Mipcom 2024 opens its doors with Spain as the country of honor

The 40th edition of Mipcom Cannes, International Co-production and Entertainment Content Market, begins to host the key names in world production from October 21 to 24 and celebrate the legacy and influence of Spain in world audiovisual production as a country of honor.

The keynotes, premieres, panels and networking events of Mipcom Cannes 2024 They will have a marked Spanish accent with the aim of celebrating the impact of Iberian audiovisuals on global television and promote greater international collaboration. The program will place special emphasis on the country's creativity and talent, both behind and in front of the camera, reflecting the themes of the campaign recently launched by Audiovisual From Spain: “Spain, Where Talent Ignites”.

The recognition as a country of honor comes at a time when Spain's content sector has experienced significant growth in recent years, consolidating itself as an important international production center and as a provider of quality content for global audiences, with productions that are among the most viewed worldwide. Currently, Spain occupies second place in content commissions scripted of Europe by global streaming platforms, only behind the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Spain's entertainment sector, which includes OTT video services such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO and Disney+, has seen notable growth. According to the Spain AVS Hub 2024 report, the sector grew an impressive 408% between 2018 and 2022, with projected growth of 31.6% from 2023 to 2027.

Growth since 2021 has been driven by a major three-year, €1.6 billion public investment initiative for the film and television sector, led by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Public Service, in which ICEX Spain Export and Investment has actively participated in the internationalization of the Spanish audiovisual industry, under the brand Audiovisual From Spain.

The Country of Honor is part of a week-long conference program in Mipcom Cannes, which defines the year of the television industry through keynotes from the main global actors and opinion leaders, screenings of highly anticipated series, future-oriented summits and exclusive insights presentations. Previous countries of honor have included Japan, Turkey, Mexico, Argentina, South Korea and, most recently, China in 2023.

Big names in Spain's program as Country of Honor 2024

One of the most notable appointments will be an intimate conversation with the Spanish director and showrunner, winner of multiple awards, J.A. Bayonne (A monster comes to see me, The Snow Society) and creative producer Diego Betancor (Elite, All the times we fall in love, Breathe). In addition to exploring trends and generational changes in cinema, the session will include information on the new promotional campaign for the country's creative sector, “Spain, Where Talent Ignites”, which includes an innovative fashion film, “The cause of the accident that caused the fire”: An unprecedented commission from a public institution, this ambitious high-profile work celebrates the creative process with cameos and contributions from leading Spanish creatives, including Bayona. The keynote will take place on Tuesday, October 22 from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m..

Mipcom Cannes 2024 will also house the world premiere of Ena. Queen Victoria Eugenie on Monday, October 21 at 6:00 p.m. Selected by a jury among multiple proposals, RTVE's long-awaited historical drama series narrates the life of Victoria Eugenia de Battenberg (Queen of Spain by her marriage to Alfonso XIII and granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain). Held at the famous Grand Auditorium, Cannes will be attended by lead actors Kimberley Tell and Joan Amargós, as well as executive producer Luis Hernández. This ambitious piece directed exclusively by women (6 x 60') is produced by RTVE in collaboration with Ena La Serie AIE, La Cometa TV and Zona App and will be broadcast on RTVE's La 1 in Spain, with global distribution rights managed by Spain's largest public audiovisual group, RTVE.

Another special session will be ‘Igniting Global Hits – The Ultimate Audiovisual Hub’, a special session that will take place on Tuesday, October 22 from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and will serve as a meeting point for producers and commissioners, focusing on localization and co-production opportunities within the Spanish sector. It will feature the experience of filmmakers and recent productions, including Marc Dujardin, producer of Le Collectif 64 (Zorro), Nina Hernández, content director at Portocabo (Weiss & Morales), and Susanne Frank, head of drama at ZDF Studios (Stories to keep you from sleeping).

Additionally, two of MIP's flagship events will have a Spanish touch this year, with the Opening Night Party el lunes 21 de octubre a partir de las 19:00hs para fomentar el networking, y una edición especial dedicada a España del showcase Fresh TV, curada y presentada por Virginia Mouseler, CEO de The WIT International Services, el martes 22 de octubre a las 14:30hs.

Mipcom Cannes volverá a ser punto de encuentro internacional para la coproducción y la gestión de los derechos tomando como sede el Palais des Festivals de la ciudad francesa. Para esta edición se espera contar con más de 11.000 delegados y 3.500 compradores of 100 countries, que podrán descubrir sus nuevas propuestas de cientos de presentaciones y más de 300 stands.