Markets

TV France International showcase for the whole Asia
ATF Online+ has given TV France an opportunity to speak at a showcase on December 2 at 4:00 pm (UTC+8): “Globally Appealing Quintessentially French”. This will enable Sarah Hemar to talk about the mission of TV France, an organisation for the promotion of French audiovisual programs internationally. And to 4 of its members, already established on the Asian market, to share their experiences and to highligh new programs available for sale and projects for co-production to buyers and commissioning editors from all over the Asia-Oceania region.

Speakers:
• Lydia Kali, Sales Manager, ARTE France
A major, ground-breaking player in the world of factual content, producing more than 150 films a year, Arte will be at ATF with around 30 new projects, including Epidemics killed The Roman Empire (Iliade Production / ARTE France - 90’), a historical film for ARTE primetime in late 2021, or the brand-new premium series on the environment, The Great Coral Barrier: Heart of the Ocean (ARTE GEIE, Les Gens Bien Productions - 3x52’).
ARTE is also intending to coproduce and pre-sell more programs to Asian partners, be they traditional broadcasters or new digital platforms.
Its first coproduction experience in China, with the platform Bilibili, on the scientific expedition documentary The Deep Med (ARTE France, Les Gens Bien Productions - 52’ + 90’) was a success. The program appealed as much to the primetime ARTE audience as to young Chinese viewers on Bilibili.

• Lucille Ract, International Sales Manager, France TV Distribution
France TV Distribution, eager to develop on the Asian market, is presenting new documentary, fiction and animation programs at the ATF and is also looking for pre-purchasing partners on some of its projects such as the documentary Earth, A Living Body (Mona Lisa Productions - 1x90’) or the animation series Ana Pumpkin Folimage/Les Armateurs - 52x5’) and Disco Dragon (Mondo TV - 52x13’).
Asia has become one of the main markets for the public broadcasting group for sales and pre-sales in animation. In particular China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea represent key markets due to their variety of non-linear channels and platforms.
Its highly-respected and ambitious documentary line-up covers all genres, including documentaries on nature and wildlife, science, culture, adventure and discovery which are very popular in Asia.
The company has already established strong and historic partnerships with linear channels such as NHK in Japan, KBS in South Korea and CCTV in China, and is also increasingly selling documentary content to VOD platforms.
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for fiction programs. France TV Distribution sells thriller titles to both Japan and China and is seeing a marked interest in its new digital series such as Stalk (Silex Films - 10x23’), Derby Girl (Noon / Kabo Productions - 10x22’) or its mini-series Laëtitia (Compagnie des Phares et Balises / L’Île Clavel - 6x45’) and Something to hide (Thalie Images - 4x52’), particularly from local non-linear platforms. In addition to an already strong interest from Asian buyers, for several years now, for series such as Call my Agent (Mon Voisin Productions / Mother Production - 12x52’) already sold in China, Vietnam, and India, among others...) or Mother is wrong (France TVStudio - 6x52’).
Another avenue of exploration for the group is to find partners for the format adaptation of several dramas from its catalogue (such as Call my Agent (Mon Voisin Production / Mother Production) and Chronicles of the sun (France tv studio / Epéios productions - 520x22’ / 260x44’).

• Pedro Citaristi, Sales Manager, Superights
Founded in 2013, Superights distributes audiovisual programs for children and families. The company has already worked in Asia with many clients, pan-regional channels, local linear TVs or platforms, on which children’s series such as Pat the Dog (Superprod / Animoka - 141x7’ + 4x22’ + 10x1’30), Clay Time (Reaz / JLA Group -60x4’30) or Puffin Rock (Cartoon Saloon / Dog Ears / Penguin Books - 78x7’) have already proved successful.
The company is particularly active in key countries such as China, where it has sold its entire catalogue, South Korea as well as Thailand, Japan and Indonesia...
At ATF Superights will be focusing in particular on Will (52x2’) and Handico (12x3’), two series for the 6s on disability produced by Cross River Productions, as well as several new series: Percy’s Tiger Tales (La fabrique d’images - 52x13’), which has recently been added to its catalogue, Anna & Friends (Superprod - 78x7’), a preschool program in production, Osmond (Superprod - 52x13’), a comedy in development, and new acquisitions to be announced soon.

• Céline Carenco, SVP Media Sales Distribution Asia Pacific, and Manya Zhou, Head of Business Development China, Xilam Animation
For Xilam Animation, one of France’s leading animation studios, which last October announced its very first Franco-Chinese co-production project, relations with Asia are already a very long story. The studio has teamed up with Youku, the video streaming platform of the Alibaba group, to co-produce its new 2D and 3D animated preschool series Lupin’s Tales (78×7′). The launch of this program, also produced with the participation of France Télévisions and Rai Ragazzi in association with Maga Animation Studio and available for sale in other territories, is scheduled for 2021 in China.
But the company’s two flagship slapstick comedies, the historic Oggy and the Cockroaches (351x7′) and Zig & Sharko (234x7’) are already very well known in Asia, particularly in India, where there is even a Hindi dialogue version. The continent has also adopted Moka (78x7’), sold to Disney Channel India.
This year’s ATF is an opportunity for Xilam to present the 3D series created by Cube Creative, the studio specialised in CGI image animation that the company acquired earlier this year: Pfffirates (52×11′), an adventure comedy for 5-8 year olds, and Tangranimals (52×11′), for which Xilam is open to co-productions in China, or the family comedy Where is Chicky? (104×1′).