MIPCOM numbers up as Europeans stay hopeful for drama pick up after perfect storm

MIPCOM opened Monday October 16 amid heightened security as the nascent conflict between Israel and Hamas kept delegates in constant news alert and many of the 70+ Israeli executives away from the Cannes content showcase.

Industry talks during the three-day event were focused on the perfect storm - the ongoing Hollywood actors strike, micro-economic headwinds, the streamers’ rationalisation of its orders and broadcasters’ new conservatism leading to a trimming of drama content.

But keynote speakers and panellists voiced optimism in times of adversity. “We have to be more agile to build our business,” said Newen Studios’ chief executive Romain Bessi who oversees an integrated group of 50 labels - including Scandi-based Nimbus Film, Anagram and Real Lava. “Content does travel but the key today is success at home first,” he drilled down.

To build a strong slate at a time when “more players want to bring content to people, and YA people spend more time on screens than ever”, Bessi said co-productions are being strengthened, as well as diversification.

Multi-party co-financing, co-productions, diversification of content and an urge to lessen the French group’s dependency on the national market and sports, was also discussed by Variety Vanguard award-recipient Maxime Saada, chairman of Canal+ Group. The latter said Canal+’s decision to take a 12% share in Viaplay, was part of its strategy to widen its global footprint.

The reinvigorated third-party deal-making was highlighted by many MIPCOM speakers - small and big, such as Paramount global president and CEO Bob Bakish, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s president of international Gerhard Zeiler. “We don’t believe that putting everything in the same window is the right business model. We believe in streaming 100%. But our North Star is the consumer, so if it makes sense to licence content to third parties, we will,” Zeiler emphasized.

WBD’s EMEA streaming chief Leah Hooper Rosa, also took the opportunity to unveil the US giant international roll out plans for its ‘Max’ streaming service. Latin America in early 2024 will be followed by a launch in 22 European territories in the spring 2024, including the Nordics.

Other hot topics were the FAST (free add-supported streaming television) expansion, through ZDF Studios who announced a deal with Samsung TV to launch 20 European FAST channels in the future, and BBC Studios and Pluto TV’s pact around Top Gear Fast channel presence in the German-speaking territories, France and Italy, on top of the existing service in the Nordics, Spain and North America.

AI and its pros and cons were also profusely debated during MIPCOM’s first “unlocking AI” summit and various panels, with most delegates urging the industry to embrace it as a bare tool in the hands of human expertise.

The usual glitz and glamour were rather subdued as few Hollywood stars were on-hand besides Eva Longoria, notably due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Sean Penn, who was expected to promote his satirical hostage series “C*A*U*G*H*T” had to cancel due to the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Beta Film however provided European star power with Condcordia’s stars Christiane Paul and Ruth Bradley, while Mediawan Rights flew in Renata Notni, Miguel Bernardeau and Dalia Xiuhcaotl for their Zorro series launch.

Nordic content
Among Nordic series that drew buyers’ attention were B-Reel Films’ Swedish crime fish-out-of-water Detective #24, acquired by AMC Networks’ Acorn TV from All2Media, Yle Sales’ Finnish shows Stop Nyqvist bought by Kino Lorber for the US and the upcoming Critical Point picked up by AMC Iberia.

Meanwhile major European shows set to open in the Nordics include The Couple Next Door produced by Walter Iuzzolino’s Eagle Eye Drama for Channel 4 and STARZ in the US and Canada. Loosely adapted from the Dutch series The Neighbors, the six-part thriller was sold by Beta Film to the five Nordic pubcasters DR, NRK, SVT, Yle and RÚV.

In terms of overall attendance at MIPCOM, buyers were up 10% from 2022 to 3,567, with most hailing from the US, the UK, France, Germany and Spain, according to MIPCOM director Lucy Smith. Over 320 exhibitors were registered, including 50 newcomers. The countries with the largest delegations were China-country of honour, with 300 participants from 40 companies while the Middle East had more than 60 buyers-up 50% from 2022.

Smith gave the dates for next year’s MIPCOM-October 21-24, 2024 and its MIP Junior pre-market October 19-20.

The head of the Cannes content market also announced that the spring market MIPTV will be staged April 8-10 just after the strengthened factual, formats and entertainment showcases MIPDOC and MIPFORMATS, unspooling April 6-7, 2024.