Event Coverage
MIPDOC 2006 looks at “International Trailblazers”
MUMBAI: MIPDOC, the international documentary market, which is a percussor to MIPTV takes place on 1 and 2 April 2006 in Cannes.
It has announced the launch of the International Trailblazers – a new initiative designed to recognise creativity and innovation in the emergence of new trends and genres in the documentary field.
The move is sponsored by the Sundance Channel and the Korean Broadcasting Institute (KBI) and organised with the support of National Film Board of Canada (NFBC).
An international selection panel made up of The International Documentary Association (IDA), The European Documentary Network (EDN), Encounters (The South African Documentary Festival) and EBS International Documentary Festival (EIDF), has chosen four visionary documentary-makers drawn from Europe, Asia/Pacific, the Americas and Africa to be the 2006 International Trailblazers.
The 2006 International Trailblazers – Khalo Matabane (South Africa), Trinh T. Minh-Ha (Vietnam) Martichka Bozhilova (Bulgaria) and Alan Berliner (USA) – will attend MIPDOC.
A special MIPDOC opening lunch will be given in their honour, bringing together the documentary professionals at Mipdoc and the International Trailblazer organisers. In addition, the International Trailblazers sponsors will offer financial support to promote the international distribution of films by the four documentary makers.
Reed Midem director of the television division Paul Johnson says, Apart from the exceptional opportunity to meet emerging and recognised talent, the International Trailblazers will also enable Mipdoc delegates to see which factors contributed to the success of the selected candidates and what it takes to make a truly great documentary.
Actor Robert Redford who also founded the Sundance Channel says, The key to pushing the documentary genre forward is the existence of filmmakers who have strong vision and are burning to tell a story their way”.
The candidates of the International Trailblazers were selected according to three citeria:
– Innovation and Creativity: the use of new techniques in filming and story telling, setting trends, opening new pathways for others.
– Originality: Content that provides a model, which is different or risk-taking.
– Breakthrough: Where there is a significant difference made in the genre, such as increased audience for documentaries, press coverage, public reception.
Directly geared to non-fiction programming, MIPDOC presents an opportunity for broadcasters, producers, distributors and production companies to get close to the key players that are creating, distributing and buying the hottest titles – over 1,000 programmes in all to choose from. Most delegates register for both MIPDOC and MIPTV.
MIPDOC offers two intense days of digital viewing-including adventure, travel, current affairs, arts, music and cultural programming. It also offers an excellent conference programming, co-organised by Realscreen magazine, offering insights into the documentary business from the market’s key players.
Reed MIDEM is a leading organiser of professional international tradeshows. The company hosts MIPDOC, MIPTV, MIPCOM JUNIOR, MIPCOM and MILIA for the television and multimedia industries, MIDEM for music professionals and MIPIM and MAPIC for the property sector and GLOBAL CITY for urban management specialists.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
