Alice Kanterian

CANNESERIES 2023

Cannesseries festival is addressed to the general public and while this might sound democratic it was impossible for professionals to attend the evening pink carpets and screenings with tickets sold out online to the public and making no differance to professionals. Cannes Film Festival has also adopted an online booking systhem for screenings but there is an important differance to Canneseries. Le Festival de Cannes is not open to the public. This makes a big differance. And at the Festival de Cannes there is still an accesible protocol section we can approach and ask for the red carpet invites and the opening and closing ceremony as party aswell. Just the opposite this year at Canneseries, no invites to the opening ceremony and so I was excluded from watching Silo, the new dystopian series which opened the festival on Friday, April 14th, in the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes. As for the closing ceremony which I was looking forward to cover for my publication aswell as the afterwards party...the media let's say „was not part of the club“. It was much more fun to attend Canneseries last year, too many restrictions and obstacles this year, a lack of comminication as well with no press release sent out to the media and a new „hidden“ press area at the Marriott and not communicated. And after all when I found out about with no access for the media except for interviews. It is a persisting negative feeling about Canneseries and  I share this feeling with all the colleagues I spoke to, as we were not able to cover very important events. Wich is a shame as Canneseries organizers put a lot of efforts and for sure money in bringing iconic Buffy actress Sarah Michelle Gellar from the States to Cannes who received the Canal+ Iconic Award and in front of a sold out auditorium was looking back on her career. Or the Amazon Originals series Dead Ringers, a remake of the David Cronenberg film about two depraved twin gynecologists.  In the new series actress Rachel Weisz plays the two central characters, 2 identical sisters who dream of opening a birthing center and research laboratory that challenges existing knowledge of women’s health and infertility. An ultimate acting opportunity for the British actress: Rachel Weisz topping herself.

And the winners are:

Best Series and Best Music trophees go to Norway and the TV series MAKTA (original title) /POWER PLAY (international title)

Best Screenplay trophy goes to Seung-Min BYUN from Korea for the series Bargain

Best Performance Award goes to Dar Zuzovsky from Israel for her performance in Israelian series CORDUROY

Special Interpretation Award and the High School Award for Best Series go to Israel again, this time to CARTHAGO, my favorite series at Canneseeries  2023 by the way!

Note from the artistic director of Canneseries
„Discovered at CANNESERIES in 2019 with the series Nehama, Reshef Levi, stand-up celebrity in Israel, and Tomer Shani, are back in competition. This time, they take us on a completely fantastic journey, still with the same energy and devastating humour, during a little-known part of history inspired by Reshef's own dad’s experience: the Carthago camp, gathering opponents of the British Empire in the middle of Africa starting 1942.“

MIPTV 2023

American actor Robert Davi and  Japanese journalist Tomoko Hasegava

Lucy Smith, Director of RX France’s Entertainment Division and Director of MIPTV and MIPCOM in Cannes declared at the press conference on April 19^th 2023 that onsite participation at the MIPTV 17-19.04 in Cannes was up to 22% versus last year for the 60th edition of the MIPTV Spring International Content and Co-Production Market.

The figures released on the final day of the annual spring market and later reconfirmed in the press release sent out by the PR consultant Emma Bartholomew, in charge of the media at MIPTV, are stating 5650 participants from 86 countries including 5510 delegates in person in Cannes. This increase in participation of 1000 onsite participants versus 2022 and 120 delegates joining the market through the MIPTV online platform reaffirms MIPTV’s position as the biggest global television content market after MIPCOM CANNES after major changes in the layout, furniture and schedule since 2022.

“We have found the right format and scale for MIPTV and its working” said Lucy Smith, Director of RX France’s Entertainment Division and Director of MIPTV and MIPCOM CANNES. “The increased attendance standing room only attendance and robust exhibition confirms that the design and focus is paying off for all.”

“The benefits to all of having the international industry in one place to discover, connect and acquire is magnified by trends such as increased licensing to third parties, the pace of growth for FAST Channels internationally, and the ongoing hunger for, and necessity of, co-production partnerships - themes we will further build on at MIPCOM CANNES in October,” she added.

This year MIPCOM edition started already „unofficially“ on Sunday the 16 followed by the official opening on April 17 with a fabulous reception at the Majestic Hotel and and „chapeau“ MIPTV all participants where invited and finished  The next edition of MIPTV will take place 15 - 17 April 2024.

What was new this year? A rapidly developing international FAST channel business was the talk of the day. And with the American actors Denise Richards and Robert Davi starring in the big budget series Paper Empire directed by Robert Gillings about the beginnings of the cryptocurrency and its consequences a feeling of Hollywood swipped over to the Croisette. 

TV SHOW PAPER EMPIRE

At the not to be missed wrapup of MIPTV when we get to know the latest trends within half an hour and after mentioning the galopping popularity of fast channels which will tripple their revenues by 2027, a need for new ways of thinking, a great flexibility in the rights and distribution, a market ready of a massive modernisation, the 2 speakers then mentioned PAPER EMPIRE, the big budget Block buster by creator, screenwriter and director Robert Gillings. The crypto currency thriller is part of the new drama trends, drama that can built an own universe.

In an exclusive interview for Filmfestivals on April 18 in the Majestic Hotel and the follow up later that evening at the exclusive and glamorous reception in the presence of director Robert Gillings, Denise Richards and further members of the cast at Annex Beach on the Croisette, where by the way my Italian friend Ricardo is now is running the kitchen and so the food served is delicous and the decorations beyond expectations, I had the chance to get to know a versatile actor and impressive personality: American actor Robert Davi He came to Cannes to promote the scripted TV series where he plays the lead character. It is the story of  Laurence Fintch, who wants to be the planet's financial savior, but he has been set up, the charismatic actor is telling me, Robert Davi has a successful career as an award-winning actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. And he is not only the leading actor of the show he has been also the exectutive producer on this show. He is known for his roles in License to Kill, The Goonies, Iceman, and Profiler.

The 16 episodes series takes the viewer into the AI of crypto and digital Asset possibilities, Robert is telling me. Digital technology is breaking the current boundaries of human influence and taking control for its own greater good, not man's bringing forth a world reckoning result a FINANCIAL ARMAGEDDON.

Silver letters spelled out the show’s name in the sand, with the backdrop of the sea and stars at Annex Beach while the trailer played on the big screens and the DJ a combination of hits and original music from the show. Gold nuggets decorated the tables and gold Bitcoins filled jars around the Annex Beach creating an even more decadent feeling. An Oscars style red carpet led the celebrity cast and guests down the stairs of the entrance to a grand red carpet where the press had gathered to capture the cast supporting the show.

FORESCAST MIPCOM 2023

Also announced today are first details of MIPCOM CANNES 2023, the leading annual International Co-production and Entertainment Content Market, which will gather once again at the Palais des Festivals from 16-19 October 2023 with MIPJUNIOR returning to its pre-market spot from 14-15 October in the JW Marriott.

With more than 80% of the exhibition already sold, major global studios, platforms and content groups will be in Cannes in force in October, both in the Palais des Festivals and with major outdoor builds.

New plans for MIPCOM CANNES 2023 include:

• MIPCOM CANNES will move the Producers Hub & Lounge - the heart of Co-production, development and financing at the market – to a new and larger location on the Croisette Beach to accommodate more capacity and a broader programme
• An October edition of the successful FAST & GLOBAL summit – building to the popularity of this week’s inaugural international FAST channel focus at MIPTV
• Re-opening of the Riviera 9 sea view exhibition hall in response to the market’s rebound and increased demand for premium exhibition space in the Palais des Festivals

“MIPCOM CANNES will again be the world’s greatest gathering of TV and Entertainment Executives on the planet”added Lucy Smith“confirmations have been streaming in early, plans are ambitious and all roads lead to Cannes this October.”