Event Coverage
MIPDoc: Factual TV market showcases premium international content
PARIS: MIPDoc, the leading factual content screenings and conference, will mark its 20th anniversary with a rich line-up of world premiere screenings and keynotes from some of the documentary genre’s global heavyweights.
Organised by Reed MIDEM, MIPDoc takes place in Cannes, France, on 1-2 April 2017, ahead of the world’s entertainment content market MIPTV, which runs 3-6 April.
MIPDoc will this year put coproduction more than ever to the fore through a series of premium events and unique opportunities to discover new projects for commissioning and co-production, including the MIPDoc International Pitch; the Matchmaking sessions* with some of the most influential buyers and commissioners; and a keynote super-panel entitled “Factual Titans Speak International Coproduction” (Saturday 1 April at 5:15pm in the Grand Theatre).
Speakers confirmed for the latter are Ralf Rueckauer, Vice President ZDFE.factual (Germany); Kyle Murdoch, Managing Director, NHNZ (New Zealand); Pamela Aguilar , Senior Director, Programming and Development, PBS (USA); Yuan Tian, Head of International Coproduction, CCTV9 (China); Hélène Ganichaud, Deputy Director, ARTE (France), and Jens Monath, Commissioning Editor TerraX, ZDF (Germany).
Just as MIPTV has built a reputation for hosting major world TV premieres, MIPDoc is a key launchpad for premium international titles. This year’s edition features two World Premiere Screenings of major international coproductions. On Saturday, “Big Pacific,” a blue-chip exploration of the Earth’s biggest ocean and its inhabitants is presented by ZDF Enterprises; and on Sunday, “Tokyo Phoenix: The Rise of Modern Japan,” a look at how the Japanese capital has rebuilt itself after catastrophic events to become a vibrant megalopolis, will be showcased by NHK and CC&C.
Also on Saturday, FOX Networks Group Content Distribution will unveil an exclusive preview of “Origins: The Journey of Humankind” as part of the MIPDoc Networking Lunch at the Majestic Hotel. “Origins” explores the dramatic history of humanity through images and music, presented by philosopher and TV personality Jason Silva, who will be in Cannes to promote the show along with National Geographic Channels president – original programming and production Tim Pastore.
On Sunday, PBS International, PBS, and Arte are presenting a MIPDoc Showcase featuring selected extracts from the highly anticipated series “The Vietnam War” with filmmaker Lynn Novick. This immersive 10-part documentary series directed by Novick and Ken Burns tells the epic story of one of the most divisive and misunderstood conflicts in history, and will be co-presented in Cannes by PBS chief programming executive and GM – general audience programming Beth Hoppe.
Elsewhere, speakers so far confirmed for the MIPDoc International Coproduction Summit include: David Royle, EVP, Smithsonian Networks (USA); Conrad Riggs, Head of Unscripted, Amazon Originals (USA); Laura Fleury, Vice President, Nonfiction and Alternative Programming, A&E Television Networks (USA); Bo Stehmeier, SVP Global Sales, Red Arrow International (Germany); and Nicolas Deschamps, Producer, Gédéon Programmes (France).
*The MIPDoc Matchmaking event with buyers and commissioning editors from around the world includes representatives from SVT (Sweden), National Geographic (UK), Sky (Italy), Al Jazeera (Qatar), Arte (France), CBC Television (Canada), STR (Mexico), NHK (Japan), ProSiebenSat.1 Media (Germany), and RTP (Portugal).
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.
