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MIPDoc, the world’s largest conference and co-production marketplace and screenings library for the factual community, today announces the 10 finalists for the MIPDoc Project Pitches. Several topics are at the heart of this 2019 selection including space history, climate change, technologies to rediscover the past and shape the future, baby trafficking and domestic labour in Africa (unpaid work in the home performed by women), as well as the collapse of the Genoa Bridge and how science can be manipulated to support specific ideologies.

The MIPDoc Project Pitches will take place at the JW Marriott Cannes during the newly branded content development programme “In Development Doc,” which includes two categories: “Science & Technology” and “Current Affairs & Investigation.” The finalists will pitch their projects to a jury of international decision-makers, including: Chris Hoelzl, Smithsonian Channel; Hiroaki Katayama, NHK Japan Broadcasting Corp; Martin Pieper, ZDF and Bernadette McDaid, National Geographic.

The selected MIPDoc Project Pitches are:

MIPDoc Project Pitch “Science & Technology” (Saturday 6 April in Grand Theatre, 11.00 – 12.15)
Global Science, MEDIAWAN RIGHTS - T2MP (France)
2020: Space Beyond, BEAGLE MEDIA (Italy)
7 Wonders: Rebuilding Legendary Monuments, SEQUANA MEDIA (France)
One Giant Leap, P3 MEDIA (United States)
Ariane, The Impossible Bet, LUCKY YOU (France)

The Jury Members of MIPDoc Project Pitch “Science & Technology” are:
Chris HOELZL, Senior Vice President Program Development, Smithsonian Channel
Hiroaki KATAYAMA, Producer, NHK Japan Broadcasting Corp
Akul TRIPATHI, COO, DocuBay
Nina TUOMINEN, Acquisition Executive, YLE

MIPDoc Project Pitch “Current Affairs & Investigation” (Sunday 7 April, Grand Theatre, 10.15 – 11.30)
The Affair Vanessa, STATE OF CHANGE (Germany)
The Doubt Makers, ZED (France)
The Svalbard Message, MONDAY PRODUCTION (Norway)
House Girls, SALT & TRUTH (Nigeria)
GENOA 11:36 am The Collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, 42° PARALLELO (Italy)

The Jury Members of MIPDoc Project Pitch “Current Affairs & Investigation” are:
Axel ARNO, Commissioning Editor, SVT
Bernadette MCDAID, Commissioning Editor, Global Unscripted Entertainment, National Geographic
Martin PIEPER, Head of Department ARTE - Current Affairs and Contemporary History, ZDF
Fatima SALARIA, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4
Akul TRIPATHI, COO, DocuBay

The two Pitches are in partnership with DocuBay – the global subscription based service designed to stream non-fiction documentaries. A video-on-demand platform, Docubay is offering an exclusive BETA preview of its service at MIPDoc 2019. Headquartered in Mumbai, India, Docubay is scheduled for an international consumer launch in the summer of 2019. Positioned as a niche video service, Docubay offers premium non-fiction content in categories such as HistoryBay; ScienceBay; NatureBay etc. Laying emphasis on curation and discovery, Docubay’s launch proposition includes a release schedule of one documentary daily.

The MIPDoc programme this year will focus on accelerating content development and discovery, through a string of strategic updates from key players shaping the factual industry, plus exclusive previews of upcoming high-end content.

MIPDoc will also feature a series of matchmaking sessions with buyers and commissioners as well as Content Strategy sessions from platforms and broadcasters from across the globe, such as bilibili, CuriosityStream, Tencent, National Geographic, and France Télévisions. Key content executives will share their programming, acquisition and commissioning strategies over 30 minutes. This quality time allows producers to get a sense of what the market currently needs, and prepare their pitches accordingly.

MIPDoc 2019, takes place in The JW Marriott Cannes, Cannes, France on 6 and 7 April 2019, ahead of the MIPTV, the international market for content development and distribution, which runs in the city from 8-11 April.