you can lean in and really think about how to make these tools work for you,” she said.

Social-media creators, who haven’t previously had access to Hollywood-level production tools, will be at the heart of this, said Lahens.

“Generative AI lowers those barriers, making it possible for creators

around the world to experiment in the formats that were once reserved exclusively for studios,” she said.

“Just as social media has redefined what it means to be a celebrity, AI redefines what it means to be a

studio. Creators around the world are becoming full-stack studios in their own right.”

Lahens also hailed the rise of GenAI “micro-dramas” in China: 90-minute stories broken down

How ads add audiences for streamers

A FOCAL point of today’s MIP Innovation Lab programme will be the fast-evolving world of connected TV (CTV) and TV operating systems.

As part of the programme, there will be a fireside chat featuring Matthew Henick, senior vice-president of Ventura TV OS, The Trade Desk, during which he will talk about shifting revenue models. Henick told MIPCOM CANNES Daily News that “streaming’s embrace of advertising is one of the most important tech and commercial developments. It makes the streaming experience accessible to a wider audience; and it restores media companies’ ability to build a scalable business while making great content.”

According to Henick: “It was not sustainable that a person who watched one hour of your shows and a person who watched 200 hours contributed the same amount, economically. It truncated the incentive to make enduring, amazing entertainment. So, we’re on the right track now, and our next goal as an ecosystem should be to make those advertising integrations as transparent and fair as possible.”

Explaining Ventura’s role in the evolution of the sector, Henick said it is “a smart TV operating system designed to drive a fairer and more transparent streaming ecosystem for media publishers, OEMs, operators, TV retailers and advertisers. Through our origins within The Trade Desk, we were

able to see how current OS models limit control, transparency and long-term growth for media publishers. As a result, we’re building an objective solution, free from conflicts of interest.”

As viewers continue to migrate to streaming in large numbers, Henick said: “The media companies that win in this world will fully embrace transparency in their ad products and the power of the open internet versus handing their customer relationships and futures to the big tech companies.

At The Trade Desk, we’re seeing brands succeed adopting omni-channel advertising strategies to find customers wherever they are on the open internet including and increasingly in streaming TV.”

into one-minute episodes, with fans paying up to the equivalent of $30 to unlock the full series.

“The micro-drama market in China pulls in $7bn annually. It’s already bigger than their domestic box office,” said Lahens, citing the example of one micro-drama, Nine-Tail Fox Demon Falls For Me.

“A fully AI-generated series that gained over 200 million views in just a month,” she said. “Some of the most outrageous, overthe-top, low-production-value concepts can generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue.”

Lahens also took aim at criticism of “AI slop”, pointing out that while Hollywood produces 15,000 hours of content every year, 300 million hours of content are uploaded to YouTube annually.

“But this is all just AI slop, right? Let’s say you’re right and 99.99% is AI slop. Let’s say 0.01% is approaching Hollywood-level quality. That’s still two times Hollywood’s annual output. This wave is coming.”

Matthew Henick, Ventura TV OS, The Trade Desk

Adrienne Lahens, Infinite Studios

Brands must keep their ‘fingers on the pulse’ of emerging media

EVOLVING forms of content production and emerging media formats are presenting exciting new brand integration and brand storytelling opportunities, the head of branding for a Canadian production group has said.

Adam Puchalsky, president of the Brand Studio division within Toronto-based company Blink49 Studios, said that new forms of media and new formats, including YouTuber and other social endorsements, represented huge opportunities for branding. He added that the opportunities for brands and products to “move the narrative along” will only increase in the coming months and years.

But Puchalsky stressed that it was essential for brands and distributors to keep their “fingers on the pulse” of emerging media in order to maximise the opportunities they present for brand placement.

Puchalsky said that brands must be true to their audiences and unders-

tand whether their product is a good match for a particular show. “It’s essential to be authentic, to have the authentic voice in the room,” he said. “People fail when they are disconnected from the sensibilities of the audience. If the inclusion of a brand or product does not add benefits to the entertainment value of the show, then the answer has to be no. The question has to be, does it add to the audience experience? If it doesn’t, it’s not good for the brand.”

Puchalksy, who was appointed president of the Brand Studio at Blink49 Studios in January this year having previously worked at Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat, will appear at tomorrow’s Innovation Lab session, The New Frontiers Of TV Attention, alongside Herman Campbell, president and chief technology officer of Toronto-based aurbit by Adease. Blink49 Studios produces scripted and unscripted shows with a focus on brand storytelling. Recent

highlights include Beast Games with MrBeast, and Queen Of The Castle, following Canadian socialite Ann Kapland Mulholland and her husband as they convert a castle in England into a luxury destination.

The best fresh content from China

THE FRESH Content China showcase, which took place yesterday, featured an impressive line-up of new programming from China, ranging from modern and historical drama to cutting-edge animation and documentary.

Leading Chinese production companies participated, including China Huace Film & TV Co, Ltd, XIXI Pictures, Shanghai Youhug Media

Co, Ltd, Huanyu Entertainment, Shanghai Stellar Culture Co, Ltd, Beijing Kuaishou Technology, China International Television Corporation (CITVC), Chengdu Radio and Television Station, Zhejiang Zoland Animation Co, Ltd, Hangzhou Younuo Animation Co, Ltd and Shanghai Wings Media Co, Ltd.

The session concluded with a signing ceremony between France’s

READY FOR THE NEXT GOLD RUSH?

AN OFFICIAL signing ceremony today marks the acquisition of Hunan TV’s reality show Gold Rush by TGC Global Entertainment (TGC GE).

The Los Angeles-based distribution company has snapped up the international rights to the breakout Chinese business reality format. The first season of Gold Rush (12 x 70-90 mins), which aired in primetime on Sunday evening, ranked as China’s numberone reality show, garnering more than 2.3 billion views over the full run on Hunan TV and Mango TV.

Rakuten TV and SMG WingsMedia, marking a new content partnership with France’s Bolytics to launch the first FAST channel, C-Drama Now, dedicated to Chinese programming for international audiences.

Pictured below are: Ms You Haiyang, Level II Counselor of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Radio and Television) (left); Ms Wei Xiao, Deputy Director-General, Department of Publicity, National Radio and Television Administration, PRC; Mr Guan Rui, Vice-General Manager, SMG Pictures and WingsMedia Co, Ltd; Mr Marcos Milanez, Chief Content Officer, Rakuten TV; Mr Michel Filzi, CEO RX France; and Mr Cederic Dufour, CEO of Rakuten France and Rakuten TV.

The format that takes viewers into the nation’s universities to discover the next generation of game-changing innovators.

Wang Tian, vice-president of Hunan TV, said: “It’s a highstakes competition and a fair, open and authentic platform where fresh ideas from young people are recognised, nurtured and given the chance to become reality.”

TGC GE president and CEO Phil Gurin added: “In today’s challenging economic climate, audiences are eager for positive business stories — stories that highlight the entrepreneurial spirit, passion and determination of brilliant young people with the power to improve the world.”

Adam Puchalsky, Blink49 Studios

’Phil Gurin, TGC GE (left) with Wang Tian, Hunan TV

Blue Ant goes global with Passport Properties series

PASSPORT Properties, the upcoming docu-series that fuses highend real estate with travel and culture, has launched at MIPCOM CANNES, having sealed an exclusive deal for global distribution with Blue Ant Studios. The series is created, produced and hosted by Billy Nash, one of America’s top luxury real estate experts. Shot across seven countries, Passport Properties takes audiences on a cinematic journey through some of the world’s most extraordinary homes, but also beyond their walls into the culture, history and the people that shape the places that Billy visits. His authentic storytelling and eye for design have already earned him comparisons with Anthony Bourdain, using real estate instead of food as the lens to understand the world.

“I think it’s a repeatable format. It’s aspirational, it’s unscripted, it’s real storytelling,” Nash told MIPCOM

Strong

CANNES Daily News. Unlike many real estate shows, the property is not the star. “I love beautiful real estate. I love architecture. I love history. But this is not a show where we’re slapping price tags on properties and trying to talk about commissions. We are the opposite of that,” Nash said. His mission is “to go out and meet the artisans that sometimes are forgotten about. To meet the architects. To meet the families that have owned the vineyard for three or four generations down, to go to the local restaurants,” he said. “That, to me, is what makes real estate so exciting.” Destinations in season one (9 x 60 mins) include Northern Africa, Portugal, Spain, France and Italy, and Nash is already looking at South America, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean for season two.

deal for Fuji’s fun format

A FUJI Television Network format that offers “fun, playfulness and creativity” to a generation of young people affected by the pandemic has been optioned by Strong Productions in Denmark. Strong Productions, part of the Fremantle group, has acquired rights to VS School The Ultimate Hide And Seek, which first appeared as a segment of a weekly variety programme in Japan.

The show takes the hide-and-seek game to a large scale, bringing celebrities and contestants together in a fun return to childhood.

Strong Productions chief executive Sune Roland said that among the things which attracted the company was the “playfulness of the format”, which he said could make for a “landmark programme that stands out for young Danish people”.

RADIAL ACQUIRES GAUMONT TV’S HEMLOCK GROVE

He added: “Combined with the large scale of the basic idea and the worldwide trend of hide-and-seek games across platforms, you get something powerful and with a broad appeal.”

Fuji TV head of international distribution Ryuji Komiya said that the hideand-seek format was first conceived in response to the global lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, and a wish “to give back to students the youth they lost during the pandemic”.

When audiences in Japan were first invited to apply to take part in the game, some 100,000 people immediately showed an interest from schools around the country and from overseas.

He added: “Everyone in the world has played hide-and-seek at some time in their youth. This format offers a creative, TV-oriented adaptation of the game, highlighting collaborative teamwork, which makes it universally appealing.”

NEWLY formed distributor Radial Entertainment has closed four international content deals at MIPCOM CANNES, including acquiring North American distribution rights from Gaumont Television USA for the three seasons and 33 episodes of Emmy Award-nominated Hemlock Grove. The gothic horror, which stars Femke Janssen and Bill Skarsgård in a tale that uncovers the titular town’s many dark secrets, was described by Radial senior vice-president of content acquisitions Jordan Fields as a “boldly creative and ambitious gift to lovers of dark, long-form storytelling”. In addition, it has announced the acquisition of exclusive digital distribution rights to a library of 15 romance and holiday films from Studio TF1 America, targeting DACH and Latin America. It has also expanded its deal with Sphere Abacus on the true-crime series Millionaire Murders to include the DACH territories. And it will now represent Bruder Releasing Inc’s historical drama Medici in the UK, Ireland and Spain in addition to existing territories.

Ryuji Komiya, Fuji TV (left); with Henrik Biskjaer, Fremantle

Billy Nash, Passport Properties

Hemlock Grove (Radial Entertainment)

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Japanese formats impress at Treasure Box showcase

TEN HOT formats from Japan enjoyed their moment in the MIPCOM CANNES spotlight as part of the Treasure Box Japan showcase yesterday, which was assessed by Vasha Wallace, Fremantle’s executive vice-president of global acquisitions and development, and Small World founder Tim Crescenti.

Sumo King from TV Tokyo is a physical game show that sees 20 contestants battling through four stages in a massive sumo ring. The 60-minute pilot aired this month.

I Doubt It! from Fuji TV challenges celebrities to bluff one another about things they love and hate, inspired by a popular card game.

Just Circle It! from NHK Enterprises is a game show based around visual puzzles, with the audience able to play along at home on their

smartphones and tablets.

Mega Catch from Nippon TV is a game show in which each round consists of a game of catch: giant balls falling from the sky; a 200 km/h baseball pitch and flying sandbags included.

Love Time Travel from TV Asahi is a romance show that sees singletons go on dates set in the 1980s, 1990s and present day in order to better understand the challenges of relationships.

Wait, What? from ABC TV is part travel show and part comedy, in which two hosts in the studio react to the mishaps of celebrities dropped into remote locations.

Reform Horror House from MBS is a haunted-house show where pairs of celebrities have to solve a mystery while being assailed by creepy

dolls and descending ceilings.

Infinite Loop from TBS is a survival show based on hexagonal rooms, each with a puzzle to solve. The puzzles test all of the senses, with an ultimate cash prize for the winner.

The Laughing Throne from Kansai TV is an improv-comedy battle in which contestants play musical chairs, then compete against one another via songs, skits and propbased challenges.

Finally, 6 Gens Game from YTV is a game show for teams of friends or family members in their 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, who must work together to maximise a cash prize.

UK is world’s top format exporter

THE UK remains the world’s largest exporter of TV formats, according to the latest annual data from content trends and insights analyst The Wit. Research from The Wit Fresh Data service reveals that 25.9% of all international format adaptations were based on content originating in the UK, followed by the US in second place. The US accounted for 19.2% of all international adaptations. The data was revealed to MIPCOM CANNES delegates by Virginia Mouseler, co-founder and chief executive of The Wit, at a packed session in the Grand Auditorium yesterday. The UK and US were followed in the ranking by the Netherlands in third position.

Mouseler also showed data on

which distribution companies had been the most active in exporting formats during the same period. French company Banijay Rights topped the ranking, followed by ITV Studios. Of all format adaptations in the one-year period, Banijay accounted for 19.2% of launches, followed by ITV Studios with 9.6%.

Mouseler presented the findings as part of a session dedicated to showcasing some of the hottest new shows, formats and content due to launch in the coming months, or currently in production. She showed clips from a mixture of genres, including dating shows, strategy games and challenge content.

Among the content being show-

cased was a series of shows in the strategy and game genres, which Mouseler said were “still very much alive in the format world”. These include high-energy French challenge show Stop The Train and Talpa Studios’ deception-game format Watch Your Back.

Mouseler also showed clips from new French dating show Advent Calendar, in which a woman is presented with a potential dating match for each day of December; and Love Bombing, which sees rejected dating candidates try to sabotage the people who were picked in their place.

The Wit, based in Switzerland, produces reports analysing TV and digital trends, customised studies and various newsletters covering new shows and content, alongside ongoing sales rankings from The Wit Fresh Data.

Virginia Mouseler, The Wit

The Treasure Box Japan showcase

DELIVERING THE BEST IN ENTERTAINMENT TO AUDIENCES EVERYWHERE

Talking about a revolution…

PBS DISTRIBUTION presents excerpts from a new series by legendary US documentary filmmaker Ken Burns at a MIPCOM CANNES Market Screening today. Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt also direct the six-part series, The American Revolution, which is written by US historian and documentary screenwriter Geoffrey C Ward. Producers are Florentine Films and WETA Washington, DC.

Almost 10 years in the making, The American Revolution is Burns’ most star-studded production yet, with a cast of narrators that includes Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Samuel L Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Edward Norton, Josh Hutcherson, Jonathan Groff and Damian Lewis.

Focusing on the virtues and contradictions of the war that led to the birth of the United States of America, the film follows characters from a wide variety of backgrounds, giving viewers an experience of the war through the memories of the men and women who lived through it: continental European soldiers and American militia men (some of them teenagers); Patriot political and military leaders; British army officers; American Loyalists; Native

soldiers and civilians; enslaved and free African Americans; German soldiers in the British service; French and Spanish allies; and various civilians living in North America, Loyalist as well as Patriot, including many who were made refugees by the war.

By most production standards, 10 years seems like a long time to invest in what ends up as 12 hours of screen time, but Burns’ reputation is for painstaking detail. “There are so many different pieces that must happen at the same time… the writing, which happens throughout, the research — archival, secondary, along with visuals and maps,” Burns told the MIPCOM CANNES Daily News ahead of the screening. “And for this film, given the lack of photographs and video, there is also the use of re-enactors — and of course the cinematography. Our team is focused on all of this even before we start assembling and editing the film. It’s a hugely labour-intensive process. Since our films are also reviewed by a team of scholars we assemble at the start, we are in a constant state of review, which then requires more writing and editing and research.”

Of the A-list cast that would be the envy of Pixar or Wes Anderson, Burns said it’s down to longevity and loyalty: “We’ve been making films for nearly 50 years, so we have long-lasting relationships with several of the actors who read for this film. We’re very fortunate that so many talented people are eager to contribute their talent and voices.”

And the contributors also understand the importance of the film in the context of the history of the US and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next year. “Yes, there’s a sense that this is important, it’s our history and it’s on PBS. But we also think the actors who contribute appreciate the impact the films have, their educational values and the work we do to engage the public. And it’s quite different from their day job, so it’s fun for them too.”

Ken Burns will address the audience by video at the screening of The American Revolution, which takes place in Auditorium K, Tuesday, October 14, 11.45-12.45

Ken Burns

Photo: Stephanie Berger

Italian remake of Nippon TV’s Red Carpet Survival returns

CELEBRITIES are well practised at avoiding embarrassing slip-ups when walking the red carpet at premieres. But what if water attacks, wrecking balls, pigeon droppings and crocodiles are thrown into the mix?

That’s the concept behind Nippon TV’s Red Carpet Survival, which is returning for a second season in Italy, slated to premiere in 2026. Exclusively available on Amazon Prime Video, the Italian adaptation of the format airs under the name Red Carpet, Vip Al Tappeto. The game show sees a team of bodyguards escorting a VIP down a red carpet while dealing with physical and mental challenges. Their mission is to ensure that the celebrity remains on the red carpet and reaches their limousine unharmed. Blu Yazmine is producing the second season for Amazon MGM Studios, with top Italian entertainers and social-media stars lined up to take part.

“It’s always better when a show gets renewed, because that’s another proof that it’s good enough to travel to viewers outside Japan,” said Sayako Aoki, head of international sales at Nippon TV. She added that, in the case of Red Carpet Survival, which is broadcast on streamers, its reach is worldwide. “That adds more potential for additional global series, which of course is the ultimate goal for our formats.”

Red Carpet Survival is the latest Japanese show with strong comedic elements to find an audience abroad. Aoki said the comedy element is key to the format’s international appeal. “You don’t have to think hard. Sometimes you just want to watch something and get a really good laugh,” she said. “Nobody gets hurt; everybody’s safe. But it’s still funny that your favourite celebrities have to struggle physically.”

Channel 4 doc analyses Hitler’s DNA

UK FACTUAL indie Blink Films is in production on a Channel 4 documentary investigating what DNA may tell us about Adolf Hit-

ler. The special, which will premiere in the UK in the coming weeks, is being launched internationally at MIPCOM CANNES by ITV Studios.

Three years in the making, Hitler’s DNA: Blueprint Of A Dictator (2 x 60 mins/1 x 90 mins) uses a sample of Adolf Hitler’s DNA — confirmed by scientific testing — to analyse whether his genes played a part in influencing his psychology and behaviour. The series sees geneticist Dr Turi King and World War II historian Dr Alex Kay work with health professionals, behaviour experts and other scientists to decode the genetic makeup of one of history’s most written-about despots. The revelations shed new light on everything, from Hitler’s close personal relationships to his political and social beliefs.

BLU YAZMINE BIDS ON THE AUCTION

DORI Media and Abot Hameiri, two of Israel’s leading format players, have sold the rights to original game show The Auction to Italian production company Blu Yazmine following its successful debut on América Televisión in Peru this summer.

“Nothing can ever fully explain Adolf Hitler’s evil. But finding Hitler’s DNA is an incredible feat of scientific detective work and gives unprecedented insights into history’s most studied man,” said Channel 4 commissioning editor Jonah Weston. Dan Chambers, Blink’s co-founder and creative director, added: “For 80 years, there has been lots of speculation about Hitler’s medical and psychiatric conditions. Now, by looking into his DNA for the first time in history, we’re able to reveal a whole series of things — some that we might have expected, others that are really surprising.”

Hitler’s DNA: Blueprint Of A Dictator is directed by James Routh, produced by Zoé Wiggins, and executive produced by Dan Chambers and Nina Davies. ITV Studios is handling the worldwide distribution.

Blu Yazmine, whose format adaptation record includes The Floor, Tempting Fortune, Red Carpet Survival and Cash Or Trash, will remake The Auction for Italian television. The show pits teams of contestants against each other to bid for unknown items hinted at by AI-generated clues. The gameplay also entails audience participation.

Dori Media, which has a presence in numerous markets, including Israel, Switzerland, India, Argentina and Spain, is handling worldwide distribution for The Auction. Dori Media chief executive Nadav Palti said: “We are thrilled that the team at Blu Yazmine, who have successfully produced many of the world’s top unscripted formats in Italy, have retained the local rights to the series and are currently developing a new version of The Auction.”

Hitler’s DNA: Blueprint Of A Dictator (ITV Studios)

Nippon TV’s Sayako Aoki

The Auction (Dori Media)

Cineflix Rights reels in deals for Virdee and Sunny Nights

DISTRIBUTOR Cineflix Rights has secured a raft of international deals for two major drama series.

The primetime crime thriller Virdee (6 x 60 mins), produced by Magical Society for BBC One, tells the tense story of a Bradford cop hunting down a serial killer. The series has been bought by Canal+ (the Netherlands), Filmin (Spain), SVT (Sweden) and BritBox for its platforms in Norway, Finland and Denmark. These new sales follow previous deals with SBS (Australia) and Media4Fun (Poland).

Based on the novels of AA Dhand, Virdee will also air in Asia on the BBC First and BBC Player platforms through a deal with BBC Studios.

Tom Misselbrook, senior vice-president of scripted sales and development at Cineflix Rights, said: “Virdee’s high-octane storytelling is proving a real hit with viewers. We’re thrilled to see further mo -

mentum for the series with these MIPCOM CANNES sales.”

Cineflix Rights, part of the Cineflix Media group of companies, has also closed a string of sales for its darkly comic drama Sunny Nights (8 x 60 mins), which sees a straightlaced American team up with his wayward sister to set up a spray-tan business in Sydney.

Originally produced by Jungle En-

tertainment and Echo Lake Entertainment for Australian streamer Stan, the drama was first picked up by ITV in the UK. It has now been acquired by Bell Media for

its English- and French-language services in Canada, ProSieben in Germany, Canal+ in the Netherlands, TVNZ in New Zealand, TG4 in Ireland and Yes in Israel.

Vienna calls detective Rex home

THE WORLD’s most famous dog detective began his crime-fighting career in Vienna in 1994 with TV drama Rex – A Cop’s Best Friend. Now, Rex is returning to his roots, with production under way on Rex – Vienna Calling.

Beta Film, MR Film, Seven.One and ORF are behind the new series of six feature-length episodes. It sees Rex

and his human partner Detective Max Steiner (played by Maximilian Brückner) roaming Vienna to solve murders, a bomb threat and a diamond robbery, among other cases.

MR Film is co-producing the series with Seven.One and ORF, with Beta Film handling international sales. It will air in 2026 on ORF in

WOODCUT AND GENNIE PLUNGE INTO DEEP BLUE CSI

Austria and SAT.1 in Germany, as well as on digital channel Joyn.

“Rex is one of the most celebrated and successful television franchises in the world — truly a much-loved classic. And now Rex – Vienna Calling will keep bringing people of all ages together in front of their screens,” said Beta Film chief distribution officer Oliver Bachert.

The Rex character has featured in more than 750 episodes over the years, with past series dubbed into dozens of languages and sold around the world.

“The beloved franchise has been around for more than 30 years, with Rex solving crimes not only across Europe but even in North America,” said MR Film producers Catrin Strasser and Oliver Auspitz. “Now it’s time for the most famous four-legged police detective to return home, back to where it all began.”

UK INDIE Woodcut Media and Los Angeles-based tech specialist Gennie are in Cannes with a “groundbreaking” series that uses AI to investigate historic shipwrecks. Woodcut and Gennie have signed a coproduction deal to make Deep Blue CSI, which is launching internationally this week. Gennie’s GenAI tech will be used to investigate mysterious wrecks and recreate their final moments. Gennie cofounder and chief creative officer Chelsea Durgin said the studio’s scrupulous approach to AI research ensures that all source materials are verified and that no unlicensed or copyright-infringing materials are used. Durgin added: “It starts with deep research. We only take data that has been peer-reviewed and comes from historical archives, to make sure that we are not spreading misinformation.”

Woodcut senior development producer Aidan Dunford said that Gennie’s AI represented a “whole new way to look at maritime history”. Praising Gennie’s “forensic approach” to research, Dunford added: “It’s super important to be able to trust co-production partners.”

Rex – Vienna Calling (Beta Film)

Virdee (Cineflix Rights)

Chelsea Durgin, Gennie; and Aidan Dunford, Woodcut Media

Sunny Nights (Cineflix Rights)

In the footsteps of Thelma and Louise

ITV STUDIOS unspooled a sizzle reel of new dramas and game shows at a MIPCOM CANNES press breakfast yesterday. The common theme: crime sprees and confidence tricksters — and the talent was on hand to sprinkle some star power over the event.

Jodie Whittaker, who stars in Frauds alongside co-writer Suranne Jones, revealed why she thinks the crime thriller is so compelling: “It explores characters we don’t normally see in this genre. Sam and Bert are Thelma and Louise-esque, which was definitely a reference for the writers.” But while the 1991 Thelma And Louise movie is about friendship, Frauds is filled with toxic characters. “It’s an art-heist drama featuring women in their forties,” Whittaker said, observing that this is a rare combination in television and, as a result, “massively appealing”.

A Taste For Murder screenwriter Matt Baker, whose credits include Patience and Professor T, set the six-part drama in Italian playground Capri, weaving a tale of murder and grief around a restaurant and its food. The crime procedural from Eagle Eye Drama stars Warren Brown. Meanwhile, Ruth Berry, president of global partnerships at ITV Studios, shared her take on the shifting video landscape. “The biggest development over the last year is the rise and rise of YouTube,” she said. “It’s a very do-

minant free-TV platform and it’s ripping up the script of where we thought we might be 10 years ago.”

In response, ITV has built a digital-entertainment division branded Zoo 55, which encompasses 170 social platforms, 160 FAST feeds, including a Love Island channel with Amazon US, and 20 mobile games. In addition, Zoo 55 recently entered into a partnership with Spotify that will see popular ITV content, including The Graham Norton Show, become available on the music streaming service.

Berry referenced a week of earthquake news in June, when Netflix joined forces with TFI, France Télévisions with Amazon and Disney+ with ITV. “Change is the constant that we’re all getting used to,” she said. “The pace is becoming more rapid. That’s why, for us, being agile is so important. This week is about strengthening partnerships around the world.”

To that end, ITV Studios confirmed a tie-up with reality show hitmakers Karsten Bartholin and Kenneth Kristensen of Banjo Formats. The two will help develop ITV Studios’ format slate.

ITV Studios has also snapped up the international production rights to controversial format Solitary, which sees contestants deprived of human contact and placed in pods to face a series of mental challenges.

Jodie Whittaker, star of Frauds

Content meets commerce as the Indian Wave gathers momentum

AFTER the Turkish Wave and the Korean Wave, industry trend-spotters should get ready for the Indian Wave, according to a raft of influential Indian delegates at MIPCOM CANNES.

“In India, content creation is not just one industry — it is as diverse as the country itself,” said Rupjyoti Brahma Karjee, consul-general of India in Marseille. “Every region has a different language and culture and ways of entertaining people. We are here to promote each and every one of them and showcase their creations across the board.”

With more than 65 Indian companies exhibiting at MIPCOM CANNES, India’s contemporary content industry is ready to build on its “100-year legacy to the world”, Brahma Karjee added. Central to this has been the launch of Indian trade show Waves and its global e-marketplace, Waves Bazaar, a digital platform for trading Indian content.

“Virtually all of India’s content

Jambika Docs unveils six

BOUTIQUE documentary sales agency Jambika Docs is at MIPCOM CANNES with a slate of six new documentaries spanning pop culture, human interest, science, social justice and natural history. What connects them, according to co-founder Juan Solera, is “a soul of education and public service, but also the ability to engage with a broad commercial audience. They connect at an

industry is on Waves Bazaar, seeking participation and partnerships,” said Abhay Sinha, director general of Services Export Promotion Council.

Conceived as a sales and networking hub for the media and entertainment industry, Waves Bazaar covers films, animation, gaming and esports, connecting creators, producers, investors and platforms on a single stage. Today, Waves Bazaar has grown to 6,000-plus registered sellers and some 7,000 registered buyers, with around 2,500 projects added to the platform since its launch in January.

Sinha added: “MIPCOM is providing an opportunity for us to meet with other protagonists of the industry and discuss the local and global dynamics of the business.”

Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has recently encouraged India’s public and private sector to target content exhibitions and showcase India’s creative talents as an expression of ‘soft power’.

new titles

emotional level and create a lasting impact on the audience — and on the buyer first!”

The new Barcelona-based distributor promises to become involved in crafting a film’s success, from development and financing

‘Think vertically from day one’

Juan Solera

through to promotion and reaching audiences. Solera said that TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat were important “front doors” to content: “We’re encouraging producers to ‘think vertically’

from day one — to use short, emotional formats as gateways to drive audiences towards our documentaries.”

Finished titles include Selling Superman (4 x 55 mins), in which a family deals with a father’s death and the discovery in his effects of a comic worth $4m; Left Write Hook (1 x 55/90 mins), which follows a programme to help survivors of childhood sexual trauma through boxing and creative writing; and Diary Of An Elephant Orphan (1 x 55/82 mins), about the struggle to rewild an albino elephant calf. In development is In Too Deep (2 x 50/52 mins), exploring the contested issue of ocean-floor exploration in the Cook Islands.

Solera, a 15-year industry veteran, has already closed deals with RTVE Spain, Al Jazeera English, Nippon TV Japan and Amazon Prime, among others.

Juan Solera (left) and Jota Salinas, Jambika Docs

Sadaf Choudhary, consul, CGI Marseille (left); Abhay Sinha, director general, Services Export Promotion Council; Narendra Hirawat, founder, NH Studioz; Rupjyoti Brahma Karjee, consul general, CGI Marseille; Tarun Talreja, general manager, National Film Development Corporation; and Chandranshu Awasthi, senior director, Services Export Promotion Council

HONG PICTURES

A NEW series from Korea’s Hong Pictures poses the questions: ‘If the Earth were to collapse, who would be the last survivor? And if our planet perishes, where will our home be?’. The series, Journey Home (4 x 50 mins/4K), is in production with a 2026 release date. Even in the face of a global pandemic there were nomads who lived mask-free and worry-free, continuing their daily lives. The series explores their remote highland homes to see how they survived while the rest of the world stood still, and in doing so considers solutions for surviving potential mass extinction and discovers insights for healing the ailing planet.

BOSSANOVA MEDIA

BOSSANOVA Media presents Guy Martin: Proper Jobs at MIPCOM CANNES. In the series Martin takes on some of the most demanding and dangerous jobs in the UK, undergoing essential training, often living with co-workers and learning more about the people who do these jobs every day. The jobs include becoming a trawler deckhand, getting to grips with nature as a wildlife warden on the remote Calf of Man island, training to become a firefighter, working a 24-hour shift at Grimsby’s busiest fire station and becoming part of a dog mountain-rescue team working the Cairngorms, one of the UK’s most dangerous mountain ranges.

Guy Martin: Proper Jobs (BossaNova)

Journey Home (Hong Pictures)

ORF-ENTERPRISE

ORF-Enterprise returns to MIPCOM CANNES with a content line-up including a season of Universum Nature’s breath-taking documentaries. In the series is The Red Sea – Evolution’s Magic Garden, in which the depths and surrounding environments of this young sea are explored, and Austria’s highest peak is featured in Austria’s Greatest Mountain –The Grossglockner. A Universum History title is Archduchess Sophie – The Power Behind The Habsburg Throne. The drama listings feature the continuation of the intriguing ORF Originals’ Days That Never Were, totalling 16 episodes in two seasons, as well as the third season of young-adult drama School Of Champions, making 24 episodes over three seasons, set for release towards the end of this year. Crime drama Soko Linz also returns, and with new additions to the team things are about to get difficult for the criminals in the Austrian city of Linz.

XILAM ANIMATION

SUBMARINE Jim (52 x 11 mins), aimed at six- to nine-year-olds, follows a young dolphin named Jim who, driving the world’s first-ever submarine on wheels, leads a motley crew of underwater friends on a whirlwind journey across land and sea. Their water-filled tube has left the ocean to seek out an unlikely destination, the pristine waters of Fishland. Along the way on their mission they have to navigate all sorts of situations and Jim is torn between his responsibilities as captain and having fun with his best friends. The series is brought to Cannes by France’s Xilam Animation.

Submarine Jim (Xilam Animation)

The Red Sea – Evolution’s Magic Garden (ORF-Enterprise)

FEDERATION INTERNATIONAL

DRAMAS on the MIPCOM CANNES hotlist for Federation International include: drama Those Who Lived (8 x 52 mins), featuring Marie, Arnaud, Caroline, Sébastien, Grégory, Stéphane and David, who have a unique friendship that formed on the night they were all taken hostage at the Bataclan concert hall, in Paris, 2015, and chronicling the years that follow as they struggle rebuild their lives; Reckless (4 x 52 mins), an adaptation of a British series, about a lawyer and her brother who accidentally run over and kill an old man. They make a split-second decision to cover it up, but just how far they’re willing to go to get away

with murder?; The Diploma (6 x 52 mins), about six adults who decide to take the Baccalaureate; The Girl From Athens (8 x 52 mins), about the Israeli candidate for prime minister, who travels to meet his illegitimate daughter in Greece. The encounter becomes dangerous as they get caught up with a ruthless neo-Nazi gang planning a massive attack in Athens; Sister Disaster (6 x 26 mins), about a group of teenage girls who find emancipation in a girl’s boarding school run by nuns; and comedy series Nails (8 x 26 mins) in which four stressed women meet at a nail salon and decide to reclaim the women they once were.

Those Who Lived (Federation International)

WHERE LATAM MEETS THE WORLD.

GLOBAL CONSTELLATION

GLOBAL Constellation presents Storm Is Coming, a two-part historical drama based on the novel by German author Oskar Maria Graf, at MIPCOM CANNES. Cobbler Julius Kraus becomes increasingly embroiled in the dramatic political events taking place between 1914 and Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. His fate is sealed by an inheritance from the US and the disclosure of his Jewish identity. Another priority for the company is 2D animation series Rabbit Academy (52 × 11 mins), aimed at ages six to 10. When city rabbits Max, Kela and Chester enrol at a prestigious forest boarding school they encounter ancient traditions, clandestine magical lessons and thrilling challenges. The stories blend humour, action and emotion to celebrate diversity, teamwork and the magic of growing up.

KBS MEDIA

WALKING On Thin Ice (12 x 70 mins) is a drama series brought to MIPCOM CANNES by Korea’s KBS Media. Eunsoo is an ordinary wife and mother, but after her husband dies she comes under pressure as she is in danger of losing the family home and her daughter turns her back on school. Then in a twist of fate a bag stuffed with drugs comes into her possession. She then makes a choice she can’t turn back from, when she teams up with a twofaced teacher and discovers that she has a natural gift for criminal activity. But every step she takes drags her down deeper, pursued by her enemies.

CHINA BRIDGE CONTENT

PRE-SCHOOL series The C-Pops! (26 x 7 mins) is a spin-off of the number-one rated Chinese show Rainbow Crew. The C-Pops! features the musical adventures of a super-cute pop group. The members of the group — Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall — sing their way through a series of adventures as they travel around in their Song Pods and try to overcome everyday problems with the help of a C-Pop song. The series is produced by China Bridge Content — a New York and Beijing-based company — in partnership with Perfect World Animation.

HOHO RIGHTS

TOPPING the slate for the UK’s HoHo Rights are two titles. Mandy And The Forces Of Evil (8 x 25 mins) is a quirky, female-led horror-comedy series, which follows the demon-slaying adventures of Mandy, an ordinary city dweller who inadvertently unleashes the forces of evil and is forced to fight them with whatever is at hand — whether it’s a pink towel, a flat iron or an online priest. Where The Wild Geese Go (13 x 7 mins/1 x 52 mins), a hybrid live-action/animation series for kids, follows the remarkable journey of the light-bellied brent geese on their epic migration from the Irish Coast to Arctic Canada. The flock is tagged by a group of schoolchildren and through their eyes and with the help of a team of scientists, the journey is explored.

The C-Pops! (China Bridge Content)

Mandy And The Forces Of Evil (HoHo Rights)

Storm Is Coming (Global Constellation)

Walking On Thin Ice (KBS Media)

09:00 - 09:15

The NOW of Content: Viral Trends 2025

09:15 - 09:40 Why Digital Media Studios Will Dominate the Future

09:45 - 10:15

10:30 - 11:00 MIP Headliner Mattel Keynote

Robbie Brenner, President of Mattel Studios & CCO

11:30 - 12:45

MIPCOM CANNES Spotlight: The Creator Economy Presented by After Party Studios, Dhar Mann Studios, Tubi

11:15 - 11:45

A Fireside Chat with Disney

12:15 - 12:45

Production Funding: Closing the Budget

09:40 - 10:20

YouTube for Rights Holders: A Strategic Guide to Revenue Growth Workshop hosted by YouTube

10:30 - 10:45

Reimagining CTV: Transparency, Objectivity & the Future of Streaming

10:45 - 11:15

I Want My CTV. Does Advertising via CTV Live Up to the Hype?

11:30 - 11:45

Unlocking Europe’s AdSupported Streaming Future Presented by OKAST

11:45 - 12:00

The Game-Changing Rise of Sports on FAST Presented by XUMO

12:00 - 12:20

In Conversation with DAZN From Rights to Reach: Sports in the Streaming Age

14:00 - 17:00 BrandStorytelling Summit

14:00 - 14:20 State of the

15:30 - 16:05 MIP Headliner

The Walking Dead, 15 Years & Still Walking (In All Kinds of Interesting Places...)

16:15 - 16:45 MIP Headliner

Beyond the Scroll: How to Drive Communities from Seconds to Storylines

Lea Karam, Founder and CEO, Mindscope & Ronan Harris, EMEA President, SNAP INC

16:50 - 17:15

18:00 - 19:15

Ku’damm77 MIPCOM CANNES World Premiere Screening Presented by ZDF Studios

17:30 - 18:00

Reinventing TV Shows with Creators: The tale of Creator Lab – a partnership between Banijay France & YouTube

14:30 - 15:15

FAST & AVOD Strategies, Partnerships & Global Growth

15:30 - 16:00

The Rise of Independent Creators on Streaming Platforms

MIPCOM CANNES Programme Partners

SIXTEEN SOUTH

IN-DEVELOPMENT series

The Retrievers (26 x 22 mins) is a CGI animation about an extraordinary girl and her loyal dog who solve impossible crimes with the help of a bunch of streetsmart animals. Set on the moody streets of Paris, the duo investigates crimes which have frustrated Molly’s dad — a loveable police inspector of questionable ability. The Northern Ireland-based company also highlights Mixmups (52 x 10 mins), about three playful pre-school friends — neat and tidy Pockets, creative and inventive Giggle, and boisterous and physical Spin. Along with their assistance pets Roller Guinea and Yapette the guide dog, they live in a wheelchair-accessible helter-skelter home. In the series — a mix of stop-frame, 2D and CGI animation — the friends use their magical wooden spoon and mixing box to transport themselves on a host of comical adventures with the help of their guardian, the lucky loover bird.

TGC GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT

US-BASED TGC Global Entertainment’s newest titles include: reality competition Code Red: The Lighthouse — blending raw survival realism with character-driven storytelling in a cinematic Nordic setting; Gold Rush, China’s hit business reality competition show; Date On A Plate, an original streaming format and one of four new dating formats from TGC’s exclusive deal with Elixir Studios in the US; and Don’t Laugh At My Song, a long-running Japanse musical comedy hit reinvented and reimagined. Further formats include US game show The Singing Bee, reinvented as Family Singing Bee; The League Of Extraordinary, from CBC Canada, the reality competition series that turns a country into an obstacle course; and Fridge Wars, also from CBC, a cooking competition based on what you find in your fridge.

MONSTER ENTERTAINMENT

MONSTER Entertainment attends MIPCOM CANNES with worldwide distribution rights for the animated comedy series Sir Mouse, which now totals 52 × 11 mins episodes across two seasons, and a Christmas special, with a new season having been just completed. The series launched at MIPJUNIOR. Produced by Fabrique Fantastique (Belgium) in co-production with and Avalon Films (Ireland), Sir Mouse is commissioned by Ketnet and RTÉ. The first season has already been picked up by broadcasters including NRK (Norway), YLE (Finland), KiKA (Germany), ABC Australia, and more. Aimed at children aged five to eight, the 2D comedy is based on the Mouse & Dragon books by Dirk Nielandt and Marjolein Pottie. It follows the bold but short-tempered knight Mouse and her gentle friend Dragon as they take on quirky medieval quests.

BUILD Your Own Home (10 x 60 mins) follows the challenges faced as homemakers set out to build their own home under the watchful eye of master builder and building teacher, Harrison Gardner. Over days, weeks and months of hard labour, they are mentored by Harrison, an Australian eco-builder and sustainability designer, who believes that anyone can learn how to build. In this series he challenges the construction and, borrowing practices of previous decades, shares his expertise, teaching homeowners to build or renovate their own dream home on a budget. The series is brought to Cannes by Ireland’s RTE Programme Sales.

Date On A Plate (TGC Global Entertainment)

Sir Mouse (Monster Entertainment)

The Retrievers (Sixteen South)

OFF THE FENCE

OFF THE Fence presents two documentaries at MIPCOM CANNES. Dark Waters (1 x 60 mins) revisits the 1996 Sea Empress disaster, when 72,000 tonnes of crude oil spilled along Wales’s coastline in one of the world’s worst ecological catastrophes. Using CGI recreations, rare footage and moving testimony, the film reconstructs seven harrowing days of failed rescue attempts, environmental devastation and a community’s fight for survival. Beyond the disaster itself, it explores long-term health, ecological and psychological consequences while raising urgent questions about accountability and the continuing reliance on oil. Looking ahead to the US 250th anniversary in 2026, Forgotten Heroes Of The American Revolution (2 x 60 mins) uncovers the overlooked individuals who shaped America’s fight for independence. Combining new archaeological and scientific discoveries with cutting-edge research and cinematic re-enactments, the series brings to life epic battles and the extraordinary stories of the Revolution’s unsung heroes.

MGOFI PRODUCTION

UNVEILED by Dublin, Ireland-based MGOFI Production at MIPCOM CANNES, Iconic Desgin[s] is a new factual series (10 x 3.30 mins) dedicated to the world’s iconic design objects (furniture, fashion, everyday items and transport) revealing their origins, cultural impact and contemporary resonance. Shot in 8K and enhanced by robotic, cinematic-precision camera movements, the series gives each object a sculptural, magnified presence. Designed from the outset for television, streaming platforms and digital, the series combines prestige aesthetics, accessible storytelling and a short-form format. Fronted by Maxime Golay, the series is presented in Cannes under the Creative Europe MEDIA umbrella.

SINKING SHIP ENTERTAINMENT

CANADA’s Sinking Ship Entertainment, along with Australia’s SLR Productions are in development on a 90-minute CGI feature, Monkey Base. Design and animation will be led by Sinking Ship, which will also handle international distribution, with SLR Productions managing Australian and New Zealand distribution. Major support for the development of Monkey Base comes from Screen NSW, whose support, alongside the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, has been instrumental in bringing the Australian-Canadian partnership to life. Erika, a hotshot Space Academy cadet, is destined for greatness until a spectacular graduation mishap gets her reassigned from Earth’s newest, shiniest space base to its oldest and most embarrassing, Space Base 7.

AK ENTERTAINMENT

ROMANCE-fantasy drama The Time Without Her (4 × 35 mins/1 x 110 mins) is an international co-production between Korea’s PH E&M and Japan’s Nagoya TV. The story follows a man who, devastated by his wife’s sudden death, loses all memory of her. As he retraces her history in her old photo album, he repeatedly encounters a mysterious high-school girl, leading him on a journey across time and memory that ultimately uncovers the truth connecting them. The Time Without Her is brought to Cannes by Korea’s AK Entertainment.

Monkey Base (Sinking Ship Entertainment)

The Time Without Her (AK Entertainment)

Dark Waters (Off the Fence)

Iconic Design[s] (MGOFI Production)

KICKING OFF LONDON’S BIGGEST CONTENT WEEK.

9 STORY DISTRIBUTION INTERNATIONAL

9 STORY Distribution International has acquired worldwide rights (excluding Australia and New Zealand) for animated comedy series Do Not Watch This Show (12 x 11 mins), and is launching the show at MIPCOM CANNES. Created by Australian entertainer and author Andy Lee, and based on his book series Do Not Open This Book. Do Not Watch This Show the stars Wizz, a pompous blue monster who is desperate for viewers to stop watching. Voiced by Lee, Wizz’s increasingly absurd attempts to sabotage his own show only make him more irresistible. The show is a Lee Bones Production for ABC, with funding from the ABC and Screen Australia, and financed in association with VicScreen.

RABBIT FILMS

HELSINKI, Finland-based Rabbit Films returns to MIPCOM CANNES with several new additions to its catalogue, including: The 100 (12 x 60 mins), from the creators of The Masked Singer, a Japanese musical game show in which each team’s total combined age must equal exactly 100 — and together they perform, but with only the front performer revealed; a second season of All Star Hide And Seek (6 x 30 mins), hosted by one of the nation’s biggest YouTubers, with five celebrities competing in the hiding challenge; Tales From The Trails (6 x 30 mins), an outdoor format featuring a celebrity, an outdoor expert and their respective dogs; and The Unusual Report (10 x 30 mins), in which a comedian goes in search of ordinary people who have made headlines in quirky, unusual ways — as viral memes, local community stories or on social media.

TF1

TFOU, the TF1 group’s children’s slot, and Ellipse Animation are in development on a new animated series, Animal Jack (52 x 11 mins), adapted from a popular comic by Belgian writer Kid Toussaint and illustrator Miss Prickly. Animal Jack is aimed at five- to eight-year-olds, the stories follow 10-year-old Jack who can transform into any animal he wishes. Although he cannot speak, he communicates in other ways, through his gestures, his looks and above all thanks to his friends who know him well. Far from being an obstacle, his difference becomes a strength that enriches the daily life of the whole town.

ALL3MEDIA International brings Wonderhood’s upcoming Michael Jackson documentary to Cannes, The Trial Of Michael Jackson (4 x 60 mins/working title), featuring contributors who have never spoken about the trial before. From Story Films comes The Moonies: Married To The Cult (1 x 90 mins/working title), exploring the church with billions in global assets, considerable political influence and millions of followers. Further documentaries on the slate include: Diddy: In Plain Sight, Spacey Unmasked and Who Is Ghislaine Maxwell. Other factual titles include: Hidden Wild Isles (4 x 60 mins), featuring wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin in the British Isles; Wild Homes With George Clarke (6 x 60 mins), featuring the coastlines of New Zealand and Australia; and Beyond Bali: The World’s Most Exotic Islands (8 x 60 mins). A scripted highlight is Trespasses (4 x 60 mins), starring Gillian Anderson as the mother of a young Catholic woman drawn into an illicit affair with a Protestant barrister. Further dramas include: Summerwater (6 x 60 mnins), set in a Scottish holiday park; thriller Secret Service (5 x 60 mins); poignant story Babies (6 x 60 mins); and I Fought The Law (4 x 60 mins), starring Sheridan Smith.

Do Not Watch This Show (9 Story Distribution International)

All Star Hide And Seek (Rabbit Films)

Animal Jack (TF1)

FRANCE TV DISTRIBUTION

AT MIPCOM CANNES France tv distribution is launching for international distribution new animation series MaeBee (52 x 7 mins). The pre-school series is produced by Karrot Studio and Kavaleer for France TV and UK broadcaster CBeebies. The stories follow the escapades of one determined gnome called Mae and her befuddled foster twin brother Bee. Mae is the smallest gnome in the whole magical valley, but she is also really strong. Her goal is to fill her book of Big as fast as she can, to finally be considered a grown-up. Helped by Bee, and a bit of magic, she begins her crazy adventures where she learns everything she needs to become a grown-up: trust, understanding, openness and creativity.

SCORPION TV

NEW ACQUISITIONS brought to MIPCOM CANNES by London-based Scorpion include five new films. For the Money – Three Spectacular Art Fraud Cases (1 x 52 mins) is a gripping investigation that exposes three major cases of art fraud, including the notorious Inigo Philbrick scandal, the betrayal of Dutch collector Bert Kreuk and the recovery of a stolen Van Gogh by famed art detective Arthur Brand. My Husband The Cyborg follows a woman who documents her husband’s journey into transhumanism and the impact it has on their relationship, featuring music by Sune Rose Wagner (The Raveonettes) and cameos from major music personalities. Frozen In Time: The Sacred Child Of The Incas (1 x 52 mins/69 mins) blends science, archaeology and spirituality to uncover the story of a high-altitude Inca mummy. Breaking Boundaries (1 x 52 mins/76 mins) follows Nastasya Generalova, the only Black rhythmic gymnast on Team USA, and her struggle for acceptance in an overwhelmingly white sport. My Five Year Plan (1 x 58 mins/75 mins) is a portrait of three young Chinese women navigating modern life, societal expectations and personal ambitions over seven years.

SCHOLASTIC ENTERTAINMENT/ 9 STORY MEDIA GROUP

SCHOLASTIC Entertainment and 9 Story Media Group bring a joint slate of new kids and family programming to MIPCPOM CANNES, including new shows in development, recent third-party acquisitions and new episodes of returning favourites, catering to audiences from preschool to teen. In development are: Dragon Girls (52 x 11 mins), aimed at six- to nine-year-olds, which follows three very different girls who are transported to a magical realm where they are transformed into powerful, shimmering dragons who battle the evil Shadow Queen; Paris & Pups, which is envisaged with 45-minute specials alongside a longform series. The CG animation is inspired by Paris Hilton and her reallife pets and is now live on YouTube; I Spy, a one-hour game show for all ages featuring teams of contestants who compete in a series of classic searching games; and The School For Wicked Witches (10 x 30 mins), a live-action series for seven- to 12-year-olds, following a 15-year-old witch learning to harness her powers. Returning series include Donkey Hodie (150 x 11 mins + 5 x 22 mins specials) and Rosies Rules (130 x 11 mins + 20 x 1 min interstitials).

3DD PRODUCTIONS

CLASSIC Christmas Movies (6 x 60 mins) is a new series from 3DD in co-production with Sky Arts UK that profiles films that have become mustsee holiday viewing. Each episode explores the making of one film, an affectionate journey through the challenges and stories from the shooting process. Hosted by Ian Nathan and a team of contributors, the series has been pre-bought by broadcaster SBS Australia and Sky NZ.

Dragon Girls (Scholastic Entertainment/9 Story Media Group)

My Five Year Plan (Scorpion TV)

Classic Christmas Movies (3DD Productions/Sky Arts UK)

MaeBee (France tv distribution)