Markets

MIPTV and CANNESERIES today announce that In Development, the 2-day Cannes Drama Creative Forum dedicated to fast-tracking drama series production, has received 344 projects from producers and screenwriters across 46 countries.

An international jury* of drama experts will now select 12 projects from producers and screenwriters that will be presented to potential development partners during In Development. This selection will be announced early March.

In Development is co-organised by MIPTV and CANNESERIES – the Cannes International Series Festival - and takes place alongside the two events. The forum will provide the opportunity for screenwriters and producers to pitch, connect and greenlight new drama productions at an international level, with facilitated access to a full range of international decision-makers and financing partners, including commissioning editors and distributors.

“The large number of entries from so many countries reflects the huge amount of international creative talent within the dynamic drama sector. The In Development pre-selection jury has started reading through the first proposals and feedback is that the quality of the projects is extremely high,” commented Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division.

“Together, MIPTV and CANNESERIES are committed to providing a forum that supports all those companies developing drama projects for the international market. In the coming years, it would be wonderful to see a project that started at In Development being presented at MIPTV and then being part of the Official Competition at CANNESERIES,” she added.

“In Development is an essential element of the partnership between CANNESERIES and MIPTV. CANNESERIES, the Cannes International Series Festival, will showcase the best in international series both to series’ fans, festival-goers, and to industry professionals. In Development underlines our commitment to taking an active role in helping individuals and companies develop drama projects. The response to this new forum confirms the international interest in an event that supports projects right from the start of their production cycle,” commented Benoît Louvet, Managing Director of CANNESERIES.

Among the world’s leading drama-producing territories, the United States, Canada, France, Russia, Spain, the UK, Germany and Argentina are the most represented countries (in that order) to have submitted projects for In Development.

Submissions came from all over the world with projects originating from as far afield as Israel, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Togo, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.

As well as winning the opportunity to pitch a project to a high-level professional audience, the selected projects may be eligible for development funding from In Development’s Official Partners:
- Leading independent European producer, Federation Entertainment (“The Bureau”), will propose to co-develop, co-produce and distribute one of the selected projects.
- French think tank “La Fabrique des Formats” and its investment fund will offer financing for up to two series from the selection backed by a French producer or co-producer.

All of the producers and screenwriters who pitched projects will be able to register for In Development where they will have access to key decision-makers and potential partners, and will benefit from matchmaking and mentoring opportunities as well as a rich programme of panels and keynotes. They will also get the chance to attend the CANNESERIES Official Competition Screenings.

*The In Development Selection Jury will be composed of members of the event’s Advisory Board:

. Rola Bauer, Managing Director, StudioCanal TV
. Ozge Bulut Marasli, CEO, Kanal D & Production Companies
. Tara Cook, Development Producer, Carnival Films
. Ben Donald, Executive Producer, International Drama, BBC Worldwide
. Serge Hayat, Financier, Cinemage & Capucines Investment Funds
. Claire Lemaréchal, Screenwriter, A Very Secret Service, Desperate Parents, Sagan
. Stephen Mowbray, Head of SVT International (Acquisitions & Sales), Sveriges Television
. Erik Pack , Head of International Distribution & Co-production, Platform One Media
. Vanessa Shapiro, President, WW TV Distribution & Co-Production, Gaumont Television
. Christian Wikander, Director Co Financing, Twelve Town

CANNESERIES takes place alongside MIPTV and In Development as part of the biggest week in television.