Event Coverage
Formats Day at Mipcom 2002
MUMBAI: The stage is set for Mipcom 2002 (International Film and Programme Market for TV, Video, Cable and Satellite), to be held in Cannes, France, from 7 to 11 October. One section that is going to have Indian programming executives looking for the next Kaun Banega Crorepati keenly interested is likely to be Formats Day, on 9 October, featuring a keynote, a high-powered panel and a pitching session.
As broadcasters and format providers around the world respond to voracious demand for innovative and exciting entertainment concepts to a degree never seen before, Mipcom has devoted a full day to it.
Formats Day will kick off with an exclusive keynote, Formatting The Future Of TV Entertainment, by David Liddiment, director of programmes, ITV Network (UK) who will look at the benefits broadcasters can expect from investing into formats.
In Getting Creative: Formats Specialists Bring New Twists To Tale an international panel of formats specialists will show how “genre-mixing” is changing the business and how format providers are sprucing up well-worn game show, reality and infotainment concepts and introducing strong elements of variety, comedy and drama into their newest shows. Citing the latest and most innovative examples, speakers will also examine how the creative process is influenced by the need to generate cross-platform revenues and bolster channel “brand”.
Following a similar pitching session held at last MIP TV, Star Turn: What Are Tomorrow’s Format Hits?, will give five producers the chance to demonstrate why they think their formats are destined for international acclaim. The formats, which have been selected by NOTA, have been broadcast to excellent ratings in their home countries, but have not yet been sold abroad.
Selected formats include:
– game show Heaven Or Hell, presented by Uri Shinar, president & CEO and Illi Edry, head of marketing and business developing, Keshet Formats (Israel);
– Lance In Space, a spatial reality soap (David Krieff, president & CEO and Mike Nedjar, V-P, Destiny Productions / Celebrity Mission, USA);
– Liar, a game show (Harry Thompson, senior comedy producer, Talkback Entertainment, UK);
– The New Retreat, a spiritual reality series (Patty Geneste, managing director, Absolutely Independent, and Kirsten van Nieuwenhuijzen, creative director, Intellygents, both companies are from the Netherlands);
– and reality show Vis Ma Vie (Patrick Ballarin, director and partner, Rservoir Prod, France).
The pitching session is organised with the support of NOTA (NOTA is developed by IMCA, Eurodata TV and Mediametrie). Formats Day partners include: IMCA (International Media Consultants Associes) and TvFormats (UK) (Formats marketing company, www.tvformats.com).
Meanwhile, among the many programme shoppers attending Mipcom this autumn are two major Chinese companies, a new indigenous free-to-air channel from New Zealand and a large delegation of Indonesian executives.
Mipcom, the international film and programme market for TV, video, cable & satellite is, with MIPTV, the leading international television programme market. Last year it featured 9,943 executives, 2,783 companies including 1,228 exhibiting companies.
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.
