Issuu

PREVIEW

October 2026

www.mipjunior.com

MIP BRANDWORKS

MIP HEADLINER

THE BIG AI KEYNOTE

Dentsu global head of entertainment Cathy Boxall

Dhar Mann Studios’ founder Dhar Mann

Utopai Studios cofounder and CEO Cecilia Shen

WORLD PREMIERE SCREENING Honey, from Fifth Season and Sid Gentle Films

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Welcome to

MIPCOM CANNES 2026

EVERY October, MIPCOM brings the global entertainment industry together in Cannes. What makes this market so special is its ability to evolve while remaining true to what has always mattered: great stories, international ambition and the relationships that turn creative ideas into global business. Our longstanding partners are central to that story. For decades, the world’s leading studios, broadcasters, producers, distributors and buyers have made MIPCOM their global meeting place. Alongside thousands of independent companies from around the world, they give this market its unique strength, scale and international reach.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

But entertainment no longer moves along a single path. Audiences move between television, streaming, social platforms and creator-led channels, following stories into new formats and communities. That is why we are expanding the universe of MIPCOM — not moving away from our foundations, but building on them.

Thank you for being part of it. On behalf of the entire MIPCOM team, I wish you a productive, inspiring and very successful market. Lucy Smith Director, MIPCOM CANNES and MIPJUNIOR

What’s new at MIPCOM 2026 This year, you’ll see that evolution across the market: • From Story to Scale — Our conference programme opens with Dhar Mann and Sean Atkins on Sunday, with a line-up spanning Netflix’s Bela Bajaria, Banijay Entertainment’s Jeff Zucker and Marco Bassetti, BBC Studios, NBCUniversal, YouTube, TikTok and many more from across the international industry. • YouTube at MIPCOM — YouTube returns with its biggest presence yet, with Pedro Pina and Justin Connolly leading workshops and panels that move the conversation from “why” to “how”, while the Merzigo x YouTube x MIPCOM Opening Night Party brings the whole community together.

• Creator-led Studios & New Storytelling — The Sidemen, Goalhanger and AfterParty Studios bring creator-led businesses into the mix, while Holywater, COL Group and GammaTime are among those exploring the growth of microdrama and vertical storytelling. • MIP AI Entertainment Forum — AI moves from theory to practical application, with Utopai Studios, Versos AI, Protege and others exploring how it is changing the entertainment business today. • MIP BrandWorks — In partnership with dentsu and Meta, MIP BrandWorks brings brands, agencies, creators and media companies together around new entertainment partnerships.

And, as ever, exceptional content remains at the heart of the market. This year’s world premieres include Honey, presented by Fifth Season, and Queen Silvia, presented by Beta Film — major international launches that underline Cannes’ enduring role as a place where the industry discovers what comes next. Underpinning all of this is the business that has always driven MIPCOM: financing, commissioning, rights, distribution and international growth. This is MIPCOM today: established and emerging entertainment businesses together in one global marketplace. Not separate worlds, but one increasingly connected industry.

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VARIETY VANGUARD AWARD: BELA BAJARIA

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW October 2026

www.mipcom.com

DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Filippo Rean MANAGEMENT TEAM Director Central Marketing, Arts and Entertainment: Morgane Morice; Entertainment Division Director + MIPCOM CANNES Director: Lucy Smith; 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: Clémence Simmelide EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor in Chief: Julian Newby; Deputy Editor: Debbie Lincoln; Contributors: Andy Fry, Max Leonard, Gary Smith; Editorial Management: Boutique Media International Ltd.; Graphic Studio: studioA Design; Graphic Designers: Sunnie Newby, Harriet Palmer PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Publishing Director: Martin Screpel; Publishing Manager: Amrane Lamiri; Printer: CREAMANIA, Fréjus (france). RX France 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 © 2026, ISSN 2104-2179, RX France Market.

NETFLIX chief content officer Bela Bajaria will receive the Variety Vanguard Award, recognising her contributions to the global content business, during MIPCOM CANNES. She takes to the stage of the Grand Auditorium, on October 12, from 17.00-17.30, for a Fireside Chat exploring the streaming giant’s next phase. The session comes as Netflix marks a decade as a global streaming service and Bajaria celebrates 10 years with the company. She is expected to discuss local content, live programming, creator partnerships and the evolving ‘Netflix Effect’. Netflix reported 97 billion viewing hours in the first half of 2026.

08 YOUTUBE

39 META

12 THE CREATOR ECONOMY

41 FOX TALENT IN CANNES

MIP Headliner: YouTube’s Pedro Pina and Justin Connolly

Creators are starting to influence how entertainment companies develop, finance, distribute and monitise content

18 MIP BRANDWORKS

MIPCOM is placing brands, agencies and creators at the centre of the content business with the launch of MIP BrandWorks

24 MIP AI ENTERTAINMENT FORUM The MIP AI Entertainment Forum explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping content creation, rights, archives and monetisation

30 MICRODRAMAS

The MIPCOM Global Microdrama & Vertical Leaders’ Summit is bringing together senior decision-makers across vertical storytelling

34 WORLD PREMIERE SCREENINGS Fifth Season’s Honey and Beta Film’s Queen Silvia

37 MIPCOM CANNES WOMEN All MIPCOM print products are printed on paper from sustainably managed sources using printing processes that comply with the PEFC standard.

Netflix’s Bela Bajaria

IN GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT POWER LUNCH Co- hosted by A+E Global Media in partnership with The Hollywood Reporter

55 Product News Content from around the world, on sale in Cannes

Entertainment head Sarah Malkin on immersive entertainment

Christie Brinkley, Stephen Amell and Sir Stephen Fry join a star-studded line-up

42 ASIA FOCUS

Meet participants from the MIPCOM Asia x Global Executive Summit

45 FORMATS

Treasure Box Japan showcase; FRAPA Formats Summit

47 BBC

The British public broadcaster sets out its creative strategy

49 JAPAN

Government shows support for international sales of Japanese content

50 PAVILIONS

Representing audiovisual industries country by country

73 MIPCOM AT A GLANCE

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RIVIERA HALL R7.N 9

Collecting and Sharing Stories Around the World.

10 x 60 minutes New Radial Original series

40 x 50 minutes All 4 seasons

121 x 60 minutes New episodes in production

297 Millennium Media titles, inc. Has Fallen series, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, and more.

115 x 60 minutes

Over 75,000 Movies and Episodes R A D I A LE NTE R TA I N M E NT.CO M/SA LE S @ R A D I A LE NT

MIP HEADLINER

YouTube shows the path to

monetisation

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

YouTube returns to MIPCOM to reinforce its role as a distribution and revenue partner

Broadcaster Story: The Pivot To YouTube With RTL Monday, October 12, 12.00-12.30 Grand Auditorium

YouTube’s Pedro Pina 8

YOUTUBE will use its expanded participation at MIPCOM to show broadcasters, studios and rights holders how they can turn the platform into a sustainable distribution and revenue channel. Pedro Pina, vice-president of YouTube EMEA, will open the market’s conference programme with a keynote in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals on Monday, October 12. His address will explore the “broadcaster pivot” and the potential for established media businesses to generate additional reach and revenue through digital distribution. “The media landscape is shifting rapidly, and YouTube is here to help broadcasters and studios grow,” Pina said. “This year at MIPCOM, our focus moves

from why media companies should be on YouTube to exactly how they can build a sustainable business on the platform. We want to show them a clear path to distribute and monetise content, driving shared success in the new streaming era.” Pina said that while many media companies had embraced YouTube, there remained room for growth through a more audience-first strategy and greater willingness to adopt a creator mindset. “From our Partner Sales programme to our multi-language tools for global scaling, we offer features and insights that every company can leverage to succeed, which we look forward to demonstrating this week,” he said. YouTube has scheduled six workshop panels in the Hi5 Theater, two per day Monday-Wednesday, at which media companies with different distribution strategies will present case studies explaining how they have built audiences and businesses on the platform. It has also doubled the staffing of the help desk introduced at last year’s market, giving visiting companies access to practical guidance and materials. YouTube’s programme reflects a growing effort to position the platform as a distribution and revenue partner to broadcasters and streaming services, rather than primarily as a promotional outlet or competitor. That pitch has become increasingly significant as YouTube viewing moves to the biggest screen in the home. Connected TV is now YouTube’s primary viewing device in major markets including the US, while logged-in viewers globally watch more than one billion hours of YouTube content on television screens each day. In EMEA, television and film content accounts for more than 30% of the platform’s total living-room watch time. Pina argued that the change had “effectively erased the historical boundary between traditional linear broadcasting and online digital video”. Audiences sitting in their living rooms, he said, do not distinguish between “a legacy network broadcast, a streaming original or a creator-led production”, but expect a unified, high-quality experience. “This represents a unique opportunity for broadcasters and streamers to meet their audience through various formats, especially long-form

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Where legends of the ﬁeld

@TheOverlap become legends of the feed Let’s stream bigger together

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YouTube’s Justin Connolly

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

MIP Headliner: The YouTube Flywheel x NBCUniversal Tuesday, October 13, 15.30-16.00 Grand Auditorium

content,” he added. “By partnering with YouTube, traditional media companies gain a powerful global distribution network as well as a monetisation platform that expands their total audience without cannibalising their core business.” Media commentator Evan Shapiro will join Pina and representatives of RTL on stage at MIPCOM to discuss how European broadcasters are using social video. YouTube is also expanding its presence on the exhibition floor through its YouTube View hub. Twice-daily workshops and panels will run in the Hi5 Theater from Monday to Wednesday, bringing YouTube executives together with media partners. The sessions will address monetisation, connected-TV growth, the use of YouTube Studio analytics and the development of creator-brand partnerships. Executives will also discuss the convergence of traditional media and the creator economy, video-first podcasts, live entertainment and AI-enabled formats. Justin Connolly, VP and global head of media and sports at YouTube, will be among the

senior executives participating. “Over the last four years, YouTube paid more than $100bn to creators, artists and media companies,” Connolly said. “This is made possible by a dual-revenue-stream approach that unlocks substantial value for our partners across advertising and subscription offerings.” He added: “Ultimately we only win when our partners do. So our overall goal at MIPCOM is to help companies better understand the potential of YouTube to grow their owned audiences, diversify their revenue streams and expand their global fanbases.” Connolly also joins NBCUniversal’s Matt Schnaars for TheYouTube Flywheel x NBCUniversal MIP Headliner presentation. YouTube will begin its MIPCOM activity during the MIPJUNIOR weekend, on October 10 and 11. In addition to sponsoring the MIPJUNIOR Opening Happy Hour, it will host an on-stage session examining how established children’s brands and digitally native properties can build fandom, extend IP and connect with Gen-Z and teen audiences.

The Merzigo x YouTube x MIPCOM Cannes Opening Night Party is at the Majestic hotel on Monday at 19.00

Merzigo x YouTube x MIPCOM Cannes Opening Night Party

Merzigo’s Yigit Dogan Celik

MIPCOM Opening Night Party in partnership with Merzigo and YouTube Monday, October 12, 19.00-21.00 Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic 10

MERZIGO and YouTube will co-host the official MIPCOM Cannes Opening Night Party at the Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes on Monday, October 12. The event will bring together executives from television, streaming, digital media, brands, technology and the creator economy. The partnership marks the London, Hollywood and Türkiye-based Merzigo’s return as headline partner of the opening-night event following its involvement in 2025. The media technology company will also have a dedicated presence at MIPCOM, supported by meetings, panels and networking activities across the week. Merzigo chairman and CEO Yigit Dogan Celik said the company’s work with rights holders as well as its involvement in around 6,000 channels gave the company “a unique perspective”

on the evolution of premium content. “Our global audiences demand control and crave great entertainment,” he added. “We’re thrilled to host once again the MIPCOM Cannes Opening Night Party alongside YouTube and continue this conversation at such a pivotal moment in our industry.” Pedro Pina, vice-president of YouTube EMEA, said the event would reflect a media business increasingly shaped by the convergence of established content companies, digital platforms and creators. “Co-hosting the MIPCOM Cannes Opening Night Party alongside Merzigo is a celebration of where the media business is heading: one driven by fandom-fuelled IP, global audience scale and sustainable commercial partnerships across screens of every size,” he said.

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s r o t a Cretake centre stage THE CREATOR ECONOMY

in Cannes

Creators are starting to influence how entertainment companies develop, finance, distribute and monetise content

Dhar Mann

French creator Michou

ONCE TREATED as a parallel economy developing beyond television’s traditional structures, creators are moving towards the centre of the international content business. MIPCOM has charted that transition for several years, but its 2026 programme suggests the relationship has entered a new stage. Creator-led entertainment is no longer confined to social reach or influencer marketing. It now runs through conversations about global IP, commissioning, distribution, financing, formats, brands and the future of television itself. The creator emphasis at MIPCOM begins before the main market opens. On Sunday, October 11, Dhar Mann and Dhar Mann Studios CEO Sean Atkins will take to the Grand Auditorium for a MIP Headliner session. Dhar Mann Studios now generates almost 300 million views each week and reaches 170 million followers. It has also expanded through brand collaborations with Adobe, the NFL and Gap; a FAST channel and originals deal with Samsung TV Plus; and a vertical-video slate with Fox Entertainment. Atkins described the company’s evolution as “building the infrastructure around what Dhar already proved creatively, so we can continue to scale with the audience”. Producing five halfhour scripted episodes a week requires operations spanning production and creative, HR and finance, distribution and technology. Yet the starting point remains constant. “We start with the audience,” he said. “The format or platform can change but that core shouldn’t.” For Atkins, the creator economy and entertainment industry are not competing but offer “different ways to reach audiences”. In Cannes, the studio will seek “distributors, platforms, brands and media companies that want to build new models”. MIP Headliner: Dhar Mann Studios Sunday, October 11, 17.00-17.45 Grand Auditorium *****

Dhar Mann Studios’ Sean Atkins

Monday’s programme moves from scale to format development. In the MIP Creative Hub, French

creator Michou joins Dreamspark CEO Moe Bennani to examine how YouTube hit Terminal is being developed into a returning format. Co-produced with Michoucorp and distributed by Dreamspark, its new season shows what can happen when a creator’s audience and instincts meet the production structure and strategy of a formats company. “YouTube has changed a lot and we are already seeing much bigger productions on the platform, but there are still ideas where you think: if we really want to push this concept as far as it can go, we need another level of scale and resources,” Michou said. “With Terminal, I felt there was a door we could open. The concept naturally lends itself to becoming a much bigger entertainment experience, with more ambitious games, production design and storytelling. YouTube gives me an incredible amount of freedom and a direct relationship with my audience, and that remains essential. But developing Terminal as a format allows us to take the original idea much further — and potentially make it live beyond my own channel, with other creators and audiences around the world.” The discussion will cover casting, format mechanics and cross-platform economics, while asking which creator-led ideas can work beyond the personality that originated them. Michou x Dreamspark: Terminal, From YouTube Hit To Global Format Monday, October 12, 14.45-15.10 MIP Creative Hub *****

The machinery behind such alliances is in focus on Wednesday. Power Brokers: Inside The Business Of Creator-led Entertainment brings together Rich Bloom, EVP and GM of creator programmes and business development at Tubi; Arcade Media commercial MD Joe Lamb; creator lawyer Tyler Chou; and a UK TikTok creator. Moderated by Tubefilter founder Drew Baldwin, it looks at how partnerships are structured around IP, finance, distribution and audience growth.

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MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Arcade Media’s Joe Lamb

Dreamspark’s Moe Bennani

Through Tubi for Creators and its Creatorverse Incubator partnership with TikTok, the ad-supported streaming platform is offering digital talent a route into premium long-form scripted and unscripted programming. Bloom says follower numbers are only a starting point. “We’re interested in fandom: how deeply an audience is invested, not simply how many people are in it. Depth of engagement is a bigger consideration than scale.” Tubi also looks for a distinctive voice and a fit with genres where it has established audiences, including Black entertainment, horror, young adult, true crime and reality. The creator brings that voice and an invested audience; Tubi offers distribution and access to relevant fandoms already on the service. “What brings creators to the Tubi Creatorverse is the opportunity to make something they’re passionate about without building it solely to satisfy an algorithm, while maintaining creative freedom,” Bloom said. “They can push further, take a bigger swing and elevate the work beyond what a feed typically rewards.” Support depends on the creator. Some need a full production operation; others need resources and space, with ownership and control agreed from the outset. Incubator participants may receive guidance from Tubi’s Originals team, a scriptwriter or showrunner, or a broader production package, while remaining the central creative voice. Funding can be decisive: “The real barrier for many creators is being asked to deficit-finance their own ambition, and we would rather fund the work.” ThePower Brokers: Inside The Business Of Creator-led Entertainment Wednesday, October 14, 11.40-12.10 MIP Creative Hub ***** “Big media and the creator economy are melding into one experience, and both are changing dramatically as a result,” according to Media analyst Evan Shapiro, who adds: “As creators become brands, studios and brands need to become creators.” That shift is reflected in participants ranging

Tubi’s Rich Bloom

TikTok’s Dennis Papirowski

Media analyst Evan Shapiro

Creators today are true media entrepreneurs

‘

Dennis Papirowski

’

from Sidemen Entertainment and Dhar Mann Studios to YouTube, Netflix, TikTok, Tubi, Meta and Samsung TV Plus, alongside established media organisations looking for ways to develop and work with digital talent. The wider point running through the programme is that creators are no longer simply supplying talent or promotional reach to the entertainment industry. They are building IP, formats and businesses designed to move between feeds, streaming services, television and film. That will be central to TikTok global head of content Dennis Papirowski’s MIP Headliner session on Wednesday, October 14. “Creators today are true media entrepreneurs,”Papirowski said. “They’re thinking far beyond immediate reach on a single feed; they’re building sustainable, multi-platform brands.” He sees a clear move towards original IP, formats and long-form projects intended to travel into television, streaming and film. Creators are also expanding into acting, hosting, writing and producing, bringing their highly engaged communities with them. TikTok’s role in that movement is increasingly connected to the established entertainment ecosystem. “It’s no longer just a platform for discovery, but a bridge connecting talent, fans and rights holders — closing the gap between the creator economy and the traditional entertainment industry,” Papirowski said. He argues that the platform makes entertainment fandom visible at scale. According to TikTok, 69% of its users actively co-create content connected to a show or film, including parodies, fan fiction, reviews and reaction videos, while more than 6.5 million daily posts are dedicated to film and TV. Creators can therefore act as ambassadors who turn continuing conversation into streams, tune-in and cinema visits, rather than providing awareness only around launch. Papirowski points to Zainab Jiwa and Reece Feldman as creators whose fan-first styles have led to collaborations with major studios and industry figures. Such relationships represent a two-way exchange: creators contribute an instinct for community and the ability to connect digital fandom with behaviour, while traditional companies offer

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scale, narrative depth and access to major IP. “The strongest opportunity is not as simple as one side borrowing from the other, but both sides coming together in new and original ways.” That principle provides a route into the wider creator programme, which will examine what those collaborations look like in practice — from studio infrastructure and format development to dealmaking, public-service partnerships and connected-TV distribution.

Producer Martin Coulaty

MIP Headliner: TikTok’s Dennis Papirowski Wednesday, October 14, 16.00-16.30 Grand Auditorium

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

*****

France Télévisions’ Nathalie Wogue

France Télévisions’ Tiphaine de Raguenel

Happy Place’s Fearne Cotton 16

Traditional broadcasters are building their own routes into the market. France Télévisions’ Creators Connect session (Wednesday, October 14, 10.00-10.25, MIP Creative Hub) will feature Nathalie Wogue, its newly appointed head of unscripted formats creation, and Martin Coulaty, former producer of creator Gaspard G and originator of Chasseurs de souvenirs. The format emerged through the broadcaster’s new-formats incubator, showing how digital talent can be identified and developed towards mainstream production. France Télévisions director of children’s and young adult content Tiphaine de Raguenel said the strategy reflects a profound change in viewing, with more than half of video consumption now taking place on phones and linear viewing declining, particularly among younger audiences. “It is therefore essential to invest in the platforms where audiences are, without setting those environments against our owned channels,” she said. “The initial results show that these uses are complementary: there is no cannibalisation between YouTube, france.tv and the linear channels.” On YouTube, two-thirds of the broadcaster’s audience is aged 18–34 and more male than its audience elsewhere. Digital-native creators bring “a mastery of new

Samsung TV Plus’ Chris Gregory

formats and affinity communities”, as well as the ability to produce, test concepts and build direct audience relationships. Collaboration must nevertheless begin with their identity. “Preserving their authenticity means retaining their voice, their codes and their know-how, while building a rigorous editorial and production framework with them,” de Raguenel said. France Télévisions can add exposure and scale: the latest GP Explorer retained its Twitch audience and doubled its reach through simultaneous coverage on France 2 and france.tv. Another Creators Connect session (Wednesday, October 14, 14.30-15.00, MIP Creative Hub) will focus on British TV presenter and author Fearne Cotton’s expansion from broadcasting and publishing into the multi-platform Happy Place brand. Cotton is appearing alongside Samsung TV Plus EMEA head of content development Chris Gregory to discuss how FAST distribution can extend a creator proposition into connected TV. Gregory said live and creator-led programming can bring a wider demographic to FAST, but social talent cannot simply be repackaged. “With creator channels, these can’t just be plug-andplay formats from social media; they need to feel elevated and premium.” Creators bring familiar faces and formats that can draw younger viewers, while their audiences enable mutual promotion: “They market their own brands on our channels while we amplify them, helping both sides reach new audiences.” Creator economics also intersects with other MIPCOM themes. The Brand x Creator Meet & Pitch (Verriere Grand Auditorium, Tuesday, October 13, 15.00-16:15) will connect brands with creators and studios around content and IP partnerships, while Creators Connect: Vertical Originals (MIP Creative Hub, Wednesday, October 14, 15:15 – 15:45) brings Second Rodeo Productions, Webedia and TikTok together to explore creator-led vertical series. At the New Formats, New Stories: The Creators Behind Meta’s Original Series session (Monday, October 12, 14.00-14.45, MIP Innovation Lab), Meta will bring together the teams behind I Let You In and Open Season to discuss new production formats and immersive storytelling. Meta’s Sarah Malkin said the starting point may be creative licensing windows, co-production or development programmes, with the structure shaped around each partner. “The goal is to grow our partners’ footprint, not just fill our own slate.” Malkin argued that partnership can leave lasting infrastructure around emerging forms. “A production company that finishes an immersive project keeps everything it learned — the crew, the workflow, the instincts stay in the building,” she said. “A category doesn’t mature when someone makes a hit. It matures when making one stops feeling like a risk.”

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B MIP BRANDWORKS

Where brands

meet content

Dentsu’s Cathy Boxall

Unxnown’s Doug Scott

Dentsu’s Geneva Wasserman

MIPCOM is placing brands, agencies and creators at the centre of the international content business with the launch of three-day initiative MIP BrandWorks MIP BRANDWORKS is designed to connect brands, agencies and creators with studios, production companies, platforms, commissioners and rights holders. Across three days of MIPCOM, MIP BrandWorks will combine showcases, matchmaking, industry programming and private meetings, reflecting the growing role brands and creators play in how content is conceived, financed, produced and brought to audiences. Dentsu has been named as headline partner, with Meta joining key elements of the programme. Dentsu’s involvement includes a main-stage slot, the Brand x Creator Meet & Pitch, a roundtable at the Global Microdrama & Vertical Leaders Summit and participation, alongside Meta, in the MIP Brandworks: CXO Summit. MIP Brandworks CXO Summit Monday, October 12, 09.00-11.00 Majestic hotel *****

Dentsu global head of entertainment Cathy Boxall believes the launch reflects a fundamental change in the role brands can play. “Entertainment as a part of the marketing mix for brands has become more and more important,” she said. “Entertainment is where culture and commerce collide, and MIPCOM

is one of the few places where the industry’s key decision-makers come together to do business.” For Boxall, the opportunity is increasingly about fandom and long-term value rather than simply placing advertising around somebody else’s programme. “Fandom is now one of the most reliable predictors of long-term brand value,” she said. “MIPCOM gives brands a rare opportunity to understand the commercial dynamics behind the content, formats and franchises shaping culture.” Brands are looking beyond sponsorship of finished programmes and seeking to enter the creative process earlier. “Brands are increasingly looking to embed themselves within IP and move up the supply chain of storytelling,” Boxall said. “They’re coming in at a really early stage, working with producers, directors and talent to build their stories in from the beginning.” Global Microdrama & Vertical Leaders’ Summit Wednesday, October 14, 09:00-10:15 Verriere Grand Auditorium *****

That shift is being matched by a change in the attitude of the entertainment industry. “When I came to MIPCOM last year, I could just see a real

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Join us at the dentsu lounge, located in the Debussy foyer.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Consultant Samantha Glynne

IPX’s Anthony Damianakis

IPX’s Pete Fergusson

shift in the mindset of IP owners,” Boxall said. “There was so much interest in the brand space and a real willingness to learn and understand.” Agencies such as Dentsu can play a connective role. “Brands, producers and creators come from different places,” Boxall said. “Dentsu’s role is to connect the brand and creative worlds, helping everybody understand and speak each other’s languages.” Geneva Wasserman, executive vice-president of strategy and operations at Dentsu Entertainment, sees a corresponding change in expectations. “Previously, brands focused on integration and attachment. Now they’re focused on affinity, attribution and infrastructure,” she said. Brands are building routes to audiences with creators, platforms and communities, while increasingly seeking IP ownership, revenue participation or creative involvement in studio partnerships. Wasserman argued that money may be the least interesting contribution a brand can make. Owned channels, retail footprints, first-party data and established consumer communities can all increase a project’s reach and return when considered during development. “Brands need to think like — and be treated like — producers, not sponsors,” she said. BrandWorks co-producer Doug Scott, founder of brand agency Unxnown, describes the next step as the evolution of branded content into something “far more systematic”: an environment in which brands can move beyond campaigns to build always-on programming, develop format IP and integrate commerce into the narrative. Consultant Samantha Glynne, who has played a key role in developing the brand entertainment space, said BrandWorks addresses a longstanding gap. “There has never been a place for us all to get together, whether we are from production companies, broadcasters, brands or agencies,” she said. “Where is our place to celebrate the work that is being done and the business models being created, and to discuss the highs, lows, problems, frustrations and successes? That is why I love the fact that MIPCOM has launched BrandWorks. It is our place.” BrandWorks gives newcomers and established players a route through the subject, spanning senior discussion, case studies, emerging formats and dealmaking. “People who have not been before have a direct path to be informed and entertained,” Glynne said. “It has a lot of potential to grow. Dentsu coming on board as a partner sends a potent message to the industry.” Anthony Damianakis, co-CEO of BrandWorks matchmaking partner IPX, said tightening commissioning budgets and rising production costs

mean good IP is often waiting on the final 20%50% of its funding. “Brand capital is one of the only new sources of money entering the system and, unlike a distribution advance, it arrives with an audience and a marketing budget attached,” he said. In the Gulf, he added, brands and destinations are increasingly commissioning at origination rather than buying in at the end. Pete Fergusson, also co-CEO of IPX, saw brands seeking a role in content, IP and the audience relationship itself: “The willingness is there; now we need to create the places, platforms and processes that bring the right people together.” His preferred model is “collaboration without interference”: producers should ask what problem their IP can solve for a brand, rather than simply how the brand might fund it. The Brand x Creator Meet & Pitch puts that principle into practice. Developed by MIPCOM and IPX, it allows brands to review profiles and select creators, producers, studios and emerging creative businesses for focused, pre-scheduled meetings, supported by recommendations based on their objectives, audiences and business needs. For Damianakis, “it’s rarely the creative; it’s calendars and contracts” that cause hold-ups. Brands plan annually, while development can run for 18 months to three years and the marketer championing a project may move on. He advises partners to record the brief and settle ownership, territories, term, brand benefits and sequel rights at the outset. Producers should arrive able to answer questions about budget, committed finance, the funding gap, distribution, brand return and exclusivity. Measurement remains another barrier. Glynne is working with Oxford Brookes University on the proposed Branded Entertainment Value Initiative, an industry-academic collaboration intended to develop an independent valuation and benchmarking system. It would consult brands, agencies, producers, distributors, broadcasters and platforms to create shared metrics supporting different measurement tools. “Without measurement, brands can’t get projects through their CFOs,” she said. Findings are provisionally intended for MIPCOM 2028. The BrandWorks schedule moves between strategic debate and practical examples. The invitation-only CXO Summit on the morning of Monday, October 12, will bring senior figures from brands, agencies, studios, platforms, the creator economy and AI together for candid discussion. Later that day, Branded Entertainment 2.0: When Purpose Meets Premium Production will examine how purpose, audience insight and premium production can create culturally relevant entertainment while aligning creative am-

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MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Fremantle’s Lydia Goomansingh

Branded Entertainment 2.0: When Purpose Meets Premium Production Monday, October 12, 15.30–16.00 MIP Creative Hub *****

Baby Teeth’s Chris Watling

HTO Productions’ Harry Roselmack

bition, brand objectives and measurable impact. Fremantle’s Lydia Goomansingh is confirmed, with Doug Scott moderating. Goomansingh describes Branded Entertainment 2.0 as a shift from brands appearing in entertainment to helping build it. “Instead of asking, ‘Where can we put the product?’, brands are asking, ‘What can we co-create?’” she said. A premium partnership can extend across television and streaming, social, creators, live experiences, gaming and commerce, allowing the brand to participate in the whole audience journey. That broader role reflects changing audience expectations and new routes to value. Viewers readily filter out obvious selling and expect transparency and a meaningful value exchange. “The strongest partnerships give brands a credible role in the entertainment itself while preserving the creative integrity that makes the property valuable,” Goomansingh said. When branded entertainment earns attention, “the ad is the content, rather than content being a wrapper around an ad”.

On Tuesday, the MIP BrandWorks Showcase programme throughout the day, in the Hi5 Studio, will give companies an upfront-style platform to present partnership opportunities directly to brands and agencies. Confirmed propositions include BlueLemon and We Are Watching on connecting brands, rights holders and creators through YouTube, Webedia/Elephant with Dassault Systemes’ series The Engineers Of The Future on Prime Video, L’Oréal Luxe’s cultural dive on YouTube and an exclusive peak at an upcoming project, and Baby Teeth presenting Finding Jamie with Life360 and Jamie Oliver. Baby Teeth founder and partner Chris Watling said the partnership grew from an authentic connection: Oliver and his family had used Life360 for years, while Baby Teeth was already working with the Jamie Oliver Group on new audiences and formats. “The best brand integrations are when you can’t remove the brand without breaking the story,” he said. Life360’s features therefore sit at the heart of a narrative that also had to feel true to Oliver’s family. The Jamie Oliver Group retains the underlying IP, while Life360 gains access to entertainment, audience and dis-

tribution capable of building over time. Finding Jamie was conceived as five weekly vertical episodes for Oliver’s social channels, rather than a television idea cropped for mobile. Watling says the format demands an immediate premise, a comic engine in every instalment and momentum into the next. It also illustrates a broader shift “from buying attention to earning it”. Brands must fund development and talent, consider distribution from the outset and accept that creators may own the IP. Vertical makes that approach more accessible than traditional television or film, he added, but entertainment is essential: “You have to earn your right for audiences to care.” Dentsu’s recently announced partnership with Made By Us Studios offers another version of that model, giving clients and production partners access to creator-led projects with talent, audiences and distribution built in. Geneva Wasserman points to short-form and vertical growth and says success will mean “real programming in front of real audiences that brands helped create from the beginning”, supported by a repeatable pipeline rather than a one-off project. A further MIP BrandWorks Showcase case study, Millésime(s), is a documentary series built around Bordeaux and its winemakers. Producers from France, the UK, Brazil and Belgium are working with Wines of Bordeaux and regional institutions. Co-producer Harry Roselmack, of HTO Productions, said the story goes beyond wine to explore a region undergoing economic, environmental, cultural and generational change through compelling human characters. For co-producer Joël Griffault of MGGB Pictures, the model lets partners contribute finance, expertise, access, visibility, reach or distribution without one stakeholder carrying the project. Also co-producing, MGGB Pictures’ Léa Griffault, stressed the importance of keeping editorial participation separate from partnership activation: “If audiences feel they are watching advertising, you lose them.” MGGB Pictures’ Nicolas Bouvet sees the series as a response to the search for new models, bringing together producers seeking finance, platforms seeking distinctive IP and brands looking beyond advertising. That balance — commercial collaboration without sacrificing audience trust — runs through BrandWorks. Dentsu’s Cathy Boxall said growth depends on everyone approaching the table with an open mind and learning from the other side. Samantha Glynne’s related point is that, for the first time, they will have a table at which to do it.

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Ai MIP AI ENTERTAINMENT FORUM

AI’s next act: from

hype to business The MIP AI Entertainment Forum explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the business of content creation, rights, archives and monetisation

Utopai Studios’ Cecilia Shen

Versos AI’s Chris Keevill

Curiosity Stream’s Ludo Dufour

ARTIFICIAL intelligence moves firmly into MIPCOM’s mainstream this year with the launch of the MIP AI Entertainment Forum, a three-day programme bringing together content companies and technology players to explore how rapid advances in AI can be turned into practical entertainment businesses. Running from Monday, October 12 to Wednesday, October 14, the Forum will span the Grand Auditorium, MIP Innovation Lab and roundtables. The programme covers creation and storytelling, production and workflow, and licensing and distribution. While much attention has focused on AI’s ability to produce images, video and text, the companies taking part point to wider applications: new production models, rights management, archive activation and data-led distribution. Utopai Studios co-founder and CEO Cecilia Shen will address core creative questions in an opening-day keynote. A headline partner of the Forum, Utopai describes itself as an “AI-native studio”, developing and acquiring IP and producing long-form film and TV through an infrastructure in which AI is integrated across the production process. “An AI-native studio is not a technology company producing impressive clips, nor is it a traditional studio adding AI to a few stages of production,” Shen said. “At Utopai, AI is integrated into the entire creative and production architecture — from development and visualisation through production, post-production and localisation.” Rather than beginning with a conventional workflow and looking for places to reduce time or cost, Utopai starts with the creative ambition and designs a production system around it. Writers, directors, producers and artists retain responsibility for the story and significant creative decisions. Its PAI cinematic storytelling system addresses the challenge of maintaining narrative and visual continuity across shots and scenes. A key differentiator, Shen said, is that Utopai also operates as a studio: originating and acquiring IP, developing projects, assembling creative teams and taking long-form work through production.

The technology is therefore part of a broader creative and commercial structure rather than a product demonstrated in isolation. Shen believes it goes beyond efficiency. “The real promise of AI is not making the same content slightly faster or cheaper. It is making stories possible that the traditional economics of production might never have allowed to be greenlit.” Filmmakers can demonstrate ambitious worlds earlier, producers can take greater creative risks and creators without established infrastructure can compete more effectively — a potential “new greenlight economy”. But human judgement becomes more important, she argues: technology can offer possibilities, but cannot decide whether a story is worth telling or a performance feels emotionally honest. At MIPCOM, Utopai is looking for broadcaster co-development, producer co-productions and partnerships with rights holders. Localisation possibilities could extend beyond translated dialogue to reshaping projects with local writers and filmmakers around culture, humour and audience expectations. Shen will be joined on stage by Ken Oh, content CEO, CJ ENM Studios in Korea. Oh has produced global hits including Lovely Runner (TVing), Mask Girl (Netflix) and What’s Wrong |With Secretary Kim (TVN). Central to the Korean-content wave across OTT platforms, he is know for his ability to acquire original IP as well as spot up-and-coming writers and producers. The Big AI Keynote With Utopai Studios: Cecilia Shen Monday, October 12, 11.20-11.50 Grand Auditorium *****

Versos AI CEO and co-founder Chris Keevill will be joined by Curiosity Stream VP of licensing Ludo Dufour and Arcadia Entertainment president John Wesley Chisholm for The Next Chapter In AI Training Data: The Shift To Specialized Video Data & Provenance. Versos

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MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Arcadia Entertainment’s John Wesley Chisholm

Protege’s Dave Davis

enables rights holders to analyse video libraries and turn material into structured, rights-verified datasets for AI training. The company, which launched its platform in February, has a multi-year commercial partnership and data-delivery contract with Curiosity Stream. Keevill sees demand growing as models learn from video and develop a richer understanding of the physical world, potentially creating value from footage that has been difficult to monetise conventionally. “This opportunity will only be sustainable if it is built on trust,” he said. “Content must be properly licensed, its provenance and chain of custody must be clear, and rights holders need control over how their work is used and compensation for the value it creates.” His advice is to understand underlying rights and restrictions, improve metadata and decide which AI applications an owner is prepared to support. “Simply handing over an entire archive is not a practical AI strategy.”

and sensitivities that conventional programme licensing was not designed to address.

Versos AI – The Next Chapter In AI Training Data Monday, October 12, 10:05-10:25 MIP Innovation Lab

From Archive To Audience: How Leading Media Companies Activate Their IP Wednesday, October 14, 09.30-09.50 MIP Innovation Lab

*****

Protege’s Training Data Deals: How AI Companies Are Licensing Filmed Entertainment session will bring together Protege chief content officer Dave Davis, Autentic Films managing director Patrick Hörl and Black Forest Labs’ Amanda Botha. Protege’s head of EMEA media licensing, Xenia Shevnina, said 2026 has brought a shift away from “all-you-can-eat” pre-training deals towards targeted material for fine-tuning and particular uses. “AI has created a genuinely new licensing market for media,” she said, with Protege seeking a more transparent relationship between media and technology businesses. Its role is to sit at the intersection between owners and AI developers, helping the two sides navigate deal economics, legal considerations

That theme continues in From Metadata To Money: How AI Is Unlocking The Value of Your Library, involving Twelve Labs and Social Department. Social Department founder and CEO Jonathan Verk describes his company as the “product layer” above the infrastructure that stores content and the video-intelligence systems that understand it. It combines tools including Twelve Labs and Moments Lab with its own intelligence rather than relying on one model. “The product layer is what sits on top and turns that understanding into revenue,” he said. Social Department’s newly launched Autonomous Content Monetisation Engine (ACME) can identify promising material without a home on linear television, streaming, FAST or YouTube; devise a channel strategy; create clips, compilations, titles, metadata and thumbnails; schedule publishing; and optimise output according to performance. Verk said the aim is to unlock the “95-99%” of library content that is uneconomic for human teams to market. “What stays human is judgment at the gates,” he said. “People approve the strategy, the budget, the brand and creative direction, and what ultimately publishes. The machine does the volume; humans keep the taste and commercial control.” The commercial case is not only cutting costs but activating more of a catalogue and using performance data to improve future decisions. Verk calls this keeping “humans on the loop”: people steer and approve the system instead of

Autentic Film’s Patrick Hörl

Protege’s Xenia Shevnina

Black Forest Labs’ Amanda Botha

Protege - Training Data Deals Monday, October 12, 10:50-11:10 MIP Innovation Lab ***** Other sessions consider what AI can do with libraries without licensing them as training data. Moments Lab CTO and co-founder Fred Petitpont will lead From Archive To Audience: How Leading Media Companies Activate Their IP, exploring how AI can help owners understand large libraries, find useful moments and repurpose them for short-form, vertical and social platforms. The proposition is that technology can reduce the practical barriers that made it uneconomic to revisit large volumes of archive, while editorial decisions remain with people.

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WHERE

LATAM

MEETS THE

WORLD

17-20 NOVEMBER 2026 MOON PALACE, CANCUN, MEXICO More information www.mipcancun.com

executing every task. In his formulation, a mostly dormant library can become a continuously earning asset without the headcount and cost of a traditional publishing operation. From Metadata To Money: How AI Is Unlocking The Value Of Your Library Wednesday, October 14, 09.50–10.10 MIP Innovation Lab *****

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Moments Lab’s Fred Petitpont

Social Department’s Jonathan Verk

BB Media Group’s Emilia Ciszewska

Between them, these complementary sessions suggest there may be several overlapping AI business models applicable to the same content asset: licensing it as training material, making it searchable internally, repackaging it for new platforms or using its performance to guide acquisitions and commissions. For BB Media Group founder and CEO Emilia Ciszewska, adoption began for “a very unglamorous reason”: its catalogue had outgrown the spreadsheet used to manage it. With around 1,000 hours of film and television, the company developed an AI-assisted decision layer combining licence terms, territories, distribution windows and live platform-performance data. Questions about individual titles that previously required a day of manual checking can now be answered almost immediately, she said. Ciszewska’s session, Monetise The Content Storm: How AI Can Turn Your Catalogue Into Predictable Cash Flow, will explore how AI and platform data can inform rights management, acquisition and monetisation. “The exciting part is that the data is served on a silver platter, because the money moved onto platforms that measure everything,” she said. “AI’s job is to read that signal at a scale no acquisition team can do by hand. Monetise what you already own, let the data show you what’s working, then use it to decide what to license next.” Ciszewska also offers a warning: “AI applied to bad rights data doesn’t fix anything — it just produces expensive mistakes faster, and dresses them up in a machine’s confidence.” She advises companies to structure titles, territories, licence windows and platforms so machines can read them, then tackle the most time-consuming processes one by one. Monetise The Content Storm: How AI Can Turn Your Catalogue Into Predictable Cash Flow Monday, October 12, 10.30-10.50 MIP Innovation Lab *****

Huanyu Entertainment’s Yang Le 28

Huanyu Entertainment co-founder and CEO Yang Le is presenting From Content To Cash: Reimagining Entertainment In The Age Of AI. For an established company, she sees the strongest opportunity in using AIGC (AI-generated content) to extend proven IP into more formats and reach

AI cannot replace great stories

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Yang Le

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more audiences, turning “a drama” into “an asset that can be continuously developed”. Since 2012, Huanyu has produced more than 60 drama series. In late 2025 it tested a “drama + AI animated series” model with hit show Glory, extending the IP into a 30-episode animated format for short-video platforms and fragmented viewing environments. AI could similarly make adaptations into short-form drama, animated comics and interactive content faster and more cost-efficient. Yang stresses that Huanyu is not seeking to become a fully AI-driven content factory. “AI cannot replace great stories, distinctive creative vision or the emotional connection created by human performers,” she said. “Instead, our goal is to use AI to amplify our existing strengths, unlock new formats and bring proven IP to audiences around the world in richer and more diverse ways.” Turning experiments into sustainable businesses requires AI to serve a strong creative idea, become embedded in practical production workflows and operate within clear, auditable rules covering training data, ownership of generated content and the use of performers’ likenesses and voices. “Technology has lowered the barrier to content creation, but it has not lowered the barrier to building a business,” Yang said. Although approaches vary by market, she believes Asian and Western companies face the same fundamental questions around content, production, rights and compliance. The commercial test, Yang argued, is whether AI strengthens content that audiences actually want to watch. Technically impressive work will still struggle on its own, while workflow gains only become meaningful when they shorten production cycles, use budgets more effectively and free resources to develop and refine the content. From Content To Cash: Reimagining Entertainment In The Age Of AI Wednesday, October 14, 11.45-12.05 MIP Innovation Lab ***** Taken together, the sessions address rapid advances in generative content while also confronting less visible questions around rights, metadata, workflow and distribution. For Keevill, bringing the technology and entertainment communities together is an opportunity to move “beyond hype and fear toward practical conversations about customer value, commercial models, rights and responsible implementation.”

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MICRODRAMAS

The rise of vertical

entertainment

The MIPCOM Global Microdrama & Vertical Leaders’ Summit is bringing together senior decision-makers across the worldwide business of vertical storytelling

Anthony E Zuiker, creator of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Holywater Tech ‘s Anatolii Kasianov

NOT LONG ago, vertical dramas were easy for the TV industry to dismiss. Short episodes, smartphone-first viewing and rapid-fire production schedules made it look like a niche extension of social media. That perception is changing rapidly. What began as a phenomenon driven largely by Chinese platforms has become a global business attracting professional producers, technology providers, international distributors, advertisers and big-screen talent. MIPCOM is reflecting that shift with an expanded mobile-first storytelling programme. At its centre is the Global Microdrama & Vertical Leaders’ Summit, supported by headliner appearances and sessions on creative strategy, premium vertical television, IP, financing, technology and dealmaking. The aim is to move the conversation beyond eye-catching download and viewing figures towards the structures needed for a durable international sector. One sign of vertical’s changing status is the arrival of Anthony E Zuiker, creator of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. After a career in hour-long television, Zuiker is applying its lessons about pace, revelation and cliffhangers to what he calls vertical motion pictures for the phone. The first adjustment is learning to work in the “micro-chapter”, with a story spread across 30 to 60 bitesized instalments. “After a quarter century of writing television, I understand the power of the beginning, middle, end and cliffhanger,” he said. “We often used commercial breaks to create hooks, but we had 15 or 20 minutes to earn them. Here, you have 90 seconds.” The task is not simply to abbreviate television, but to create a beginning, middle, end and compelling cliffhanger repeatedly while keeping the narrative coherent. Familiar storytelling mechanics are compressed and intensified, usually with heightened escapism. Zuiker estimates a production can move from shooting through editing and onto a consumer’s phone in roughly six weeks. MIP Headliner: The Age Of Understanding: How AI, Storytelling, And Verified Intelligence Are Reinventing The Future Of Media (Anthony E. Zuiker) Tuesday October 13, 10.00-10.30 Grand Auditorium

Made By Us Studios’ Tanya Cohen

*****

For an industry accustomed to treating television as the primary screen, Zuiker argued, “the phone is the new television” and vertical has become “a new global language of storytelling”. If he were creating CSI for the first time in 2026, he would design it for vertical. Zuiker will also showcase Cinemalistics, his AI-powered venture exploring rapid-response crime storytelling. Alongside Zuiker in MIPCOM’s headliner programme, Holywater Tech co-founder and co-CEO Anatolii Kasianov represents the platforms and technology businesses building the infrastructure around the new medium. The session PIVOT! Why Every Entertainment Company Needs A Vertical Strategy, brings Kasianov together with Made By Us Studios co-CEO Tanya Cohen and Sammie Hao, head of talent and business development at Crazy Maple Studio, to ask why every entertainment company now needs a vertical strategy. For Hao, whose company operates ReelShort, the biggest error is to treat vertical as conventional content turned through 90 degrees. “It’s a completely different content and business model,” she said. Development is faster, the storytelling grammar is distinct and distribution, marketing and monetisation are tightly connected. At ReelShort, audience behaviour can influence casting, creative decisions and the marketing of a title through a feedback loop that operates faster than most traditional entertainment structures. That does not mean every broadcaster, studio or rights holder must reproduce the complete system internally. “They do need a vertical strategy,” Hao said, but partnering with an established platform may offer the quickest way to learn about the audience, test IP and enter the market. She points to ReelShort’s work with WWE as one such route. Crazy Maple’s experience also shows how the relationship between vertical and creator culture is evolving. In its early days, ReelShort could not afford established creators and instead cast actors suited to the stories and the unfamiliar form. Successful microdramas then turned some of those performers into creators, lifting their followings from hundreds to tens or even hundreds of thousands and establishing a first generation of recognisable vertical stars. Established creators are now moving in the other di-

V PIVOT! Why Every Entertainment Company Needs A Vertical Strategy Wednesday, October 14, 11.00-11.30 Grand Auditorium

*****

COL Group International’s Timothy Oh

GammaTime’s Alex Montalvo

The tension between scale and distinctiveness runs through the Global Microdrama & Vertical Leaders’ Summit. Timothy Oh, general manager of COL Group International and CMO of Flareflow, and speaker on the What The Market Gets Wrong About Microdrama panel, has seen vertical expand beyond its founding genres. COL has launched SupermodelMe, which he describes as the world’s first vertical reality series, as well as its first vertical wildlife documentary. “Audiences increasingly encounter and consume content first on their phones,” Oh said. “Vertical storytelling is not here to replace television or film. It should complement those experiences and become part of a broader content and audience strategy.” The opportunity includes extending IP, introducing stories to new audiences and creating formats that might not work in conventional media. But companies must respect the medium’s different approach to pacing, engagement, distribution and monetisation. What The Market Gets Wrong About Microdrama Tuesday, October 13, 14.00-14.30 MIP Innovation Lab

*****

GammaTime chief business officer Alex Montalvo — a speaker on the Microdrama Goes Premium panel — also sees a sector testing the boundaries of its original proposition. When the platform launched, the category was overwhelmingly associated with romance; GammaTime has since added true crime and worked with established creators and properties. “The vertical industry has exploded, but we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible,” he said. “This isn’t a fad — it’s a disruptive medium that’s changing how stories are told and consumed.” Microdrama Goes Premium Tuesday, October 13, 15.45-16.30 MIP Creative Hub *****

Original production is only part of the opportunity. In a live podcast presentation titled Media War & Peace Live: Premium Vertical TV, RoseBerry Media CEO and co-founder Guy Hameiri and business development head and co-founder Lior Friedman, will discuss with host Evan Shapiro, what they call “the era of vertical premium television”. RoseBerry has launched its epis consumer app, produced 14 originals across reality, scripted and true crime, and partnered with Banijay, Fremantle, Cineflix and A+E to adapt library programming for vertical. “Existing TV and film libraries have huge potential finding new audiences and revenue streams in vertical TV,” Hameiri said. Its data suggests that reality, drama, true crime, thrillers and competition shows can all attract users willing to watch, pay and subscribe. For Friedman, those catalogues give rights owners their fastest entry point. They do not necessarily need to build vertical-native production from scratch, but require the right workflows, distribution relationships and editorial judgement. RoseBerry’s RedSnapper technology reworks material by adjusting pace, music, sound and graphic effects — a reminder that adaptation involves much more than reframing the picture.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Crazy Maple Studio’s Sammie Hao

rection, but Hao looks beyond follower counts. The test is whether someone can convert an immediate connection with a mobile audience into character, emotion and a sustained story. “The social feed can be the starting point, not the ceiling,” she said. As the business professionalises, Crazy Maple is widening its casting to include seasoned television and film actors alongside home-grown vertical stars. The challenge is to build stronger production, talent, partnership and localisation capabilities without losing speed, emotional intensity, powerful hooks or the direct audience relationship. “Vertical doesn’t have to become traditional television in order to grow,” Hao said. “It can keep its own storytelling DNA while expanding its talent, production value, distribution and ultimately its audience.”

Media War & Peace Live: Premium Vertical TV Tuesday, October 13, 15.00-15.30 MIP Innovation Hub *****

The session Beyond The Gold Rush: What’s Next In Vertical Storytelling asks what happens when the early momentum settles. Vivian Yin, founder and CEO of Y+X Entertainment and LumiView, argues that the next phase must stop treating content as disposable. LumiView is being built around original IP, established creators and stories that can travel beyond the phone, across science fiction, fantasy, thriller, romance and speculative genres. “A story may begin as a two-minute mobile chapter,” Yin said, “but the world behind it can ultimately

RoseBerry Media’s Guy Hameiri

RoseBerry Media’s Lior Friedman

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

RisingJoy’s Cassandra Yang

NetShort’s Stephen Liu

extend into books, feature films, animation, games, merchandise and physical experiences.” The first wave proved the format, consumer behaviour and economics. The larger question now, she said, is: “Do we treat content as an attention commodity — or do we build stories as a lasting legacy?” Jay Blumenfield, CEO of Jay & Tony Studios and a 20-year television veteran, is wary of conventional media assuming it has all the answers. “Vertical is not television with the sides cut off,” he said. “It has its own grammar, pacing, economics and relationship with the audience.” He embraces the gold-rush metaphor because it captures both opportunity and uncertainty. “The audience is real. The engagement is real. The economics are still a hell of a lot hazier than some people would like you to believe.” Questions remain around acquisition, retention, lifetime value, production costs and the number of platforms the market can sustain. His prescription is experimentation grounded in discipline: “Get curious before you get expensive. Watch the hits. Study the hooks. Understand the economics.” One principle from traditional television survives intact. “Cheap is not a genre. Fast is not a creative strategy. And the fact that somebody is watching on a phone is not permission to make crap.” MIPCOM will complement the discussions with Vertical Content Speed Matchmaking, connecting buyers, platforms, producers and distributors according to their interests. It is a practical expression of the wider shift taking place in Cannes: the industry is no longer asking whether vertical is real, but which partnerships, rights models, creative choices and investment decisions will determine what it becomes. Beyond The Gold Rush: What’s Next In Vertical Storytelling Wednesday, October 14, 14.00-14:30 MIP Innovation Hub

What’s Next In Vertical Storytelling panel — whose private equity and investment banking background brings capital, transactions and sustainable economics into the discussion. Brands could become another source of finance. Cathy Boxall, global head of Dentsu Entertainment, said microdrama’s shorter lead times and lower costs reduce the barrier for marketers that might find a conventional series daunting. Dentsu has worked with P&G Studios and personal-care brand Native on The Golden Pear Affair, a 55-episode vertical microsoap produced by Pixie USA. It has also partnered with Made By Us Studios to develop creator-led scripted, unscripted and animated projects with brands involved from the outset. The partnership extends beyond vertical but illustrates the growing interest in backing entertainment IP rather than advertising around finished content. Cassandra Yang, CEO and co-founder of RisingJoy — and speaker at the Beyond The Scroll: Micro Dramas Showcase — brings a rights, distribution and increasingly IP-led perspective. The company has expanded from distributor to what she calls a “micro IP and micro entertainment studio”, with its RJoy brand operating in the US, Japan and Southeast Asia and more than 20 AI microdramas in development. Despite competition among more than 1,000 microdrama apps, Yang believes there is substantial headroom if companies differentiate and form partnerships beyond their established markets. AI could assist that expansion: “As long as the story is good, audiences are far more accepting of AI than we in the industry tend to assume.” But in a market where trends can change within months, her advice is to “act now, but start small and learn fast”, testing ideas against real audience behaviour. Beyond The Scroll: Micro Dramas Showcase Tuesday, October 13, 14.30-15.00 MIP Innovation Lab

***** ***** Jay & Tony Studios’ Jay Blumenfield

Y+X Entertainment’s Vivian Yin 32

The Summit will also hear from NetShort CFO Stephen Liu — also on the Beyond The Gold Rush:

Second Rodeo’s Scott Brown

On the Creators Connect: Vertical Originals panel, Second Rodeo Productions founder Scott Brown represents another meeting point between creator culture and professional production. His company has worked with MyDrama and released musical microdrama Playback, starring creator Hannah Stocking. It is also exploring horror, thriller, action, comedy and youngadult stories beyond the romance-led first phase. “All kinds of quality executions are possible,” Brown said. Established entertainment companies should understand the medium’s distinctive qualities while bringing their strongest creative expertise. “I believe more than ever that some of the most impactful storytelling in the world will happen in this space.” Creators Connect: Vertical Originals Wednesday, October 14, 15.15-15.50 MIP Creative Hub

TV. FILM. BOOKS. GAMING. A New TWO-DAY CONFERENCE SPORT. MUSIC. CREATORS. PODCASTS. BRANDS. 053_MIP TALKS_PV_COM

16-17 MARCH 2027 LONDON BOOK FAIR EXCEL LONDON, UK

TV. FILM. BOOKS. GAMING. SPORT. MUSIC. CREATORS. PODCASTS. BRANDS. FROM IP TO FANDOM. FROM FANDOM TO GLOBAL BUSINESS.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT.

Nate Mann as Kurt Fischer

Jannis Niewöhner as Friedrich Bauman

WORLD PREMIER SCREENING

Honey is sexy, funny, colourful and a little bit bonkers

‘

Jennifer Ebell

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MIPCOM World Premiere Screening: Honey Monday, October 12, 18.00-19.15 Grand Auditorium 34

Ann Skelly as Martha Schmitt

Honey brings Cold-War intrigue to Cannes Fifth Season introduces a new spy thriller to international buyers PRODUCED by Killing Eve producer Sid Gentle Films, the six-part, 45-minute drama Honey is set in East Berlin in 1982 and follows Martha Schmitt, a 24-year-old deep-cover MI6 agent surrounded by enemies and at constant risk of exposure. Schmitt finds herself caught between Friedrich Bauman, the Stasi’s new head of counter espionage against British targets, and reckless CIA operative Aaron Neeland, who is posing as Kurt Fischer. The resulting story combines Cold-War intrigue with romance and dark comedy. The BBC has described Honey as “a tender and flirty, slick and dangerous series that goes deep undercover in 1980s East Berlin to explore a shadowy world of counter espionage and risky but irresistible relations”. Leading the cast are Ann Skelly (House Of Guinness, The Nevers) who plays Martha Schmitt; Nate Mann (Masters Of The Air & Licorice Pizza) as Kurt Fischer; Jannis Niewöhner (Munich: The Edge Of War, Napoleon) as Friedrich Bauman; and Rory Kinnear (The Diplomat, The Lord Of The Rings) as Graham Anderson. Created by Extraordinary writer Emma Moran, the series is directed by Toby MacDonald and Michelle Savill. Sally Woodward Gentle, executive producer for Sid Gentle Films, is ecstatic about the cast: “Ann, Nate and Jannis are the real deal. We are beyond thrilled by their inherent talent, intelligence and intuitive brilliance. They shine. And Rory Kinnear! I am in love.” Jennifer Ebell, EVP, television distribution at Fifth

Season, said the project displays the qualities that have distinguished Sid Gentle’s previous work. “It reflects the sharp storytelling, originality and character-driven drama we’ve come to associate with Sid Gentle,” Ebell said. “Martha is such a great character: she’s spent her life being underestimated and then realises she can use that to her advantage. Emma Moran has a distinctive, funny voice, and Sally Woodward Gentle, Lee Morris and the Sid Gentle team have real talent for creating characters audiences want to watch. That combination felt like a very natural fit for Fifth Season.” Ebell believes the MIPCOM premiere will allow buyers to experience a distinctive tone that is difficult to communicate through a conventional synopsis. “I think Honey will travel really widely because, underneath the spy story, it’s about relationships, desire, power and identity and it’s very, very entertaining,” she said. “The cast is fantastic, led by Ann Skelly who brings something completely unexpected to it. Honey is sexy, funny, colourful and a little bit bonkers.” The drama is made for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and ZDF, with Fifth Season distributing globally. Ebell said its international partnership is integral to the programme itself. “The British-German partnership is important because it’s baked into the show rather than simply being a financing structure,” she said. “You get a very specific world and perspective, but the story has a much wider appeal.”

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WORLD PREMIERE SCREENING

‘A story about love and identity’

This is one of the biggest love stories of our time

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Carsten Kelber

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MIPCOM World Premiere Screening: Queen Silvia Tuesday, October 13, 18.00-19.15 Grand Auditorium

BETA FILM will unveil lavish European drama Queen Silvia with a World Premiere Screening at MIPCOM. Open to delegates and the public, the screening will present the opening episode with English and French subtitles. It will be followed by a Q&A featuring lead actors Alicia von Rittberg and Edvin Endre, showrunner Carsten Kelber, Beta Film’s Justus Riesenkampff and director Miguel Alexandre — also lead writer with Lisa Hofer. The six-part, 60-minute series explores the relationship between German-Brazilian interpreter Silvia Sommerlath and Sweden’s Crown Prince Carl Gustaf, who met at the 1972 Munich Olympics. It is filmed in Munich, Berlin and Stockholm; Silvia is played by German actress Alicia von Rittberg (Call My Agent! Berlin, Miss Sophie), and Swedish actor Edvin Endre (Vikings, The Playlist) takes on the role of Carl Gustaf. Produced by Germany’s Pyjama Pictures and Sweden’s Unlimited Stories, it will premiere on Prime Video in DACH and the Nordics in 2027, followed four weeks later by its German free-TV debut on SAT.1. Beta handles international sales. Pyjama Pictures executive producer Kelber originated the project after recognising Germany’s enduring fascination with the royal families of other countries. “I thought, why don’t we have that in Germany? Then suddenly the idea hit me: we do have a queen — she’s just in Sweden,” he said. “This is our German queen in Sweden.” Although the drama presents both sides of the relationship, it places particular emphasis on Silvia’s experience of entering an unfamiliar royal world. For Riesenkampff, “Queen Silvia is not just another royal drama. It tells the unique story of two people who come from completely different worlds. What begins as a flirtation soon turns into an impossible

love.” He added: “Silvia, born in Germany and raised in Brazil, is a dedicated young professional working at the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. Carl Gustaf, the Crown Prince of Sweden, is a playboy and the guest of honour. Set between Munich, Stockholm and the French Riviera, and brought to life with a lavish cast and stunning costumes, the series promises to be a must-see for audiences around the globe.” “This is one of the biggest love stories of our time — not only between two people, but also between two countries,” Kelber said. “Putting the relationship in focus and telling it in a grown-up way is magical and modern at the same time.” “Being part of the first dramatised series about our Swedish Royal couple is both a privilege and a thrill,” Frida Wallman, producer at Unlimited Stories, said. “With the depth of research woven into the scripts and the remarkable collaboration between Sweden and Germany in this production, we simply cannot wait for audiences everywhere to see what we have created.” The production uses established events as landmarks while dramatising private moments between the couple. “It’s two grown-ups negotiating their way through a relationship,” Kelber said. “We know about public appearances and speeches, but what happens on the way to the venue or when they drive back? That’s the artistic interpretation.” Riesenkampff said the love story gives the series resonance beyond its home territories: “Queen Silvia is a story about love and identity — about a young woman entering a royal world she never sought to be part of, staying true to herself and ultimately winning the hearts of a nation,” he said. The first season follows the couple up to the announcement of their engagement; further material is being developed for possible future series.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Beta Film’s Queen Silvia heads to Cannes for its world premiere

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MIPCOM CANNES WOMEN IN GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT POWER LUNCH

‘Women need to support other women’

Deborah Bradley

Elizabeth Day

The MIPCOM CANNES Women in Global Entertainment Power Lunch takes place once again, co-hosted by A+E Global Media in partnership with The Hollywood Reporter ORGANISED by MIPCOM with the support of A+E Networks, the 14th edition of the MIPCOM CANNES Women In Global Entertainment Power Lunch, Monday, October 12, is a key date in the calendar for established and future female leaders in the global media business, and regularly attracts some 200 women. This year, the guest of honour is actor and producer Angie Harmon, whose long-standing partnership with A+E Global Media and Lifetime is continuing with the next two instalments of the Buried In Barstow film franchise. Harmon is executive producer and stars as former assassin Hazel King. Once again hosting the lunch, A+E EVP, global content sales, Deborah Bradley, said that movies are “a significant part of A+E’s business at MIPCOM. As one of the industry’s prolific distributors of original movies, we have a responsibility to keep delivering for platforms who have come to rely on the strength of our library and depth of our pipeline.” She added: “Angie Harmon stars in and executive produces our newest Lifetime films in the Buried In Barstow franchise and is also currently directing a new Ripped From The Headlines movie. She is a shining example of the genre’s appeal and we are thrilled to have her with us in Cannes to share her perspective.” On the continued need for such events, Bradley said she has “seen meaningful progress in the opportunities available to women across the global content business. Today, there are more women leading creative, commercial and operational teams, which is encouraging and has brought a broader range of perspectives and efficiencies to our industry. But challenges remain: “One of the biggest les-

sons I’ve learned is that advancement is rarely achieved alone. Mentors and sponsors can make a tremendous difference, and so can creating company and divisional ‘spirit’ to guide women to use their voices and provide alternate perspectives.” She added: “Women need to support other women, as a first important step, helping to guide and offering feedback in the practical and mundane everyday moments. It then moves to advocating for them within their divisions when they are not in the room. It is a consistent and persistent effort, not one-time mentions. Investments of time and talent from senior executives demonstrates time and time again that the companies and rising leaders both reap rewards.” And Bradley has advice on how to be a part of this progress, that can be taken at an individual level: “Take an hour a week to connect women with other women — and men — in the industry or an adjacent industry that you think would be beneficial to one or both people, not for yourself. Making introductions for the good of others is not only personally satisfying, but an integral way for women to be considered for progress. It is also appreciated if your introduction solves a challenge or helps deliver the right person for a role..” Angie Harmon will be interviewed during the MIPCOM CANNES Women In Global Entertainment Lunch by the event’s moderator, English novelist, journalist and broadcaster Elizabeth Day. She is the host of the podcast How To Fail With Elizabeth Day — and will also be in high profile at MIPCOM this year as ITV Studios brings the five-part adaptation of her 2017 novel The Party to Cannes.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Angie Harmon

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COMPANY FOCUS

Star power drives Fox Cannes line-up Fox Entertainment makes a splash on the Croisette with new series and a roster of international talent

Christie Brinkley

Stephen Amell as Hobie Buchannon in Fox’s Baywatch reboot

years, so the opportunity to collaborate with him on a character created for his extraordinary range was incredibly exciting.”

Ultimately, it’s about finding great talent and ideas early and being openminded about where they can go

‘

’

He added: “That originality is at the heart of The Interrogator. It’s smart, funny and surprising, with a layered and deeply human character at its centre. We couldn’t be happier with Stephen, Jenna Elfman, the rest of the terrific ensemble and our partners at Lionsgate as we bring the series to audiences around the world.” “We see tremendous opportunity in where entertainment is headed, and our strategy is built around connecting the full power of Fox with new ways of creating and reaching audiences,” Rob Wade, CEO of Fox Entertainment, said. “We’re growing our studio and global distribution businesses while investing in new growth areas like Fox Creator Studios and vertical video,” Wade added. “Creators are a great example. They’ve already built passionate audiences and real businesses on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. We can bring the scale, production expertise, distribution reach and brand relationships of Fox to helps grow those audiences and take their IP into new formats, onto new platforms and to audiences around the world. “Ultimately, it’s about finding great talent and ideas early and being open-minded about where they can go.”

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Photo: Fadil Berisha

Sir Stephen Fry as Conrad Henry in Fox’s The Interrogator

FOX ENTERTAINMENT, the company owned by Fox Corporation that develops and distributes content across broadcast, streaming and digital platforms, is out in force at MIPCOM. High-profile series and their stars will be on show in Cannes, while a team of key executives will be in town to support this raft of new content. New shows include The Interrogator, starring British polymath Sir Stephen Fry — the series’ writer, executive producer and star — as former MI6 agent Conrad Henry; a new iteration of Baywatch, the classic Southern California-based lifeguard drama; and Uptown Girl: The Christie Brinkley Story, in which the 72-year-old supermodel tells her story in her own words and shares footage and photographs from her extraordinary life and career. “Christie Brinkley is a global icon whose story is still unfolding. At 72, she’s working and expanding her empire,” Fox Entertainment Global president Prentiss Fraser said. “Uptown Girl: The Christie Brinkley Story pairs filmmaker Larissa Bills — who co-directed Apple TV+’s The Super Models with Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams and directed Disney+’s On Pointe — with Lionsgate Alternative Television. Together, they bring an exceptional creative pedigree to this revealing story of fame, heartbreak, resilience and entrepreneurship, with unforgettable pop-culture moments along the way.” For Michael Thorn, president of Fox Television Network, it’s the right time for Baywatch’s return to our screens. “The world needs an escape right now,” he said. “With everything happening globally, it felt like the right moment to bring back something fun, heroic and blue-sky. Together with our partners at Fremantle, we saw an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of one of television’s most recognisable franchises, while introducing it to a new generation and a global audience.” Sir Stephen’s extensive talents touch all parts of The Interrogator, according to Thorn. “Stephen Fry is such a multifaceted and original artist. His intelligence, wit and humanity come through in everything he does, and he moves effortlessly between comedy and drama as both a writer and performer,” he said. “We’ve been fans of his work for

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IMMERSIVE ENTERTAINMENT

‘Get educated before you get committed’

Sarah Malkin

can’t ‘You direct

attention – you can only earn it’

New Formats, New Stories: The Creators Behind Meta’s Original Series Monday, October 12, 14.00.14.45 MIP Innovation Lab

AS META prepares to engage with the international TV and content business, the company is positioning immersive entertainment as something more significant than a technology experiment. The timing is notable. Meta Connect 2026 took place a few weeks ago, showcasing the company’s latest developments across AI, AI glasses and VR. Against that backdrop, Meta is increasingly looking towards entertainment as a key testing ground for how audiences might experience content through spatial computing. Sarah Malkin, head of entertainment experiences, Reality Labs at Meta — attending MIPCOM for the first time — believes the technology has reached a turning point: “Because three things have finally arrived at the same time, and that’s what a platform shift looks like, ” she said. For Malkin, those three developments are the maturity of the creative craft, lower production barriers and, crucially, an audience that is already using headsets to consume entertainment. “First, the craft has matured. We’re no longer talking about tech demos, we’re talking about productions with real showrunners, real cinematographers and real budgets, shot in formats that were barely usable a few years ago.” She added that capture technology and production workflows have become considerably more accessible, while audiences are already watching live sport, concerts and long-form content in headsets. Meta’s own technology strategy increasingly spans VR, AI glasses and other forms of wearable computing, while its developer platform positions Meta Horizon — the umbrella brand and social platform for Meta’s virtual and mixed-reality ecosystem — as a route to creating immersive experiences across mobile and VR. For the entertainment industry, however, Malkin said that the opportunity is not simply about transferring existing content to a headset. “I define it very simply: entertainment where you’re inside the frame instead of looking at it.” That shift has implications across genres. Sport can offer a sense of presence and proximity; music can create intimacy between artist and audience; while film and television can use immersion to place viewers inside a world. Meta has worked

with artists including Charli XCX, Troye Sivan and Doja Cat, as well as exploring immersive adaptations of entertainment properties. The creative challenge is substantial: “That you can’t direct attention — you can only earn it,” Malkin said. Traditional screen storytelling gives filmmakers control over the frame, whereas immersive experiences allow audiences to decide where to look. “So the craft moves from composition to choreography,” she said. Malkin sees live sport as one of the clearest commercial opportunities, alongside music and genres including horror, psychological thriller, documentary, travel and nature. But she cautions producers against assuming that all content will translate successfully. “My honest advice to producers: don’t port. Ask what your IP feels like from the inside, and if the answer isn’t interesting, choose a different IP.” The business model is also evolving. Malkin expects premium rentals and live events to lead initially, with subscriptions becoming more relevant as catalogues develop. Advertising and sponsorship will follow, although she believes integrated brand experiences will be better suited to immersive environments than traditional interruption. For producers and broadcasters considering the space, her advice is to start learning now. “Get educated before you get committed — and the education is cheaper than people think.” She recommends speaking directly to immersive production companies, capture and VR vendors and platforms to understand costs and workflows, before developing projects with potential buyers and partners attached. She also points to rights as an increasingly important consideration, arguing that immersive rights are often not adequately addressed in existing contracts, while producers should audit their catalogues for “place-driven IP”, worlds audiences may already want to experience from the inside. Ultimately, Malkin believes the distinction between conventional viewing and immersive entertainment will eventually disappear for audiences.“In five years the question won’t be “do I want to do VR tonight”, it’ll be “how do I want to watch this”.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Meta brings immersive entertainment into the industry

ASIA SUMMIT

Asian content takes centre stage Asia’s growing influence is reshaping global content

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Bolytics’ Bo Zhang

Beach House Pictures’ Donovan Chan

Media Prima Content & TV Networks’ Nini Yusof

Fuji TV’s Yusuke Kato 42

THE MIPCOM Asia x Global Executive Summit is an exclusive forum bringing together senior Asian and international executives to explore the growing global influence of Asian content and identify new pathways for collaboration. Combining insight and networking, the Summit offers participants the opportunity to build strategic connections and explore partnership opportunities across Asia and beyond. Through curated roundtable discussions hosted by leading Asian industry decision-makers, delegates will gain insight into the region’s key opportunities, market dynamics and emerging trends. Among the attendees is Bo Zhang, founder of global consultancy Bolytics, based in Paris, Tokyo and Manila. “As a Europe-based executive working across the Asian and Western media markets, I hope the Summit will move the conversation beyond simply exporting content from one market to another,” Zhang said. “The real challenge is how to localise and monetise content sustainably across borders. Beyond that, I hope we can move towards more reciprocal relationships, encouraging a stronger flow of content, ideas, talent and IP in both directions. Importantly, I hope the Summit can help lay the foundations for longer-term relationships through distribution, co-production, investment and platform collaboration, rather than stopping at one-off deals.” Kazuo Takaya, president of global strategy at Japan’s Nippon TV, agreed: “My roundtable

Nippon TV’s Kazuo Takaya

group will explore how European companies and Japanese studios can create new commercial and creative value together. From adapting unscripted formats and developing fresh original IP to building broader global partnerships, we see MIPCOM and the Summit as a catalyst for building on our creative relationships with European partners, developing new projects together and forging lasting partnerships.” For Donovan Chan, co-founder and creative director of Singapore-based Beach House Pictures, the Summit will also provide an opportunity to gauge international attitudes towards the Asian market. He said: “I’m excited to help sell our new shows like Wingman, and to learn how the international industry is responding to our ever-shifting market.” Yusuke Kato, chief director at Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV, is “looking forward to meeting new people” and, alongside that, will be looking for co-production opportunities. For Nini Yusof, CEO of Kuala Lumpur-based Media Prima Content & TV Networks, the focus is on forging new alliances: “We are excited about new global IPs that are suitable for Asian audiences, around which we can forge strong cross-border partnerships. Our other goal is to champion Malaysian storytelling by positioning Media Prima as a global co-production partner to drive distribution growth.” Mark Francis, chief content and strategy officer at Jakarta, Indonesia-based Vidio, said that, for the most part, mass audiences in Asia have hyperlocal tastes when it comes to scripted drama: “That means the appeal, familiarity and popularity of international content is reserved for more cosmopolitan sections of the population. A lot of Western content doesn’t travel that well to mainstream audiences here.” For content to travel at scale, he argued, a broader ecosystem is required: “Hollywood, and more recently Korea, are holistic and manufactured in their approach to creating audience demand. This is due to the combination of their star system, marketing power, their pop music, tourism, production values and other cultural exports. Individual titles, especially in specific genres

Banijay India’s Rashmi Bajpai

Huace Group’s Binxing Fu

Turning local success into a global hit requires more than creative vision

‘

Binxing Fu

’

actually works, share practical experiences and ultimately create stronger and more repeatable routes for Asian stories to travel globally.” Binxing Fu, president of the Hangzhou-based film and television production giant, Huace Group, sees the Summit as an opportunity to explore how technology and international partnerships can help take successful local IP to a global audience: “Turning local success into a global hit requires more than creative vision. It demands technological empowerment and disciplined, long-term IP stewardship. I look forward to engaging with international partners at MIPCOM to explore how we can leverage cutting-edge tech like AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content) to bridge cultural gaps, protect evergreen content value, and build deeper connections with global audiences.” Virginia Lim, chief content and talent officer at Singapore’s national media network and largest content creator, Mediacorp, said: “The Summit gives us a valuable opportunity to connect with partners interested in the stories, IP and talent we are developing out of Singapore. It brings together industry leaders to exchange ideas, build partnerships and have practical discussions around development, co-productions, financing and distribution, and we hope these conversations will help our content travel further and reach wider audiences.”

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Mediacorp’s Virginia Lim

such as horror and action, can and do cross borders, but aside from Hollywood, most Western drama doesn’t attract large enough audiences whereas Korean, and to a lesser degree Chinese drama, do. Another important factor to bear in mind is that, compared to other markets, the cost of local production is still pretty low, which further disincentivises huge licensing deals.” Rashmi Bajpai, EVP, Banijay Rights India, said: “Asian content has gained clear global traction in recent years, but for traffic going the other way, the situation is complicated by the lack homogeneity across the various Asian markets — a topic that will be part of the conversation at the Summit.” She added: “Global audiences are engaging with closed-door romances, slow-burn narratives and stories built around longing and emotional restraint. However, success still depends heavily on the right talent and sufficient budgets. Without co-financing partners, creating this content remains prohibitively expensive for Asian commissioners.” Recognised as one of the most influential media and entertainment groups in Korea, CJ ENM is also a key player in the Asian content industry. Director of international sales and acquisition Sebastian Kim, said: “I hope this Summit helps move the conversation beyond individual breakout hits and towards building a more sustainable pathway for Asian content to reach audiences in Europe and other Western cultures. There is already clear audience appetite for Korean and Asian storytelling, and so the next challenge is how we turn that interest into something more consistent and scalable. That will come through the right distribution strategies, localisation, marketing, partnerships and a deeper understanding of local audiences.” He added: “By bringing together producers, platforms and distributors from both Asia and Western markets, I believe this Summit can help us identify what

The Asia x Global Executive Summit Monday, October 12, 14.15-15.30 Verriere Grand Auditorium In partnership with ContentAsia. Pre-registration required. Vidio’s Mark Francis

CJ ENM’s Sebastian Kim 43

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THE FRAPA Formats Summit returns to MIPCOM 2026, aiming to connect producers, creators, distributors, buyers and platforms in a one-hour networking and information session. This year’s Summit is hosted by Nick Smith, cochair of FRAPA alongside André Renaud, Warner Bros. International Television Production’s global vicepresident of finished and format sales. The Summit will focus, as ever, on global format rights protection, monetisation and navigating emerging market trends. FRAPA said the discussions will “heavily intersect with MIPCOM’s broader emphasis on the newly launched MIP AI Entertainment Forum and the expansion of microdrama/ vertical storytelling formats”. The Formats Recognition and Protection Asssociation’s (FRAPA), mission is to promote a global marketplace that “respects and protects the grassroots creativity that drives the entertainment industry, from the smallest indie to the biggest conglomerate”. The Association works to educate and inform members and the wider entertainment world through market surveys, reports and workshops.

FRAPA co-chair Nick Smith

FRAPA Formats Summit Monday, October 12, 09.00-09.45 MIP Creative Hub

FORMATS

Japan looks to grow its global reach Treasure Box Japan returns to Cannes to showcase content targeted at the international market THE JAPANESE Formats Showcase, presented by Treasure Box Japan (TBJ) was first presented at MIPCOM in 2012 as a means of promoting non-scripted formats by Japanese broadcasters. The purpose was to pitch shows that could lead to format sales, local productions and remakes, as well as long-term creative partnerships such as co-development projects and co-productions. In line with these efforts, the Japanese government is making the global expansion of content a national priority. Under its New Cool Japan Strategy, adopted in June 2024, the government set a target of ¥20tr ($125bn) in overseas sales of Japanese content by 2033, and subsequent policy measures have moved support from strategy to implementation. With all the new trends and changes being introduced by Japan’s entertainment content creators, the 2026 TBJ session provides an invaluable opportunity to launch new business with the Japanese TV industry. Makito Sugiyama, executive director of the Broadcast Program Export Association of Japan (BEAJ), which promotes Japanese TV productions overseas, said that while TBJ has a broad purpose, its methodology is straightforward. The strongest formats, he said, tend to have a premise that can be explained in just one or two sentences. MIPCOM buyers are bombarded with images over the course of their visit, so TBJ emphasises strong visual hooks that can be grasped immediately. And while formats need to be adaptable, they should also offer an unexpected point of view that clearly reflects their Japanese DNA. In the past, Japanese TV formats were associated with unusual game shows and extravagant entertainment, such as Takeshi’s Castle and Iron Chef. But buyers have now developed a new appreciation for Japanese reality programmes and factual entertainment built around specific aspects of Japanese culture. Over the years, TBJ has served as a bridge between Japanese content companies and international partners, while helping to raise the pro-

file of Japanese formats through a long-running, industry-wide ‘All Japan’ initiative. The BEAJ’s restated mission is to turn cultural interest into something long-lasting, which is why it concentrates more on co-development and international production partnerships, including the development of concepts that could specifically appeal to non-Japanese sensibilities. Content is now a major export industry for Japan, so BEAJ is widening its international promotion activities, not only via its MIPCOM presence, but also through Japan-led initiatives that allow creators and broadcasters to connect directly with potential partners. New talent must therefore be cultivated. When broadcast was the only delivery method for televised content, creators were educated within the broadcast industry and production companies, but now they can be sourced from film, streaming, advertising, digital video, social media, anime, games and other creative media. The dominance of streaming has affected scripted content. Audiences outside Japan have been readily exposed to Japanese TV dramas, thus prompting changes in terms of thematic approach and production values, not to mention physical parameters such as time slots and series continuity. “The real business opportunity is not simply exporting Japanese programmes, but localising and expanding Japanese IP,” Sugiyama said. BEAJ works closely with Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, as well as broadcasters and industry associations, in order to translate broader policy objectives into practical initiatives. Treasure Box Japan remains at the forefront of these initiatives.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

FORMATS SUMMIT WILL FOCUS ON AI AND MICRODRAMAS

Japanese Formats Showcase presented by Treasure Box Japan Monday, October 12, 16.00-17.00, followed by a cocktail Hi5 Studio 45

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MIP HEADLINER

From hit shows to global brands Shelley Macintyre

Audiences fall in love with stories, and feelings, not commercial roadmaps

‘

’

Kate Phillips

Zai Bennett

From Idea To Global IP: Building Brands That Last Tuesday, October 13, 12.00-12.30 Grand Auditorium

THE BBC and BBC Studios will use MIPCOM to set out their ambitions for developing distinctive programmes into enduring global franchises, drawing on brands including Bluey, Doctor Who, Dancing With The Stars and BBC Earth. BBC chief content officer Kate Phillips is joined by BBC Studios CEO and chief creative officer, global content Zai Bennett and CEO, brands and licensing Shelley Macintyre for the MIP Headliner session From Idea To Global IP: Building Brands That Last. Taking place in the Grand Auditorium on Tuesday, October 13, the conversation will explore the complete lifecycle of entertainment IP, from original development and international expansion to licensing, digital extensions and fan engagement. Phillips told the MIPCOM Preview that the BBC’s public broadcaster status gives it the freedom to take creative risks while maintaining a distinctive mix of programming. “As a non-commercial broadcaster we have one very simple job: to give our audience the best shows possible,” she said. “Creatively this is incredibly freeing, and it enables us to take risks and to build on the BBC’s unique mix of reputational, popular and appointment-to-view content.” While UK audiences remain the broadcaster’s priority, Phillips argued that strong ideas can travel without being conceived primarily for the international market. She also highlighted digital platforms, including the BBC’s developing relationship with YouTube, as spaces in which the corporation can experiment and discover new talent. “The media landscape is evolving at a pace I’ve never seen before,” she said. “All broadcasters need to evolve and accelerate digital shifts to stay relevant to audiences.” Bennett said BBC Studios is looking for projects built around a strong central idea, an engaging world and the capacity to evolve while retaining a recognisable identity. He cited Doctor Who, now 63 years old, as a franchise that has remained relevant by continually reinventing itself, while Bluey demonstrates the importance of authenticity and

a distinctive creative voice. “The common denominator isn’t genre — it’s originality,” Bennett said. “The projects that cut through are rarely the safest ones. So my advice would be to show us something we’ve never seen before rather than assuming you think you know what we want.” He added that increasingly fragmented viewing habits require BBC Studios to treat successful IP as an ecosystem rather than simply a television programme. Audiences may now discover brands through short-form video, podcasts, gaming, social platforms or streaming before engaging with them elsewhere. “Our goal is to create meaningful ways for audiences to extend their enjoyment and love of a show and allow them to go deeper when they want to, rather than forcing engagement, which many brands make the mistake of doing,” Bennett said. Bennett also pointed to BBC Studios’ experiments with vertical short-form scripted programming and said its AI Creative Lab is helping creatives devote more time to storytelling and decision-making. Macintyre will address the role that licensing, products, gaming, live experiences and online communities can play in sustaining an audience’s connection with a programme. However, she cautioned against imposing a commercial franchise strategy before viewers have embraced the underlying idea. “You can think about the potential early, but you should not start with a franchise plan,” she said. “Audiences fall in love with stories, characters and feelings, not commercial roadmaps.” Macintyre said there is no single formula behind the growth of properties as different as Bluey, Doctor Who and BBC Earth. Instead, their longevity comes from identifying the essential quality audiences value and ensuring each extension reinforces it. “Long-term value comes from understanding what audiences are genuinely attached to, then expanding in ways that strengthen that relationship rather than dilute it,” she added.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

The BBC sets out its creative strategy for building brands that last in an evolving media landscape

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JAPANESE CONTENT

content business

The signing ceremony for the Content Strategic Partnership Announcement: NTT Docomo’s Tomonori Tanaka (left); Embassy of Japan in Thailand’s Toru Kajiwara; Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ Nobuo Kiriyama; NTT Docomo’s Takeshi Saito; True Corporation’s Ongard Prapakamol; NBTC’s Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck; TrueVisions Group’s Kachorn Chiaravanont; and True Corporation’s Birathon Kasemsri JAPAN’s five major broadcast networks have significantly increased their overseas content sales in recent years — thanks to government support for the country’s worldwide distribution industry. In fiscal 2024, the export value of live-action content reached ¥114.73bn (€650m), up ¥31.15bn from the previous year. The growth reflects a major infusion of government funding alongside improved business plans from the five companies. By 2033, the government hopes to increase this revenue to ¥250bn, as part of a wider ambition to achieve ¥20tr in overseas sales for Japanese-originated content, including anime, games and films. Production costs have also been helped by OTT streaming platforms, whose revenue growth is more stable. However, the lack of viewing data from platforms makes it difficult for content providers to determine whether they are being fairly compensated. As of 2022, the export value of Japan’s content industry, led by anime, had reached ¥4.7tr, making it one of the country’s major exports. To build on this, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has announced an ‘Action Plan to Strengthen the Overseas Expansion of Live-Action Content’, targeting live-action exports of ¥250bn by 2033. In line with this and other plans, Japan’s five major TV networks have announced business

strategies focused on global expansion and content IP. Nippon TV has compared its strategy to Japan’s opening up to the world at the end of the Edo period in the mid-1800s, while TV Tokyo is targeting a 40% global sales ratio by 2035. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has also proposed measures to support Japan’s struggling broadcast industry, calling for a shift in mindset among TV networks. Citing figures showing that South Korea spends an average of about ¥100m on a single TV drama episode, it has urged Japanese producers to increase spending from the current level of around ¥30m. OTT platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video have helped improve the quality of Japanese live-action dramas as they compete globally. Licensing fees from these platforms have become important revenue streams for networks and production companies. While anime still accounts for the overwhelming majority of Japan’s global content revenue, live-action sales continue to grow. The challenge is determining a fair price when negotiating with OTT platforms. Japan’s Fair Trade Commission reports that streaming contracts include revenue-sharing models based on views and flat-fee models, in which a fixed fee is paid for a specified period. Under the flatfee model, producers cannot verify whether they are being fairly compensated because plat-

forms do not provide viewing figures. This contrasts with traditional television, where producers have relied on detailed viewing data, including demographics, drop-off rates and completion rates, to set advertising fees. The FTC warns that OTT practices could lead to abuses of bargaining power, particularly as the market consolidates. To address this, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) launched a pilot project in Thailand in March 2026, partnering NTT Docomo’s distribution infrastructure with Thai distributor True Visions NOW. Covering 1,470 drama episodes produced by 76 companies, the project established a revenue-sharing framework providing viewing data to content suppliers. Third-party data could offer another solution. Video Research, in partnership with Digital i (UK), launched a viewing-data analysis service covering 20 countries across four continents, including Netflix and Prime Video in Japan. Such data can provide a baseline for content pricing. Japan’s MIPCOM pitch should therefore stress the growth of its live-action exports, government targets and the changing mindset of its TV networks, while also addressing the need for a fairer framework for negotiating with OTT platforms.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Opening up Japan’s

Japan comes to MIPCOM to continue governmentbacked global growth conversation across all genres of content

Pavilions put the

world on show National and regional pavilions are bringing global content communities together, showcasing talent, incentives and partnership opportunities OVER 25 national and regional pavilions are being hosted at MIPCOM this year, reaching from Australia to Canada and representing hundreds of companies and professionals from around the world. MIPCOM delegates can meet with producers, film commissioners and other industry specialists to learn about these regions and form potential partnerships for future productions. A long-standing fixture at MIPCOM is the Telefilm Canada stand, representing a vast country with a mature production infrastructure developed partly through its decades-long series of co-production treaties with the rest of the world. “MIPCOM is fundamentally a market for financing, co-production, acquisitions, sales and international partnerships across platforms,” Telefilm’s Sarah Lezmy, one of the organisers of the pavilion, said. “Our role is to help Canadian companies convert that global gathering into concrete opportunities. More broadly, the international pavilion ensures a consistent Canadian presence in the places where business relationships are formed. During 2025-2026, Telefilm Canada organised Canada Pavilions at nine international events in five countries, bringing together more than 500 Canadian companies.” Still in Canada, for several decades, the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) has organised the Québec Créatif Pavilion at MIPCOM, bringing together an average of 40 Quebec companies each year. “The presence of Quebec producers, distributors, and broadcasters at MIPCOM is essential, as the market remains one of the world’s premier hubs for audiovisual content, financing, partnerships and business development,” SODEC president and CEO Louise Lantagne said. As well as learning opportunities and the potential to forge new international part50

PRODUCTION INCENTIVES nerships, the pavilions can outline incentives available for producers wanting to film in different territories. “Canada’s incentive system combines a federal programme with provincial or territorial measures,” Lezmy said. “The ecosystem includes Telefilm Canada for feature films, the Canada Media Fund for television and digital media, provincial agencies, the Canada Council for the Arts and certified independent production funds.” MIPCOM delegates can visit the SODEC pavilion to learn more about the Refundable Québec Tax Credit for Film or Television Production Services, jointly administered by SODEC and the Ministère du Revenu du Québec, which is “designed to stimulate job creation in Québec, essentially by encouraging foreign producers to choose Québec as a filming location”. At the Austria pavilion at MIPCOM, delegates will learn about FISAplus — Film Industry Support Austria — which targets productions from overseas. “With FISAplus, international films and series in the field of cinema, TV and streaming are supported, as well as Austrian TV and streaming productions,” according to Nina-Anica Keidies, film commissioner at Film in Austria. “The aim is to secure Austria’s future competitiveness as a film location and to arouse the interest of international productions in Austria.” “One of our goals at MIPCOM is precisely to promote Portugal as a top destination for shooting and producing international projects,” Ana Marques, executive director of the Portugal Film Commission, said. “SCRI.PT is our Audiovisual and Film Industry Funding Programme, that has just been launched with the aim of promoting the internationalisation of the sector and attracting major international

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES Establishing a pavilion at MIPCOM can be key to growing a local production infrastructure. “For the ICEC — Catalan Institute for Cultural Companies — MIPCOM is part of a longterm internationalisation strategy rather than a stand-alone market opportunity,” according to Edgar Garcia i Casellas, director northern Spanish Catalan Institute for Cultural Industries. “Our objective is to help Catalan companies build sustainable international partnerships, strengthen their global visibility and accelerate access to new markets. That is why we make one of our largest annual investments in our international pavilion, creating a business hub for around 50 Catalan companies and nearly 100 professionals to meet buyers, commissioners, distributors and potential partners under a shared Catalan brand. Catalonia is home to “one of Southern Europe’s most dynamic and internationally connected audiovisual industries”, he said. “We want visitors to discover not only outstanding projects, but also reliable production

partners, creative talent and companies with proven experience in international co-production and content creation.”

INDUSTRY ACCESS Focusing on the whole of Spain, the Audiovisual from Spain pavilion, organised by ICEX — Invest in Spain — positions itself as a gateway to the country’s audiovisual industry. “Strategically located in the highly trafficked Riviera 7 building, our central pavilion provides a consolidated entry point to top-tier Spanish production, distribution, and entertainment companies showcasing their strong pipeline of original premium content,” creative industries director at ICEX, Luis Mayoral Gabaldón, said. “Whether you are a buyer looking for the next viral global hit, a digital studio exploring the creator economy, or an international producer seeking premium tax-sheltered locations, making the Audiovisual from Spain pavilion your first stop guarantees direct, unhindered access to Europe’s fastest-growing audiovisual ecosystem.” Lee Do-Hyoung, director of the Content IP Business Division at the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), said the Korea Pavilion is all about developing partnerships. “We hope visitors will remember the Korea Pavilion not simply as a place to find Korean content to purchase, but as a place to meet partners with whom they can develop, invest in and expand businesses over the long term,” he said, adding: “At the Korea Pavilion, delegates can meet Korean companies

with original IPs, co-production-ready projects and strong production capabilities, all in one place. Whether you are looking to acquire new content, co-develop a project or find a reliable production partner, the Korea Pavilion should be the first stop at MIPCOM.”

LOCAL INDUSTRY SUPPORT Simone Baumann, managing director, German Films Services & Marketing, said the German pavilion exists “to give our independent world sales agents a strong home base as they pitch German theatrical and TV projects and premium content to buyers from every region. It’s a simple but vital function”. An equally important role is that of positioning Germany as “a production hub for international projects, a mission we pursue together with our regional film funds and their film commissions. The initiative Focus Germany extends that work on the ground, connecting incoming producers to funding schemes, crews, and service companies across the country.” Baumann added: “We want every producer, broadcaster, streamer, and distributor who visits to walk away with one clear message: German content deserves a place on their slate. Our pavilion shows the sheer diversity of what’s coming out of Germany right now, from bold auteur cinema to high-end genre work, and it puts a spotlight on the talents driving that output. Buyers won’t find a narrow slice of German filmmaking here. They’ll find a whole industry worth exploring, and we’re there to help them do exactly that.”

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

productions. It comprises financial incentives for both medium-budget and largescale productions, with reimbursement rates that can go up to 30% or, in the case of medium-budget projects in the islands and low-density territories, up to 40%.” Support is also available for scouting missions by foreign producers considering filming in Portugal, Marques said.

2026 PAVILIONS ARGENTINA PromoArgentina Agency to promote international trade and inward investment Stand: P-1.D60 AUSTRALIA Screen Australia Incentives: Up to 40% depending on region and qualifying criteria. Local states and territories offer other incentives. Stand: R8.B18 AUSTRIA Film in Austria Incentives: Up to 30% depending on region and qualifying criteria, plus a potential 5% Green Filming Bonus Stand: P-1.L1

BELGIUM CREATIVE EUROPE MEDIA Manages EU grants supporting develo ment, production-related activity, distribution and international co-operation Stand: P-1.C51/P4.B 1 WALLONIE BRUXELLES IMAGES Promotion agency for audiovisual works from French-speaking Belgian professionals Stand: P-1.M 1 BRAZIL Brazilian Pavilion Incentives: Up to 35% depending on region and qualifying criteria, primarily through the ANCINE agency Stand: P-1.L2

BULGARIA Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA) Agency for aiding internationalisation of Bulgarian businesses Stand: P-1.K16 CANADA Canada Pavilion/Telefilm Canada Incentives: Selective production financing and support for eligible Canadian projects and official co-productions. Across the country different states and territories offer incentives Stand: R8.E1 Quebec Creatif – SODEC Incentives: Up to 25% of qualifying expenditure with additional eligible uplifts. Stand: P4.C20

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2026 Pavilions continued:

CHINA China Pavilion Incentives: Funding available for co-productions, depending on qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.G1 Jiangsu Pavilion Incentives: Funding available for co-productions, depending on qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.F5

ITA – Italian Trade Agency The governmental agency supporting business development and investment into Italy Incentives: Up to 40% depending on region and qualifying criteria Stand: R7.K19/L26 MALAYSIA National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) Incentives: Up to 30% depending on region and qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.F62

COLOMBIA Colombian Pavilion Incentives: Up to 35% depending on region and qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.M58

PHILIPPINES Film Development Council (FDCP) Promotes trade and investment. Incentives: Up to 20%, or 25% with cultural bonus, depending on region and qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.L13

FRANCE Unifrance Organisation for promotion of French cinema, television/audiovisual content internationally Stand: P-1.E1

PORTUGAL ICA – Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual Agency to support audiovisual production Incentives: Up to 30% depending on region and qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.K2

GERMANY German Pavilion Incentives: Germany has various federal and regional production funding/tax incentives, up to 30% for qualifying productions Stand: P-1.K19

QATAR Media City A hub for media companies, creative entrepreneurs and technology innovators Incentives: Up to 50% depending on qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.K50

INDIA Services Export Promotion Council Incentives: Up to 50% depending on region and qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.D1 ITALY Centro Estero per L’Internazionalizzione Agency for supporting international growth of business in Piemonte Stand: P-1.J64

SINGAPORE Info-Communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) Agency to drive and aid business, working under the Singapore Ministry of Digital Development and Information Incentives: Tax credits depend on the project Stand: P-1.H51

SOUTH KOREA Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) A government agency affiliated to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism supporting creative industries Incentives: Up to 50% depending on region and qualifying criteria Stand: R7.E1/E2 SPAIN Audiovisual From Spain ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, with a mission to promote the internationalisation of Spanish companies and attract investment into Spain Incentives: Up to 30% mainland, up to 54% Canary Islands, depending on qualifying criteria Stand: R7.J11 Basque Audiovisual An agency to promote Basque productions at markets and festivals Incentives: Up to 60% depending on qualifying criteria Stand: R7.F39 Catalan Film Incentives: Up to 30% depending on qualifying criteria Stand: R7.F25/H9 TÜRKIYE Türkiye Pavilion Incentives: Up to 30% depending on qualifying criteria Stand: P-1.L50/L51

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

CHILE CinemaChile Connecting international creators with Chilean resources Stand: P-1.J12

UK UK Pavilion Hosting Windfall Films; Dogwoof; SNTV; Acamar Films; and Coutts Stand: P-1. E58 US IFTA Pavilion The US Independent Film & TV Alliance Hosting 9 international IFTA member TV and film companies Stand: P-1. F57A-E58F

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PRODUCT NEWS Companies from all over the world bring their content to the international market at MIPCOM CANNES. The following pages showcase a selection of the wide range of content available for all audiences across all screens

AMC GLOBAL MEDIA KEY HIGHLIGHTS for AMC include drama series Thunder Road (8 x 60 mins), scheduled for 2027, about a multi-generational stock-car racing dynasty; The Audacity (16 x 60 mins), about self-styled Silicon Valley visionaries; and two seasons of Irish Blood (12 x 60 mins). Documentaries include Archive X: Unexplained Phenomena (6 x 60 mins), while Age Inappropriate (8 x 60 mins) explores age-gap relationships.

Age Inappropriate (AMC Global Media)

ORANGE SMARTY

ULTRA MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT ULTRA Media & Entertainment is at MIPCOM with a library of 3,500+ films and 17,500+ television episodes, and a business spanning content acquisition, licensing, rights management, production, distribution, studio faci- Contract Walapyaar lities and digital pre- (Ultra Media & sence. A focus for Ultra Entertainment) Media has been microdramas, with titles across all genres — thrillers, workplace dramas and romance — including Contract Walapyaar.

EastEnders (Radial Entertainment)

RADIAL ENTERTAINMENT US DISTRIBUTOR Radial Entertainment is at MIPCOM with a range of reality series, including The FBI Files (20 x 60 mins), featuring cases retold by the scientists who cracked them; four seasons of World’s Most Evil Prisoners (40 x 60 mins); Hashtag Homicide (8 x 60 mins), profiling cases in which social media posts, dating apps and online footprints became evidence; Untold Stories Of The ER (120 x 60 mins); and Forensic Files (395 x 30 mins). The company also brings the Golden Princess Movie Library, featuring 156 Hong Kong classics, and the Millennium Films library. Additionally, it holds US rights for digital linear streaming for the BBC’s flagship serial drama EastEnders.

AMONG the titles brought to MIPCOM by the UK’s Orange Smarty is The Beckhams’ BilMichael Palin In lions: How Did They Get So The Philippines Rich? (1 x 60 mins), charting how (Orange Smarty) the family became a global business empire. Other headline titles include Stacey Dooley Down The K Hole (1 x 60 mins), following Stacey as she investigates ketamine addiction; Restoration Rescue (10 x 30 mins), following ambitious transformational projects; Michael Palin In The Philippines (3 x 60 mins); Diary Of A Junior Doctor (10 x 60 mins), which follows five junior doctors around the world; and Enhanced: Pushing The Limits (1 x 60 mins), following Olympian Shane Ryan as he prepares to compete in the Enhanced Games.

ZDF STUDIOS THE DRAMA slate from ZDF Studios is headed by Grand Hotel By The Sea (8 x 50 mins), a romantic story set on the Dutch coast between 1912 and 1919, following Sandra’s fight to transform a seaside hotel into a destination for Europe’s elite. Other dramas include Benidorm Is Murder (6 x 60 mins), combining murder mysteries with Hotel By The Sea humour; Bust Up (6 x 60 mins), Grand (ZDF Studios) which pairs criminal investigations with a relationship story; High Valley (6 x 45 mins), following a gifted young show jumper; and mystery fantasy thriller Shifters (6 x 45 mins). From the unscripted catalogue comes America’s Wars (3 x 50 mins). Wildlife and science titles include Tasmania’s Wild Treasures (2 x 50 mins) and The Body: What Is Life? (3 x 50 mins).

OFF THE FENCE

Crime Or Rescue (Off The Fence)

CRIME Or Rescue (1 x 90 mins), follows animal activists who risk prison to rescue animals from testing facilities and factory farms. Rose, a UK activist, and US lawyer Wayne are united by a belief that rescuing animals from cruelty is not a crime.As their actions trigger legal battles, court orders keep the pair apart — but an unexpected love story unfolds across borders. 55

Cutting-edge Of Defense (Daehan Mediaworld)

DAEHAN MEDIAWORLD THE DOCUMENTARY Cutting-edge Of Defense (1 x 52 mins) takes a close look at some of the latest technology used by defence units in Korea. The growth of South Korea as a significant player in the global arms export market is fundamentally reshaping geopolitical dynamics and this programme explores some of main weapon manufacturers responsible. The Seoul-based distributor also brings Fire In Asia (8 x 26 mins) which traces the story of fire-related traditional festivals and food culture in Asia.

SOMETHING SPECIAL THE PRIORITY shows for MIPCOM from Korea’s Something Special, include reality series The Underdogs: Top Dog Project (8 x 60 mins), in which abandoned dogs and people who have faced setbacks in their lives pair up and, guided by expert trainers, take on increasingly demanding missions while exploring powerful stories of healing, resilience and redemption. The singing competition, The Scout (8 x 90 mins), features superstar Masters who scout promising vocalists — the Muses — and develop them into stage-ready artists, supported by Legend Makers, experts in music production, performance, styling and management. From Unknown To Legend (12 x 150 mins) sees 99 singers — unknowns as well as well-known artists in disguise — compete in challenges. The franchise is flexible to feature aritsts from other genres.

The Scout (Something Special)

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

NIPPON TV NIPPON TV’s Gyokuro Studio brings brandnew unscripted format Love On The Menu to MIPCOM. The 60- to 90-minute reality show features single professional chefs looking for romance, while presenting their cooking skills. As the show progresses various culinary challenges reveal their true nature and professional pride, and after each challenge, the different chefs anonymously vote for the dish that captured their hearts. With the Final Dish chefs transform their partner’s deepest memories and preferences into one ultimate plate to confess their feelings. Love On The Menu (Nippon TV)

The Hollywood Blacklist:

The Survivors Tell Their POORHOUSE Stories (Poorhouse International) INTERNATIONAL

IN THE shadow of the Cold War, the House of Un-American Activities Committee in the US turned its attention to Hollywood. Writers, directors and actors were summoned and forced to choose between betraying their colleagues and losing their careers. The Hollywood Blacklist: The Survivors Tell Their Stories (1 x 53 mins/HD) brings together the voices of those who lived through that era — from members of the Hollywood Ten to actors, screen writers and witnesses who refused to be silenced. Through rare interviews and archive footage, the film offers intimate, first-hand accounts of courage and exile, and explores the long shadow cast by political persecution on American cinema. Produced by Cloud Studios, the documentary is brought to the market by Poorhouse International. 56

A Ring And A Prayer (TVS)

THE TELEVISION SYNDICATION COMPANY (TVS) HIGHLIGHTS from the TVS slate include: A Ring And A Prayer (6 x 24 mins, which follows couples as they plan their wedding day, across different cultures, traditions and faiths; Charlie Kirk The Road To Courage (2 x 52 mins), profiling the relationship between strategist Bill Montgomery and the budding politician; Inspired Lives And Inspired Lives Athletes (12 x 30 mins), exploring the personal journeys of celebrities and athletes; and Authentic Escapes (6 x 30 mins), hosted by travel expert Sandra McLemore, which uncovers the people, culture and experiences that make destinations unforgettable.

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THE INDUSTRY

Knowledge Keepers (PBS Distribution)

ENTERR10 TELEVISION NETWORK

Ishq Junooni (Enterr10 Television Network)

INDIA’s Enterr10 Television Network highlights a content library of 12,000+ hours at MIPCOM, including programming from its Hindi general entertainment channel, Dangal TV and extensive YouTube content. Highlights from the drama catalogue — some of which have been syndicated across more than 40 countries — include: Prem Leela (Leela’s Tale), Prem Bandhan (Bond Of Love), Shubh Shagun (Bound By Fate) and Deewani (Madly in Love). New priorities for MIPCOM include Ishq Junooni (Obsessed In Love) and Rimjhim.

RAI COM

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

PBS DISTRIBUTION US DISTRIBUTOR PBS brings an extensive catalogue of programming to the international market at MIPCOM. Knowledge Keepers explores how the Native peoples of North America have long practiced distinct examples of science and engineering — from ancient sea farming techniques that optimise ecosystems to celestial navigation methods adapted to extreme environments like the frozen Arctic. Crime And Punishment In America (4 x 120 mins) traces the history of criminal justice, featuring stories of ex-prisoners interwoven with the perspectives of judges, prosecutors, defence attorneys, politicians, prison wardens, police officers, journalists and victims. Space Wars (1 x 60 mins) looks at the high-stakes war silently escalating above our heads. Lost City Of Gold (2 x 45 mins) explores a largely unknown great medieval Zimbabwean city. The Time Traveller’s Guide To… (4 x 60 mins) is a history format that reimagines archive knowledge through the lens of AI.

ANT SYSTEMZ ANT SYSTEMZ is showcasing its two platforms at MIPCOM which aim to encourage the use of AI as a heavy-lifting tool while allowing creators to realise their vision and allowing content to scale globally while preserving its original voice and cultural authenticity. CRIT, a Creative Automation Platform (CAP), is a cognitive infrastructure that collapses ideation, structuring and production into hours — with creative directors and editors shaping the output. VOIT carries that discipline into voice, powered by Neural Machine Translation (NMT) and governed by human linguists who protect tone, culture and nuance across every European language. 58

NEW TO the performing arts Rai Com catalogue is the inaugural production of the 2026/27 season at Teatro alla Scala, Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello, which marks the beginning of a new era under its newly appointed music director, MyungWhun Chung. Directed by Damiano Michieletto, the new production stars Brian Jagde in the title role, Eleonora Buratto as Desdemona, Luca Salsi as Iago and Juan FranA Small Formality cisco Gatell as Cassio. Another Rai (Rai com) Com priority is a romantic comedy-drama, A Small Formality (6 x 50 mins). Set in Milan, the series follows Rachele, a 30-year-old magazine journalist stuck between a job for a lifestyle magazine and the newsroom career she’s always wanted. When a mysterious inheritance from an unknown uncle pulls her back into her past, despite having just started a relationship with the reporter Pietro, she reconnects with the sharp and arrogant notary Manfredi who sparks inconvenient feelings for her.

CZECH TELEVISION LONE Wolf tells the untold true story of Josef František, a Czech fighter ace who became the highest-scoring Allied pilot of the Battle of Britain. Flying with the legendary No.303 Polish Fighter Squadron, his extraordinary courage, fearless combat skills and relentless determination transformed him into one of the greatest heroes of the Second World War. Blending cinematic drama with historical testimony, spectacular aerial combat and meticulous period recreation, Lone Wolf delivers an emotionally powerful and visually compelling film, brought to Cannes by Czech Television.

Lone Wolf (Czech Television)

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Lucky Luke (Federation Studios)

MEDIASET

ZED

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

William The Conqueror: The Great Landing (ZED)

ZED BRINGS to Cannes two premium history titles marking the millennium of William the Conqueror’s birth and exploring the 1,000 years of Norman legacy that has shaped the political and cultural map of Europe. William The Conqueror: The Great Landing (1 x 52 mins/4K) explores the greatest sea invasion of the Middle Ages and the legendary battle for the English crown, brought to life through AI-generated reconstructions. Heroines Of Normandy (2 x 52 mins) is a docudrama uncovering the overlooked stories of six queens, strategists and conquerors whose political influence shaped Norman and European power in this era. Delivery is due at the end of this year.

THE MIPCOM slate from Spain’s Mediaset includes: Point Nemo (10 x 45 mins), a survival drama about an oceanographic expedition that becomes stranded on an island once occupied by Russian military; romantic drama She, Damned Soul (9 x 70 mins); Marusía: Naval Academy (8 x 65 mins), set in a strict Naval Academy, where the arrival of the first female director completely upends the status quo; Olivia (6 x 40 mins), a feel-good family drama in which a disgraced TV weatherman reinvigorates his father’s olive grove; and Pure Bred (8 x 65 mins), a family drama set in the exclusive world of horse breeding. Marusía: Naval Academy (Mediaset)

HUACE GROUP CHINA’s Huace Group brings a series set in the mid-Ming Dynasty about the century-old Li family, once the unrivalled leader of the ink trade, which has fallen into decline. Years later, Li Zhen, the youngest daughter of the disgraced branch, turns to ink-making to support her family. She restores the glory of Huizhou craftsmanship, revives her family, and rekindles the brilliance of a thousand-year-old tradition. Another priority is Boy Hood 2. As the new school term begins, Yibei High School’s basketball club seems to be on the verge of being disbanded, when new members join. Together they face challenges on the basketball court, unlocking their potential through teamwork and grow closer while spending time at their secret music hideout.

SPHERE ABACUS SWAMP Kings: Predators Of The Delta (4 x 60 mins), from Big Wave Productions, is a character-led wildlife series following four iconic predators as they navigate the challenges of life in Africa’s Okavango Delta. At the heart of the story is a vulnerable lion pride, battling to hold onto their supremacy against rival hyenas, leopards and wild dogs.

Swamp Kings: Predators Of The Delta (Sphere Abacus)

FEDERATION STUDIOS PRODUCED by Federation Studios France, new series Lucky Luke (8 x 35 mins), follows the lonesome cowboy who is watching over 18-year-old Louise, as they set off on a quest across the Wild West to find Louise’s mother, who has mysteriously vanished. They also try to foil a plot that could well alter the course of US history. The story is packed with duels, high-speed chases and unexpected alliances with the Dalton Brothers, Billy the Kid and Calamity Jane, among others. The series was created by Mathieu Leblanc (Panda, Astrid, The Crimson Rivers) and Thomas Mansuy (Panda, Call My Agent!, Killer Coaster).

Aska Mahkum (Shemaroo Entertainment)

SHEMAROO ENTERTAINMENT SERIES Aşka Mahkum (Bitter Justice) marks a significant milestone for India’s Shemaroo Entertainment, as its first Turkish series co-production, developed in partnership with Globalsphere Studios. Aired in Turkey, the drama follows Dünya, whose life is shattered after a tragic construction-site accident leaves her family vulnerable to powerful businessman Noyan Erim. Forced into his mansion and separated from her loved ones, she must navigate coercion, obsession, hostility, corruption and hidden alliances. As Dünya fights to protect her family and reclaim her freedom, an unexpected bond with Noyan’s right-hand man, Sinan, sparks a forbidden romance amid a quest for justice. The series is licensed by Shemaroo for MENA and SAARC territories.

Black Is Beautiful (Mediawan Rights)

MEDIAWAN RIGHTS

DYNAMIC TELEVISION THE TWELVE Dates Of Christmas (6 x 45 mins) is based on UK author Jenni Bayliss’ novel and created for television by Erin Rodman. The romantic comedy is about Kate (Mae Whitman), an American textile designer in London, who is caring for her stubborn father as he recovers from injury and depression. She is feeling uninspired and overwhelmed when her best friend signs her up for a Christmas-themed dating service offering 12 unique dates. Kate embraces the chance to escape and get into the holiday spirit and is swept into a season of romance and self-discovery. The series also stars Jane Seymour, Julian Morris and Toby Sandeman.

Grand Adventures (WildBear International

WILDBEAR INTERNATIONAL WILDBEAR International’s slate for MIPCOM CANNES is led by immersive new travel series, Grand Adventures (6 x 60 mins). Produced by WildBear Entertainment, the series explores a new generation of experiential travel, where luxury and comfort are matched by genuine exploration. Boutique ships reach remote islands and hidden harbours, expedition vessels venture into polar waters and isolated coastlines, river cruises trace centuries of history, and journeys on land reveal extraordinary landscapes, wildlife and cultures far beyond the usual tourist trail. Locations featured include New Caledonia, Greenland, The Kimberley in Australia, French Polynesia, Vietnam and the Himalayas.

TITLES on offer from Paris-based Mediawan Rights include: California Avenue 6 x 52 mins), set during the UK summer of 1975 when the arrival of Lela and Bee to a caravan park brings buried troubles back to the surface, starring Bill Nighy, Helena Bonham Carter, Erin Doherty and Tom Burke; Target (6 x 52 mins), about a bodyguard going through a divorce, who when his ex-wife and two children are kidnapped, comes under police suspicion; The Good The Bad And The Money, an unscripted format in development, featuring contestants making highstakes choices under pressure: and documentary Black Is Beautiful (1 x 90 mins), about Harlem-based Kwame Brathwaite who from the 1950s to his death in 2023 captured half a million photographs of everyday life and iconic figures including Stevie Wonder, Muhammad Ali, Marvin Gaye, Roberta Flack, Nina Simone and The Jackson 5.

ATRESMEDIA SALES ATRESMEDIA returns to MIPCOM with a robust slate led by two fiction titles. Agata & Lola (8 x 50 mins), based on TF1’s Astrid et Raphaëlle, is a police procedural pairing a fearless inspector with a brilliant autistic criminal analyst whose extraordinary memory and investigative skills complement her partner’s intuition and empathy. A La Deriva (10 x 50 mins) is Agata & Lola (Atresmedia) a drama set in a fishing village after a devastating shipwreck. Five missing fishermen unexpectedly return two years later, an event which uncovers long-buried secrets. Another highlight is Sueños De Libertad (Dreams Of Freedom), a daily telenovela, now in its third season.

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The Twelve Dates Of Christmas (Dynamic Television)

MEDIASET DISTRIBUTION A MIPCOM priority for Mediaset Distribution is Italian crime series R.I.S. – Imperfect Crimes. Originally launched on Canale 5 in 2005, the popular series features the Reparto InvesR.I.S. – Imperfect Crimes (Mediaset Distribution) tigazioni Scientifiche, a specialist forensic team. Set in Parma for the first five seasons and then later in Rome, the series combines self-contained investigations with continuing storylines. The first two seasons have recently sold to Japan’s Action Channel, across pay-TV and SVOD services. 61

Solar Flares – The New Big One (GAD)

WHITE LIGHT INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

GAD WHAM! 10 Days In China (White Light International Media)

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WHAM! 10 Days In China is a new documentary film spotlighting the band’s landmark 1985 visit, brought to MIPCOM by the UK’s White Light International Media. Wham!’s historic concerts in Beijing and Guangzhou introduced live pop music to audiences under strict guidelines at the time. The tour marked a pivotal cultural moment for Wham!, expanding the band’s international profile and cementing their global reach. The films draws on meticulously restored, newly digitised archive footage, alongside interviews with those who experienced the tour first-hand.

SBS STUDIO SOUTH Korea’s SBS studio is showcasing it newest title to the international market in Cannes, My AI Partner: Strange Love. The reality show is a mix of sci-fi and romance where relationships are observed across various dates to see if it is possible that a human and an AI character can truly fall in love.

INVESTIGATIVE documentaries from GAD, all in 4K, include: The Great Pyramids of Giza – What Lies Beneath? (2 x 55 mins), which follows a team of Italian scientists that reveals colossal structures; The Black Ocean: The New Minefield (1 x 54 mins) featuring three women who take a stand against powerful corporations; The Last Fish? (1 x 52 mins), looking at fishing communities struggling as climate change threatens marine life; and Solar Flares – The New Big One ( 1 x 52 mins). The catalogue also includes programming focused on Singapore: Hidden Histories (4 x 47 mins); Singapore’s Balancing Act (2 x 47 mins); No Screen, No Life? (2 x 46 mins); In Alison’s Mind 1 x 46 mins); Byte The Habit (6 x 23 mins); and Singapore Hidden In 40 Objects (2 x 47 mins). Two music shows from the French distributor feature the Orchestre National Du Capitole De Toulouse and the Les Escapades Musicales festival.

My AI Partner: Strange Love (SBS Studio)

PRIMITIVES A FRESH slate of formats is brought to MIPCOM by Belgian distributor Primitives. Terrain: Battle Of The Flags Terrain: Battle Of The (10 x 25 mins/ for ZDF, GerFlags (Primitives) many) drops 10 content creators into a real-life game world in the Scottish Highlands, where two teams raid enemy territory, defend their flags and battle for strategic advantages, with gaming-inspired visuals. The Last Laugh (6 x 50 mins/ for VRT, Belgium) sees people with a terminal diagnosis create their own eulogy with a comedian, drawing on memories, stories and inside jokes. Mission Accomplished (8 x 60 mins/ for VRT, Belgium) is a game show in which celebrities attempt hilarious challenges, then try to convince others they succeeded. Returning highlights include The Mole, The Ultimate Celebrity Car Park Showdown, 99 To Beat and Zero Stars. 62

YES STUDIOS

Alibi (yes Studios)

ALIBI (7 x 15 mins) is a non-linear murder mystery set in the fictional small town of Awatahi in New Zealand. A 17-year-old, Jodie Hunter, is found dead and there are six main suspects. Each of the short episodes follows a different suspect as they give their version of what happened, their alibi. Each suspect’s recollections paint them as a good person and the others as bad, leaving the audience to search for the overlapping details. The episodes can be watched in any order, leading up to the seventh episode when all is revealed. Alibi is produced by Plus6Four Entertainment for TVNZ.

HAT TRICK INTERNATIONAL THE REAL Wolf Of Wall Street (3 x 60 mins) uses never-before-seen home videos, extraordinary first-hand testimony and unprecedented access to FBI and SEC files, to take viewers inside Jordan Belfort’s brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont and its world of staggering excess, greed and criminality. Told by the brokers, victims and investigators, it reveals how Belfort’s empire rose, how money was hidden and moved, and how panic spread within Belfort’s empire as federal authorities closed in and the human cost of one of modern America’s most audacious financial frauds was exposed.

The Bondi Terror Attack: One Year On (TVF International)

The Real Wolf Of Wall Street (Hat Trick International)

CANAMEDIA PARTNERS CANAMEDIA Partners returns to MIPCOM with The Dome Cooking Show, featuring a high-energy host — Chef Duran Bodasing — with a passion for international travel. Producer Antler Studios has completed three seasons, establishing Duran as Canada’s most widely watched independent television chef. With a cookbook and two new shows in the pipeline — including international travel series The Hunger, due in 2027 — Chef Duran and Canamedia continue to expand the brand beyond the kitchen.

DOCUMENTARY The Bondi Terror Attack: One Year On (1 x 60/90 mins) investigates the worst terror attack in Australia’s history. The story is told by the survivors, victims’ families, first responders and everyday heroes who helped put a stop to the violence, and features never-before-seen archival footage and never-before-heard audio. The film, which was commissioned by SBS, was produced by Mint Pictures. The distributor is London-based TVF International. 012_LOMAX_PV quarter_COM

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TVF INTERNATIONAL

Duran Bodasing, The Dome Cooking Show (Canamedia)

The Marquise (RTP)

AK ENTERTAINMENT ENVIRONMENTAL documentary Seagnal (1 × 89 mins), co-produced with the Greenpeace East Asia Seoul Office, delivers a powerful exploration of change in the oceans. The film follows seven individuals whose lives are deeply tied to the sea: a Jeju haenyeo diver Yujeong Lee, a Mexican fisherman fighting to protect the critically endangered vaquita, marine bioacoustician Michel André, British freediver and underwater photographer Daniel Nicholson, Greenpeace explorers charting warming waters and a resident of Bedono, a flooded Indonesian village. Through immersive field recordings and underwater footage, Seagnal captures the ocean’s urgent warnings while highlighting small, practical actions toward ecological recovery.

PORTUGAL’s RTP brings a range of programming to MIPCOM, including six-part period drama The Marquise, about Leonor, an 18th century poet, RTP diplomat and revolutionary thinker. A new series of 20 TV movies, Told By Women, features female-directed stories inspired by real events. Jones (with Caracol Studios and ORF Enterprise) is a six-part drama, inspired by Agatha Christie. Past Waters is an eight-part thriller uncovering a web of corruption. Ruins: Rise And Fall (BossaNova)

Aska Mahkum (Shemaroo Entertainment)

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Einstein (Paramount Global Content Distribution)

PARAMOUNT GLOBAL CONTENT DISTRIBUTION

TWO TITLES from the scripted catalogue of Paramount Global Content Distribution come under the spotlight in Cannes. One-hour episodic series Einstein stars Matthew Gray Gubler as Lewis Einstein, the brilliant but directionless great grandson of Albert Einstein. He spends his days as a tenured professor until his reckless antics land him in trouble with the law and he is pressed into service helping a local police detective (Melissa Fumero) solve puzzling cases. NCIS: New York follows NCIS Agent Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) as he returns to New York, partnering with a roguish agent (Scott Caan) and helping lead a new team.

BOSSANOVA RUINS: Rise And Fall is a visually spectacular history series built around one simple idea: every ruin tells two stories — how it rises and how it falls. Across eight episodes, and guided by experts, 24 extraordinary sites around the world undergo cutting-edge digital reconstruction from the ground up before showing how history tears it down, revealing the complete story behind the world’s greatest ruins. It is brought to Cannes by the UK’s BossaNova.

PASSION DISTRIBUTION LONDON-based Passion Distribution brings a slate to MIPCOM CANNES spanning documentary, entertainment and formats. Leading the entertainment line-up is Turned On: Dirty Sexy Money (9 x 60 mins), a reality series that pulls back the curtain on the top 1% of OnlyFans creators. Another reality title is the second season of Virgin Island (8 x 60 mins), which follows adult virgins confronting their intimacy issues. The blue-light genre is headlined by the brand-new series Biker Cops (22 x 60 mins), with new seasons of Call The Bailiffs, Fare Dodgers and Inside The Police Force. Highlights from the documentary line-up include Jeremy Bamber – Proof Of Innocence (1 x 90 mins), about the 1985 White House Farm murders and Wado: Spirit Of Wood (1 x 90 mins), an exploration of Japan’s relaVirgin Island tionship with wood, narrated (Passion Distribution) by Helena Bonham Carter. 64

DCD RIGHTS

The Last To Disappear (DCD Rights)

THE LAST To Disappear (6 x 60 mins) follows Alex, an Irish lobbyist hiding a hot temper, who embarks on a journey from London to Lapland to retrieve his sister Vicky’s body after her death. He joins Agatha, a pragmatic single mother and the lead investigator, who reveals that Vicky’s death was no accident. As Agatha confronts the powerful figures exploiting the town’s reputation for personal gain, and solves three cold cases in the process, Alex uncovers his sister’s killer. The series is brought to Cannes by the UK’s DCD Rights.

LONG STORY TV UK-BASED producer Long Story TV has wrapped production on feature-length crime drama One Of Our Own (1 x 90 mins) and is showcasing the production at MIPCOM. Filmed on location in Donaghadee, the film is a spin-off from the long-running series Hope Street. Set in a fictional town on the Northern Irish coast, the story follows the case of an assault on a popular barmaid. Detective Constable Callum soon identifies newly-arrived Anna as prime suspect — which is awkward because she’s dating his mentor. When Anna goes on the run, it seems like an openand-shut case — but maybe the true culprit is closer to home. Co-commissioned by BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Daytime, Northern Ireland Screen and BritBox, the distributor Sphere Abacus is handling worldwide TV sales outside of the US and UK.

XIXI PICTURES CHINA’s Xixi Pictures is bringing historical revenge drama Blade Of Vengeance to MIPCOM. Driven by revenge and a hidden identity, Meng Jianqing steps into the heart of imperial power in pursuit of the truth. As his investigation deepens, what begins as a personal vendetta gradually draws him into a far-reaching political conspiracy. Starring Gong Jun as Meng Jianqing, Blade Of Vengeance combines suspense, action and political intrigue, following a man whose pursuit of the truth ultimately leads him towards a greater purpose. Blade Of Vengeance (Xixi Pictures)

Droneland (New Regency)

NEW REGENCY DRONELAND (6 x 45 mins) is a new dystopian thriller set against the background of a world under constant surveillance. The story follows a troubled war veteran and an idealistic Europol agent who form an unlikely duo to unravel a tech conspiracy threatening Europe and the very foundations of reality. The international cast includes Oliver Masucci (Dark), Sophie Mousel (Capitani), Sibel Kekilli (Game Of Thrones), Alexander Scheer (Gundermann), Marc Limpach (Bad Banks) and Elise Schaap (Undercover).

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The Colossus Of The Tundra (3Boxmedia International Sales)

3BOXMEDIA INTERNATIONAL SALES The Summoned (Another Story)

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ANOTHER STORY FOUNDED in 2025, Korean drama producer Another Story is presenting three projects in Cannes for international co-production. The Summoned (6 x 50 mins) is a mystery drama about a British detective and a Korean shaman who join forces to investigate a disappearance. Mangdol Scandal (8 x 50 mins) is a romantic comedy combining K-pop with a Cinderella story. F.O.A.T (8 x 50 mins) is a comedy-mystery detective series centred on the concept of soul-swapping. The company is seeking international production partners in Cannes to co-create content for Korea and internationally.

Ancients: The Greatest Finds (Woodcut International)

AT MIPCOM Germany’s 3Boxmedia presents a slate of documentaries spanning travel, science and nature. World Best Design Bars + Restaurants (5 x 26 mins) explores extraordinary bars and restaurants around the world known for their outstanding architecture and design. The Lost Coast Of The Ice Age (1 x 50 mins) reveals the remains of extinct animals that lived more than 20,000 years ago and Zero Emissions Guy (1 x 52 mins) questions whether it is possible for individuals to reduce emissions to the extent necessary to reverse climate change. Among the new 4K wildlife titles are: The Colossus Of The Tundra (1 x 48 mins), about musk oxen in Norway; Coiba. The Wild Treasure Island (1 x 50 mins); Strait Of Gibraltar; Nature In Transit (1 x 52 mins); and The Imperial Zebra”(1 x 48 mins).

CARACOL TELEVISION

Forbidden Woman (Caracol Televisión)

CARACOL Televisión returns to Cannes with two stories driven by passion, ambition and resilience. A Day Like No Other, an eight-episode biographical series, traces the extraordinary life of singer Raphael, from his humble beginnings in postwar Spain to becoming one of the country’s most celebrated international artists. Forbidden Woman, a 61-episode drama, follows Karen, the wife of the country’s future president, whose life takes an unexpected turn when she falls in love with a successful young singer, and who is then caught between duty, desire and political expectations.

WOODCUT INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR Woodcut International presents a new historical documentary series at MIPCOM, Ancients: The Greatest Finds (6 x 45 mins). Produced by UK indie Woodcut Media, and commissioned by BBC Select, the series is currently in production and scheduled for delivery in December. It explores how archaeology has transformed our understanding of the ancient world, a 4,000-year period that began with one of the greatest turning points in human history: the shift from mobile hunter-gatherers to settled societies. As people learned to farm, developed writing, built cities and created powerful civilisations, the foundations of the modern world began. 66

CINEFLIX RIGHTS

Diana Unheard (Cineflix Rights)

LEADING Cineflix’s scripted slate is Anna Pigeon, the drama based on the best-selling novels by Nevada Barr, Tracy Spiridakos stars as the former city slicker turned national PIC CREDIT. Tim Graham/Getty Images park ranger solving crimes in a stunning landscape backdrop. New factual titles include Diana Unheard, a limited series marking the 30th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, which uses hours of never-before-heard intimate audio recordings; and Senna: The Last Race, using exclusive access to investigators, eyewitnesses and Formula One insiders to uncover the truth behind Ayrton Senna’s fatal crash, an event that changed the sport forever.

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BOAT ROCKER STUDIOS COMMISSIONED by Wowow in Japan and Nelonen in Finland, Blood & Sweat (8 x 60 mins) is a thriller that follows Japanese detective Aki Suzumiya who discovers disturbing similarities between a homicide in Tokyo and murders in Tampere, Finland. She joins forces with Finnish detective Jon Laine and together they realise they’re chasing a cunning serial killer. On the unscripted side, Boat Rocker presents All Heart (4 x 45 mins), an intimate and revealing look at the Canadian Women’s Rugby team as they fight for gold at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Blood & Sweat (Boat Rocker Studios)

SNTV SNTV is in Cannes to showcase its 30-year experience in providing sports video to broadcasters, publishers and digital platforms worldwide. Footage goes beyond the action, capturing the intersection of sport, entertainment, fashion, lifestyle and culture, featuring athletes off the field, in fashion campaigns, brand collaborations and cultural moments, exploring how sport and its personalities influence the world around them. A joint venture between The Associated Press and IMG, SNTV has relationships with 150+ rightsholders and a network of more than 400 media organisations worldwide, delivering multi-format content.

RE ADVENTU SERIES 52x11’

FREMANTLE DRAMA series from Fremantle include: Baywatch (12 x 60 mins), the return of the iconic series with a new cast patrolling the famous stretch of sand; The Only Suspect (4 x 60 mins), which follows devoted couple Alex and Beth, whose picture-perfect life hides a devastating truth, 30 years earlier Alex had buried a body in an area destined to be a nature trail; and Close to Home (4 x 60 mins), about Sean who returns home to Belfast after university, whose life changes after a misjudged assault. Documentaries include: AI: Probably Nothing To Worry About (1 x 90 mins); and: An Hour On Earth (4 x 60 mins/W/T), filmed across four extraordinary ecosystems — the Kalahari, the Amazon, Australian reefs and the American Rockies. An entertainment highlight is game show Stacks Of Cash.

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LOOKS INTERNATIONAL

SIC INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION VITÓRIA (140 x 45 mins), adapted from Turkish drama Gülperi, follows a mother who struggles to protect her family when she finds out that her father-in-law, Manuel Mendonça, is a criminal willing to sacrifice family ties for the sake of his wealth and power. The Portuguese distributor also highlights Chapters Of Life (140 x 45 mins), an adaptation of a Brazilian telenovela, about a rejected twin with Down syndrome who is raised by the obstetrician. The father of the twins becomes aware of their existence and determines to reunite his children. Another priority is Azul (6 x 45 mins), about Olivia, a determined 18-year-old girl with Down syndrome, who joins a group of environmental activists in the Azores with a mission to bring the whales back.

ORF INVESTIGATIVE stories and wildlife take centre stage in ORF- Enterprise’s MIPCOM line-up. The ORF Originals fiction highlights include: The Forgetting, a series in which a police officer investigates her niece’s murder as earThe Forgetting ly-onset Alzheimer’s (ORF) makes her question her memory; The Weeping Cow is a TV movie about a killing on a remote Alpine pasture that exposes family secrets; and Heroes At Last, the farewell case for Tatort Vienna detectives Bibi and Moritz before a new team takes over. ORF Universum Nature presents Wild Hollywood and Pamir – The Wild Heart of Asia, a journey into Central Asia’s highlands. Universum History titles include Lady Mitsuko – Rising Sun, Turning Tides, tracing a Japanese pioneer’s extraordinary journey between two cultures, and From Paradise to Hell – Black People Under The Nazi Regime.

ONEGATE WHEN German detective Sonja Schwarz leaves Frankfurt for the breathtaking landscapes around Bolzano, she hopes for a fresh start with her family. Instead, she finds a world where idyllic vineyards and mountain scenery hide dark seBolzano Crimes (Onegate) crets. As part of Bolzano’s criminal investigation unit, she tackles complex murder cases rooted in family conflicts, long -buried secrets, local traditions and the region’s darker undercurrents. The Bolzano Crimes series is brought to the international market in Cannes by German distributer Onegate.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

Chapters Of Life (SIC International Distribution)

IRAN Unveiled (4 x 52 mins) profiles the women of Iran, whose lives have been radically transformed over the past six decades. Iranian voices from home and in exile — spanning different social, political and religious standpoints — trace the Iran Unveiled (Looks International) country’s journey from Westernisation in the 1960s, through the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and the war with Iraq in the 1980s, to the Women. Life. Freedom. protests. Germany’s Looks International also presents: The Last Days Of Kabul (3 x 60 mins); Tito – The Man Who Was Yugoslavia (3 x 60 mins/1 x 90 mins); William – Love & Duty (1 x 60 mins); Mao – Power and Revolution (1 x 60 mins); and Aerial Wafare – A History (4 x 45 mins).

WARNER BROS. INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION PRODUCTION (WBITVP) WBITVP arrives at MIPCOM with a new formats slate led by comedy game show Unacceptable and cooking competition, 100 Cooks. Unacceptable sees two teams of comedians go head-to-head, voicing outrageous, unpopular or simply ridiculous opinions — such as ‘attractive people shouldn’t pay tax’ — while trying to convince a room full of strangers that they may have a point. 100 Cooks welcomes 100 home cooks into a vast kitchen arena. The Challenge Mixer reveals a task such as creating the best burger, while the Cook Mixer selects the cooks to participate. Nobody knows when they will compete, what they will be asked to do, how many cooks will join them, or how many could be sent home. As the numbers dwindle, the stakes rise, and the Money Mixer adds cash to each challenge. 100 Cooks (WBITVP) 69

FIFTH SEASON

Honey (Fifth Season)

STARRING Matthew Macfadyen and Charlie Hunnam, Legacy Of Spies (8 x 60 mins) is an espionage thriller adapted from John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, and drawing on material from his 2017 novel A Legacy Of Spies. As the series unfolds, personal lives become collateral in a ruthless intelligence war, and the lines between duty and love begin to blur. Another Fifth Season title on offer in Cannes is Honey (6 x 60 mins), a Cold War tale of an MI6 agent drawn into a deadly and dysfunctional love triangle. Twenty-fouryear-old Carolyn assumes the deep-cover identity of Martha in 1980s East Berlin, where she explores a shadowy world of counterespionage and risky but intoxicating relationships.

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STUDIO SPACE RABBIT CO-DEVELOPED by Korean production companies dIturn and Studio Space Rabbit, Throw 4 It: Yut War is a stylish live-action reimagining of Yutnori, Korea’s traditional board game, as a game-show format. Based on the results of throwing the Yuts (four wooden sticks), four teams of four players become living game pieces on a giant board, battling through physical challenges and strategic mind games. Another show from Studio Space Rabbit is Banned, which features 16 single men and women who enter a seductive island club. For seven days, they party, flirt, compete and fight to survive in paradise.

Throw 4 It: Yut War (Studio Space Rabbit)

STORYFARM KOREA’s Storyfarm brings an animated thriller to MIPCOM, Dead Sorcerer’s City. In a city where magic powers are part of everyday life — where you park a car by shrinking it, or send packages by teleportation — someone is using forbidden magic to execute villains one by one. The media calls the mysterious vigilante Crimson Robe. While hunting the elusive killer, genius detective Kim Hyunhee uncovers a terrifying reality — the city was built on the blood of sorcerers, harvested as living sources of mana. Dead Sorcerer’s City (Storyfarm)

ITV STUDIOS

Ages Of Ice (ITV Studios)

FORMAT Apocalypse (8 x 60 mins) is a bold and ambitious social experiment in which 16 ordinary people enter an abandoned town that bears all the hallmarks of being ravaged by an apocalyptic event. They must survive here for 28 days without running water, heating or electricity, and scavenge for food and supplies, reusing and repurposing anything they find. Will this group of strangers band together or fall apart? From the scripted ITV Studios roster comes The Party (5 x 60 mins), a psychological thriller in which lifelong friends confront their demons during a drunken birthday party and the following police investigation. Documentary Ages Of Ice (3 x 60 mins), profiles the extraordinary story of our frozen planet, narrated by actor David Tennant.

Brutal Justice (Daro Film Distribution)

Willow: Secret Diary Of A Mountain Lion (Autentic)

DARO FILM DISTRIBUTION DARO Film Distribution introduces Brutal Justice at MIPCOM CANNES, a hard-hitting action thriller starring Scott Adkins and Marko Zaror. The film follows two broken men who unite to take down the pharmaceutical kingpin responsible for destroying their lives. As they wage an uncompromising war through a world of corruption and violence, vengeance becomes the only justice left. Brutal Justice delivers explosive action, relentless intensity and two of the genre’s most acclaimed martial arts stars. The project is set for release in 2027.

AUTENTIC A HIGHLIGHT of Autentic’s factual MIPCOM slate is AI: Humanity’s Last Invention?, which investigates how AI may destroy the world. History series Secrets Of Cold War Ruins uncovers lost places and abandoned military sites, while wildlife documentary Willow: Secret Diary Of A Mountain Lion offers an intimate look at one of nature’s most elusive predators. Other titles include: The Ocean At Night; Pakistan Express; and documentary The Secret Lives Of Parasites, revealing these misunderstood but valuable organisms.

Self-made Sisters (Lineup Industries)

ARTE DISTRIBUTION

LINEUP Industries is unveiling Self-made Sisters (8 x 25 mins) at MIPCOM, a docu-reality format that highlights a group of ambitious women who are balancing the expectations of their Islamic faith, family and community with empowerment and professional drive. When their storylines intertwine and converge during shared events, differences become visible. While the women find common ground in their ambition, they frequently disagree on faith, relationships, parenting and success.

ZINC DISTRIBUTION TWO TITLES top Zinc Distribution’s MIPCOM slate. Brexit: A Very British Civil War (2 x 60 mins) tells the inside story of the 2016 EU referendum, unBrexit: A Veru British Civil War ravelling the rivalries, conflicts (Zinc Distribution) and betrayals that tore apart the Leave and Remain campaigns through first-hand testimony from key figures including David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Michael Gove. The London-based distributor also brings Major Crimes (6 x 90 mins), which follows the West Midlands Police’s Major Crime Unit and the elite investigators tackling serious offences including shootings, gang crime and attempted murder.

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LINEUP INDUSTRIES

ARTE Distribution brings to MIPCOM a factual slate spanning true crime, history and current affairs. Kim, The Diamond And The Grandpa Robbers (2 x 52 mins) revisits the 2016 Paris heist of an 18-carat diamond ring from Kim Kardashian. From Luxor To Paris, The Impossible Journey Of The Obelisk (1 x 52 mins) uses AIdriven reconstructions to retrace Terminator: Of Machines And Men… the 19th-century engineering And One Woman (ARTE Distribution) feat of transporting a 230-ton granite monolith from Egypt to France. Terminator: Of Machines And Men… And One Woman (1 x 52 mins) traces the film saga’s legacy through an exclusive interview with James Cameron. History selections include Dracula’s True Story and Machiavelli: The Political Mastermind.

100 Knives (Banijay)

BANIJAY

A+E GLOBAL MEDIA

FORMATS from Banijay on offer in Cannes include 100 Knives (10 x 66 mins), which sees 100 chefs in a high-pressure culinary arena where teamwork is everything and no one can afford to be the weakest link; and Last One Standing (8 x 50 mins), which puts celebrities together 24/7 in a camp against a striking desert-like backdrop, where they take on elite-level trials engineered by top athletes. From the scripted genre comes darkly comedic thriller Maya (6 x 60 mins), about devoted single mum Anna and her headstrong teenage daughter Maya, who are forced into witness protection in a small rural town in Scotland. Another title is Reputation (6 x 60 mins), which centres on Lena, a formidable lawyer who has built her career defending free expression, but who gets pulled into representing a global pop star in a libel battle with her ex-husband.

HISTORY’s Strange Fortunes With Kevin Bacon reveals the wildest ways money has been made, lost — and blown. From Elvis dropping $50,000 on a midnight sandwich run to multimillion-dollar scams and gold-rush windfalls. Further titles from A+E Global Media include: Extraordinary Origins With Ted Danson, exploring the incredible origin stories behind the inventions and discoveries that have shaped humanity — from potato chips to penicillin; The Bible Revealed (WT), an eight-part series from History channel that brings to life the most iconic stories of the Bible, using AI-driven visualisations; and two Lifetime Movies with Angie Harmon — Buried In Barstow 2: Blood For Blood and Buried In Barstow 3: The Reckoning (WT).

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BBC STUDIOS

O Horizon (Electric Entertainment)

ELECTRIC ENTERTAINMENT

Mammoth (BBC Studios)

THE VARIED catalogue brought to Cannes by BBC Studios includes Hidden Planet (5 x 60 mins), a natural-history series using pioneering robotic technology to journey into the unseen realm of the most colourful, diverse and successful animals on Earth — insects. Silent Attraction, a 48-minute format, throws young singles of differing opinions into a bold dating challenge. Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro sees 12 of the world’s most talented dancers do battle. Mammoth (7 x 60 mins) is a farcical comedy about a 1970s PE teacher feared dead after an avalanche. Drama Waiting For The Out (6 x 45 mins) features Dan, who starts a philosophy class in prison. Wild Cherry (6 x 60 mins) is a thriller in which secrets and scandal tear apart a privileged community.

MIPCOM CANNES PREVIEW 2026

BLUE ANT BLUE Ant Rights & Streaming brings a roster of factual series to MIPCOM, including The Billion Dollar Hash Hunt (3 x 60 minsi), a true-crime treasure hunt that follows former drug cartel smuggler Billy Greer and former DEA agent Rick Carter, who landed Billy in prison for nearly 20 years. Reunited decades later, former enemies Billy The Billion Dollar Hash Hunt (Blue Ant Rights & Streaming) and Rick join forces to uncover what really happened to 62 tons of missing hash, worth a billion dollars, supposedly hidden in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Another title is Levison Wood: South America (4 x 60 mins), which follows explorer Levison Wood on his most ambitious journey, a stunning four-month, 10,000-mile expedition through the spine of South America.

ELECTRIC highlights a range of drama series at MIPCOM, including: two seasons of The Librarians: The Next Chapter (24 x 60 mins), about the team safeguarding the world from magical threats; three seasons of The Ark (36 x 60 mins), about a damaged space ship protecting humanity’s future; five seasons of Leverage (77 x 60 mins), and three seasons of its follow-up Leverage: Redemption (39 x 60 mins). The US distributor also brings comedy drama O Horizon (107 mins), about a grieving neuroscientist who discovers technology that allows her to communicate with a digital recreation of her late father.

RTE PROGRAMMES SALES ANY Given Day (6 x 60 mins) brings viewers inside one of Ireland’s busiest hospitals capturing the pace and pressure of Cork University Hospital. Across a single 24-hour period, 4,000 staff move through wards, operating theatres and emergency departments, caring for 800 inpatients, 800 outpatients and more than 240 emergency cases. Each episode follows staff on shift and patients on their journey, all filmed within the same day.

DORI MEDIA GROUP DORI Media Group brings a slate of fresh formats to MIPCOM, spanning primetime unscripted, game shows and scripted comedy. Leading the reality line-up is New Love, where four accomplished women skip casual dating to move in with handpicked strangers for intensive 72-hour relationship trials. In the studio entertainment genre, The Hive delivers a fast-paced battle, where tactical blocking and calculated risk matter just as much as trivia mastery. You Should Know turns personal digital footprints into a chance to win big money by challenging contestants to recall the facts behind their own past social media posts. Young Suchard is a nostalgic 1990s coming-of-age comedy chronicling the fictionalised teenage origins of master mentalist Lior Suchard and the eccentric retirement-home mentor who unlocked his gift. The Hive (Dori Media Group)

Crash Course (Duo Productions)

DUO PRODUCTIONS CANADA’s Duo Productions brings Crash Course (8 x 43 mins) to MIPCOM, a drama set in Montreal’s vibrant culinary scene. Clovis is a 35-year-old chef determined to open a bold new restaurant. At his side are Ben, his hot-tempered sous-chef and best friend, and Manon, an internationally renowned sommelier, friend and lover — and then Zoé, the 18-year-old daughter he barely knows, storms into his life.

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Sunday 11 Oct. 2026 Programme as of 1 October 2026

MARKET OPEN FROM 08:30 TO 19:00 - CLOSES AT 16:00 ON THURSDAY - Palais des Festivals, Cannes GRAND AUDITORIUM

MIP CREATIVE HUB

MIP INNOVATION LAB

HI5 STUDIO

SCREENINGS & SHOWCASES

NETWORKING EVENTS & MATCHMAKING

MARKET OPEN MONDAY TO WEDNESDAY FROM 08:30 TO 19:00 THURSDAY FROM 08:30 TO 16:00 MIPCOM & MIPJUNIOR Registration Opens Friday 9 October at 16:00 | Palais des Festivals, Cannes Full programme including speakers line-up go to:

GRAND AUDITORIUM

MIP CREATIVE HUB

MIP INNOVATION LAB

HI5 STUDIO

SCREENINGS & SHOWCASES

NETWORKING EVENTS & MATCHMAKING

17:00 - 17:45 MIP Headliner

The Ankler Future of Entertainment Award & Pre-Opening Headliner with Dhar Mann Studios Dhar Mann, Founder and Sean Atkins, CEO, Dhar Mann Studios Moderated by Janice Min, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Ankler Media

19:30 - 22:00 Carlton Hotel

Globo Opening Night By Invitation only

MIPCOM CANNES Programme Partners

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Monday 12 Oct. 2026 Programme as of 1 October 2026

MARKET OPEN FROM 08:30 TO 19:00 - CLOSES AT 16:00 ON THURSDAY - Palais des Festivals, Cannes GRAND AUDITORIUM

MIP CREATIVE HUB

MIP INNOVATION LAB

HI5 STUDIO

SCREENINGS & SHOWCASES

NETWORKING EVENTS & MATCHMAKING 08:00 - 09:00 Verriere Grand Auditorium

09:00 - 09:45

Unlocking Audience & Content Dynamics: Who is

FRAPA Formats Summit

Watching, What, How & Why? Presented by Glance

Welcome Coffee from 8:30

The Next Chapter for International CoProductions: Post PeakTV, Opportunity Remains

11:20 - 11:50 MIP Headliner

The Big AI Keynote with Utopai Studios

Cecilia Shen, Co-Founder and CEO, Utopai Studio Ken Oh, Content CEO, CJ ENM Studios

10:00 - 11:05 MIP AI Entertainment

The YouTube Analytics Playbook: Algorithms, Audiences and Fandoms

Forum

10:00 - 10:30

10:45 - 11:15

The New Distribution Playbook: Maximizing

Value Across a Fragmented Global Market

Redefining Broadcast: The RTL + YouTube Partnership

10:00 - 10:05 Intro MC 10:05 - 10:25 The Next Chapter in AI Training Data: The Shift to Specialized Video Data & Provenance Presented by Versos AI

10:30 - 11:30 Auditorium K

Jeff Zucker, CEO, RedBird IMI; Operating Partner, RedBird Capital Partners; Chairman, Banijay Entertainment Marco Bassetti, Chief Executive Officer, Banijay Entertainment 16:15 - 16:45 MIP Headliner MIP BrandWorks

17:00 - 17:45 MIP Headliner Variety Vanguard Award & Fireside Chat

Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer, Netflix 18:00 - 19:15 MIPCOM CANNES World Premiere Screening

Honey

Welcome Coffee: 08:30

Presented by China Pavilion

10:25 - 10:45 Monetize the Content Storm: How AI Can Turn Your Catalogue into Predictable Cash Flow Presented by BB Media Group

10:00 - 11:00 Verriere Grand Auditorium

LatAm Partnership Summit Powered by MIP CANCUN Pre-registration required

11:30 - 12:30 Auditorium A

Silent Nava

Presented by Beta Film 12:30 - 14:00 Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes

Women in Global Entertainment Lunch with A+E Global Media

AI Didn’t Do It Alone Presented by OKAST

13:30 - 14:30 Auditorium K

Welcome Drinks: 12:00 Lunch: 12:30 - 14:00 By invitation only

K-Ani IP Showcase 14:00 - 14:30

Sports IP: The Next Chapter

14:00 - 14:45

New Formats, New Stories: The Creators Behind Meta’s Original Series

14:10 - 14:50 YouTube Workshop

Unlocking Hidden Audiences and Revenue on YouTube

Presented by Meta, Inc 15:00 - 15:25 Creators Connect

Michou x Dreamspark: Terminal, From YouTube Hit to Global Format 15:30 - 16:00 MIP BrandWorks

Branded Entertainment 2.0

When Purpose Meets Premium Production

Small Screens, Big Impact: Inside the Vertical Drama Boom

Cathy Boxall, Global Head of Entertainment, dentsu In conversation with Meta

MIP BrandWorks CXO Summit

Fresh Content China

We Built a Streaming Platform in 90 Days.

15:30 - 16:00 MIP Headliner

Banijay Entertainment: The Next Chapter

09:00 - 11:00 Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes

By Invitation only

13:00 - 14:00 Presented by The WIT

Next Docs from France

11:30 - 11:45

Pedro Pina, Vice President, YouTube EMEA Stephan Schmitter, CEO, RTL Deutschland

Fresh TV Formats

09:30 - 10:30 Auditorium A Presented by Unifrance Docs Showcase

10:45 - 11:05 Training Data Deals: How AI Companies Are Licensing Filmed Entertainment Presented by Protege

12:00 - 12:30 MIP Headliner

MIPCOM First Timer Tour

09:15 - 10:00 YouTube Workshop

MIP AI Entertainment

FAST Beyond Borders:

Rakuten TV on What It Takes to Scale Into New Global Markets 16:30 - 16:45 Rethinking the Studio: Content, Catalogues and the New Economics of Growth

17:30 - 19:00

Presented by BBC Studios Formats Showcase

From Experiment to Enterprise: How Entertainment Groups Are Making AI Work 16:00 - 17:00

Japanese Format Showcase

14:15 - 15:30 Verriere Grand Auditorium

14:30 - 15:30 Auditorium A

Reality Check: A New Era of Unscripted Formats

15:00 - 15:30 Forum

16:15 - 16:30

Presented by KOCCA

15:30 - 16:30 Auditorium K

Showcase Shanghai

Presented by Treasure Box Japan

Presented by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism

Followed by cocktail from 17:00 - 18:00

16:30 - 17:30 Auditorium A

15:00 - 16:00 Matchmaking Area in Palais -1

Speed Matchmaking Session: Scripted

Asia x Global Executive Summit In partnership with ContentAsia Pre-registration Required

Pre-registration Required

The Interrogator

Presented by Lionsgate

Session & Happy Hour Hosted by TikTok 17:30 - 18:00 Developing Formats on TikTok: The Next Generation of Storytellers 18:00 - 19:00 Happy Hour

Presented by FIFTH SEASON

MIPCOM CANNES Programme Partners

From 19:00 Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes

Merzigo x YouTube x MIPCOM CANNES Opening Night Party

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Tuesday 13 Oct. 2026 Programme as of 1 October 2026

MARKET OPEN FROM 08:30 TO 19:00 - CLOSES AT 16:00 ON THURSDAY - Palais des Festivals, Cannes GRAND AUDITORIUM

MIP CREATIVE HUB

MIP INNOVATION LAB

HI5 STUDIO

SCREENINGS & SHOWCASES

08:30 - 10:00 Verrière Grand Auditorium

08:30 - 09:30

Breakfast Opener

Hosted by Celestine Pictures

09:45 - 10:15 10:00 - 10:30 MIP Headliner

The Age of Understanding: How AI, Storytelling, and Verified Intelligence Are Reinventing the Future of Media

Anthony E. Zuiker, Creator, CSI TV Franchise

09:15 - 10:00

Dive into Innovation Projects funded by Creative Europe MEDIA

The New Economics of Content: Why Advertising

Commissioning IP for a Multi-Platform World

Financing the New Drama Economy

11:00 - 11:20

Scaling Creator Content Across Every Screen Presented by Wild Vision

12:00 - 12:30 MIP Headliner

12:00 - 12:45 MIP AI Entertainment

BBC Studios: From Idea to Global IP Building Brands That Last

12:00 - 12:20 CapCut AI: The New Production Workflow Presented by CapCut

Forum

Zai Bennett, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, BBC Studios Global Content Shelley Macintyre, CEO, Brands & Licensing, BBC Studios

12:25 - 12:45 Inside a Real-World AI Production: Workflows, Breakthroughs, and Setbacks Presented by Artlist

Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer, BBC

14:00 - 14:30 14:30 - 14:50 Creators Connect

Netflix x Sidemen: How Does It Really Work? 15:00 - 15:30 15:30 - 16:00 MIP Headliner

The Partnership Flywheel: YouTube x NBCUniversal

Justin Connolly, Vice President YouTube Global Head of Media & Sports, YouTube Matt Schnaars, President, Platform Distribution & Partnerships, NBCUniversal

LIVE: The New Prime Time

15:45 - 16:30

Microdrama Goes Premium

What the Market Gets Wrong About Microdrama

18:00 - 19:15 MIPCOM CANNES World Premiere Screening

Queen Silvia

Presented by Beta Film

Hosted by Fox Entertainment 17:35 - 18:00 From Followers to Franchises: Inside the FOX Creator Studios Model 18:00 - 18:20 Baywatch: The World’s MostWatched Series Returns 18:20 - 19:30 Happy Hour

MIPCOM CANNES Programme Partners

10:45 - 11:05 Brand Documentaries: The New Frontier of Premium Storytelling Presented by WebediaElephant 11:15 - 11:30 Three Economies, One Platform: Brands, Rights Holders and Creators on YouTube Presented by Bluelemon 11:30 - 11:50 «Live Better For Less»: How Branded Entertainment Can Travel The World And Still Come Home To The Brand Presented by Fan Club

14:15 - 15:00 YouTube Workshop

The Rules Of Producing Digital Formats

By Invitation

10:00 - 11:00 Auditorium K

Constantinople: Presenting a New Period Drama Series Presented by Aegean Entertainment, Inc 11:00 - 12:00 Auditorium A

K-Content & Format Showcase Presented by KOCCA

15:00 - 15:30

16:30 - 16:45

From Console to Content: Sony’s Next Move in Streaming

MIP AI Entertainment Forum Roundtables Pre-registration Required

Followed by a Snack Lunch in Palais 3, Foyer Balcony Grand Auditorium 12:15 - 13:00 13:30 - 14:30 Auditorium K

The Data Opportunity: Tracking Trends, Monetizing and Predicting What’s Next Presented by Glance / Video Research 14:30 - 15:30 Auditorium A

Media War & Peace Live: Premium Vertical TV In conversation with Roseberry Media

MIP AI Entertainment Forum

Documentary Screening by CNA Originals

Presented by the European Broadcasting Union

Presented by Rising Joy

10:45 - 11:45 Verrière Grand Auditorium

11:45 - 12:15 Auditorium K

EBU Public Service Formats Showcase

Beyond the Scroll: Micro Dramas Showcase

16:45 - 17:00

Session & Happy Hour

10:30 - 10:45 «Finding Jamie»: Inside the Brand-Funded Vertical Comedy Presented by Baby Teeth

14:30 - 15:00

Catalogue to Cash: Myths about Premium Content on YouTube, and What Actually Works

17:35 - 19:30

Co-Creating the Future: Centering AI Around Human Creativity

Showcase

10:30 - 11:10

Drama Co-Production Summit: Producing Premium Drama in a Digital-First World

09:15 - 10:00 YouTube Workshop

10:30 - 11:50 MIP BrandWorks

Matters

11:20 - 11:50

NETWORKING EVENTS & MATCHMAKING

15:00 - 16:00 Matchmaking Area - Palais -1

Speed Matchmaking Session: Unscripted Pre-registration Required

16:00 - 16:30 MIP BrandWorks

How to Get Your Projects Funded by Brands Presented by IPX

16:30 - 17:00 MIP BrandWorks

MILLÉSIME(S) Bordeaux. A Legacy In Motion

Presented by MGGB Pictures Followed by Wine Tasting from 17:00 - 18:00

16:00 - 17:00 Auditorium K

Paper Empire Screening

Presented by Robert Gillings

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Wednesday 14 Oct. 2026 Programme as of 1 October 2026

MARKET OPEN FROM 08:30 TO 19:00 - CLOSES AT 16:00 ON THURSDAY - Palais des Festivals, Cannes GRAND AUDITORIUM

MIP CREATIVE HUB

MIP INNOVATION LAB

HI5 STUDIO

10:00 - 10:25 Creators Connect 10:30 - 11:00 MIP Headliner

The Whole Consumer: Following Audience From the Couch to the Loo Evan Shapiro, Media Cartographer, ESHAP 11:00 - 11:30 MIP Headliner

PIVOT! Why Every Entertainment Company Needs a Vertical Strategy

Anatolii Kasianov, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Holywater Tech Tanya Cohen, Co-CEO, Made By Us Studios Sammie Hao, Head of Talent and Business Development, Crazy Maple Studio

Chain Creation: The New France Televisions Incubator 11:00 - 11:30

MIPCOM Recognition for SDG Impact In partnership with United Nations

11:40 - 12:10 The Power Brokers: Inside

the Business of Creatorled Entertainment 12:20 - 13:00

State of the Factual Nation

13:15 - 14:00

Fresh TV Fiction

Presented by The WIT

09:30 - 10:10 MIP AI Entertainment Forum

09:30 - 09:50 From Archive to Audience: How Leading Media Companies Activate their IP Presented by Moments Lab

From Multi-Platform Success to FAST: Fearne Cotton x Samsung TV Plus 15:15 - 15:50

Creators Connect: Vertical Originals Building Fan Culture Together

17:00 - 18:00

Happy Hour Hosted by TikTok Media Partner Tubefilter

MIPCOM CANNES Programme Partners

Global Microdrama & Vertical Leaders Summit By Invitation

11:15 - 12:30 Verriere Grand Auditorium

Forum

11:45 - 12:05 AI: The Evolving Production Landscape Presented by Ampere Analysis

11:45 - 12:45 Matchmaking Area in Palais -1

12:05 - 12:25 From Content to Cash: Reimagining Entertainment in the Age of AI Presented by Huanyu Entertainment

Speed Matchmaking Session: Vertical & Microdrama Pre-registration Required

12:25 - 12:45 Empowering Creators: AI-Assisted Long-Form Production and Localization with MOMOKO Presented by One One One One Limited

What’s Next in Vertical Storytelling? 14:45 - 15:15

Winning Subscribers, then Earning the Renewal: An Operator’s-Eye View 15:20 - 15:45

In Conversation with BBC Studios & Globo

Dennis Papirowski, Global Head of Content, TikTok

The Funding Revolution: Diversifying Revenue For YouTube Production

11:45 - 12:45 MIP AI Entertainment

Beyond the Platform: Building Global Audiences in a Fragmented World

16:00 - 16:30 MIP Headliner

09:30 - 10:00 YouTube Workshop

09:50 - 10:10 From Metadata to Money: How AI Is Unlocking the Value of Your Library Presented by Social Department

14:00 - 14:30 Beyond the Gold Rush:

14:30 - 15:00 Creators Connect

NETWORKING EVENTS & MATCHMAKING

09:00 - 10:15 Verrière Grand Auditorium

09:15 - 09:45

NBCUniversal’s Universal Studio Group Opens Doors

SCREENINGS & SHOWCASES

16:45 - 17:15

The Media Odyssey Podcast Live: The Hallmark of Greatness

In Conversation with Hallmark

International Mentoring & Networking Event for Women in Entertainment In Partnership with MediaClub’Elles Pre-registration Required

14:15 - 15:00 YouTube Workshop

Capturing the Modern Fan: The Multi-Layered Distribution of Sports Media

14:30 - 15:30 Verrière Grand Auditorium

DOC + FACTUAL Roundtables Pre-registration Required

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Thursday 15 Oct. 2026 Programme as of 1 October 2026

MARKET OPEN FROM 08:30 TO 19:00 - CLOSES AT 16:00 ON THURSDAY - Palais des Festivals, Cannes GRAND AUDITORIUM

MIP CREATIVE HUB

10:00 - 10:30

Best of Fresh TV

Presented by The WIT 10:45 - 11:15

Wake Up to What’s Next Presented by K7 Media & Broadcast Int’I 11:30 - 12:00

Content Trends & Insights

MIPCOM CANNES Programme Partners

MIP INNOVATION LAB

HI5 STUDIO

SCREENINGS & SHOWCASES

NETWORKING EVENTS & MATCHMAKING

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18 – 21 OCTOBER 2027 PALAIS DES FESTIVALS, CANNES, FRANCE

16 – 17 OCTOBER 2027 PALAIS DES FESTIVALS, CANNES, FRANCE

TV. FILM. BOOKS. GAMING. A New TWO-DAY CONFERENCE SPORT. MUSIC. CREATORS. PODCASTS. BRANDS. 053_MIP TALKS_PV_COM

16-17 MARCH 2027 LONDON BOOK FAIR EXCEL LONDON, UK

TV. FILM. BOOKS. GAMING. SPORT. MUSIC. CREATORS. PODCASTS. BRANDS. FROM IP TO FANDOM. FROM FANDOM TO GLOBAL BUSINESS.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT.