24 Market director Lucy Smith declared that “MIPTV is here to stay” during the event’s closing press conference. And to make it even clearer, she announced the dates for next year’s MIPTV, which will be held April 1517, 2024, in Cannes. This was done, many speculated, so that the market’s somewhat disappointing showing this year wouldn’t fuel any “dismissive” thoughts about future events. The prediction was that this 60th annual MIP would be a rather low-key market, but the event got off to a good start with the MIPDOC opening party sponsored by Paramount Global Content Distribution (held on April 16) and a Beta Film dinner where the German company screened (among other titles) the trailer for new drama series La Storia, based on Elsa Morante’s novel. Earlier, at a luncheon organized by Poorhouse’s Reiner Moritz, guests decried that MIPDOC, the pre-MIP documentary market, had been reduced to just a single day. Commented doc buyer Elisabeth Hagstedt of France’s Histoire-TV, “Screenings are very important because when back at the office we don’t have time for them, and with just one day at MIPDOC, there is no time to screen.” In addition, a number of MIPTV exhibitors were reportedly frustrated with some aspects of the event, complaining to VideoAge that they had tried to contact buyers who were indicated as participants, but whom they later discovered weren’t even in attendance at the market. Another frustrating element was the panel at the entrance of the Riviera area of the Palais that replaced the exhibition guide. Instead of listing the companies in alpha order, it listed them by stand number — making it hard to find whoever it was you were looking for. Despite that, content sellers reported a good number of Asian TV buyers and that even though they attended with little expectations, meetings were taking place with few no-shows and even some walk-ins. As for attendance, Smith reported that some “5,510 delegates” were in attendance “in person”, and she assured the press corps that gathered at the press conference for glasses of water (no champagne this time around!), that that number did not include participants at the concurrent CanneSeries Festival, the drama festival sponsored and organized by the Cannes municipality. Some observers, however, put the total number at no more than 3,000 registrants for MIP. As for MIPTV’s 60th anniversary commemoration, Poorhouse’s Moritz commented: “It seems I am the only participant of all inperson markets who is still in business.” He also remembered that at the very first MIP, there were “119 companies from 19 countries [and that it was considered] a bit disappointing.” This 60th annual edition drew 166 exhibiting companies, not a big improvement, but better than no market at all, and the nice weather got a good number of participants in a sunny mood. The highlight of MIPTV 2023 was certainly the launch of TVMonaco. The new channel, which is owned by the Principality, will, starting in September 2023, cover all of Côte d’Azur extending from Genoa, Italy. The press conference/breakfast presentation at the Carlton Hotel, which reopened in March (well, at least the third floor reopened), was attended by Salim Zeghdar, TVMonaco’s general director, as well as deputy director and veteran international TV executive Nathalie Biancolli, and many of the station’s executives, including Marie-Pierre Gramaglia and Virginie Lavagna. The new channel will broadcast on a linear schedule and will offer an on-demand version with mostly unscripted programming that will be available in both French and English. Lots of attention from the press was also lavished upon Paramount Global Content Distribution as it was the only major Hollywood studio there with a large stand. The company also sponsored the MIPDOC opening party on Sunday. The MIP opening party the following day featured fireworks and a giant birthday cake in honor of the market’s 60th anniversary. As for the seminar portion of the event, the MIPFormat Pitch presentation, moderated by FormatBiz’s Maria Chiara Duranti, attracted a highly motivated audience that rushed to the large Debussy Theatre to find out which pitch would win the 5,000 euro prize. It ultimately went to The Show Must Go On from Turkish company Formatworkshop. The seminar included the participation of two jury members from Los Angeles who connected via videoconference. On the other hand, reservations were held for the seminar titled “What the Streamers Want?” since it’s become clear that no one — including the powers that be at the streamers — really knows what they are actually looking for. As for deal-making, the market fulfilled its role and several announcements were made on the market floor, including that director Ondi Timoner’s film, The New Americans: Gaming A Revolution has been acquired by Republic Pictures for worldwide distribution by Paramount Global Content Distribution. The documentary feature explores the possible connection between the GameStop short squeeze and the insurrection in the U.S. capital, examining the explosive and irreversible ramifications into the digital future. Glass House Distribution’s feature film Ask Me To Dance was acquired by distributors in six international territories. Great Movies will distribute the film in Latin America, M-net in Africa, Truth Media in Mauritius, Urania in the Czech Republic, Italia Film in the Middle East, and Central City Media in the U.K., while Electric Entertainment holds the domestic Down, But Not Out. MIP Market Survives Many Challenges May 2023 MIPTV Review (Continued on Page 26) TVMonaco’s breakfast press conference at the recently re-opened Carlton hotel Content sellers reported that meetings were taking place with few no-shows and even some walk-ins. Beta Film’s Ferdinand Dohna, La Storia star Jasmine Trinca, La Storia producer Roberto Sessa of Picomedia The Show Must Go On won the MIPFormat Pitch, moderated by FormatBiz’s Maria Chiara Duranti
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