Event Coverage
Increased Asia Pacific representation at Mipcom ’02
PARIS: Mipcom, the international content market for TV video, cable and satellite held from 7-11 October 2002 in Cannes, welcomed a large number of international TV executives who carried out business with a high level of optimism.
10,272 participants (+3.4 per cent compared to 2001) from 2,721 companies and 90 countries attended Mipcom 2002. Last year at the same period 9,943 delegates had attended the event. Positive signals from the global industry such as improved advertising revenues in the US, were reflected at the venue this year. The number of programme buyers saw a significant increase as 2,720 delegates from 1,105 companies registered came to Cannes. The growth was already apparent at Mipcom Junior from 5 -6 October with a 19.3 per cent increase in the number of acquisition executives (433 buyers, compared to 363 in 2001).
Asia Pacific representation increased with a total number of 407 companies present at the event, up 10 per cent compared to 370 companies last year (314 in 2000). Japan and Korea now rank respectively fourth and ninth among countries with the largest number of stands.
Canada accounted for 134 exhibiting companies, up 18.58 per cent, compared to 113 last year (and 87 companies in 2000), and now ranks fourth in the top exhibiting countries after France, US and the UK. Telefilm Canadas umbrella stand gathered 67 companies, against 35 last year and 16 in 2000. Canadas dynamic industry came into the spotlight at Mipcoms opening night as CBC/Radio Canada celebrated their 50th anniversary with a spectacular performance from world famous troupe Cirque Du Soleil.
Producers and distributors showcased new drama films and mini-series at the all new MIP Screenings which proved highly popular attracting 480 professionals. In all, 32 programmes were presented by 23 companies from the US, Canada, Europe and Latin America.
Another first was Mipcoms Formats Day which was attended by over 600 delegates and included a keynote by ITV Director of Programming David Liddiment, a high-level panel and a pitching session. A large number of deals were signed during MIPCOM underlining that formats have now become a worldwide phenomenon. The UKs Zeal Television licensed Under Control to RTL2 in Germany; Dutch company Eyeworks.TV sold rights to Talent Television (UK) to promote its format Test The Nation The National IQ Test in Japan, and Canadas Distraction signed a deal with Bunim/Murray Productions to create a US version of Stripsearch The Real Full Monty.
Animation was widely represented at the market and appealed to numerous buyers who passed. Tokyo Broadcasting System signed a multi-territory deal with Fox Kids Europe for rights to 50 episodes of The Quintuplets, Frances Tele Images and Australias Yoram Gross teamed up to co-produce Seaside Hotel, and Decode and Sunwoo entered a partnership for B-Bot vs. The Alien Posse, the first Canadian-Korean co-produced series based on a property developed by a Korean company. At MIPCOM Junior animation was the most screened programme genre: all of the top 30 most screened programmes belonged to the animation category.
A growing amount of trade is done in the area of DVD rights. US company TDK Mediactive has picked up rights from Italian broadcaster RAIs prestigious operas to distribute 20 to 30 DVD titles a year.
MIPTV 2003, the next international programmes market for the TV industry, will be held from 24-28 March and will celebrate its 40th anniversary. The MIPDOC Documentary Screenings will be held on 22-23 March.
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.
