Event Coverage
MIPTV: Beta Film opens curtains for ‘Babylon Berlin’, ‘1993’ & ‘Professor T’
MUMBAI: Beta Film will, at this year’s MIPTV, open its red curtains for Babylon Berlin, presenting first-look excerpts of the extraordinary event series by Tom Tykwer, Henk Handloegten and Achim von Borries.
The writer/director trio will introduce the show during the MIPDrama Screenings in Cannes with a 20 minute glimpse of what is currently in post-production and has been sold to numerous territories throughout the world. At its International Screening, Beta will feature Professor T., an eccentric but brilliant forensic scientist, who assists police investigations with special charm. The German remake for ZDF, which launched very successfully, is based on the Belgium series original.
Another remake for TF1 in France is in post-production. 1993 marks the second season of the Italian high-end success series 1992 and follows in the footsteps of corruption and a merciless game of politics. First scenes will be shown at the traditional Beta Brunch on MIPTV-Tuesday, 12.30 pm.
Babylon Berlin (The Hollywood Reporter: “game changer for high-end TV”) with its 16 episodes and a 40 million Euro budget will premiere on Sky Germany this coming fall, all of Europe including UK as well as overseas and German Free TV ARD will follow. Berlin in the Roaring Twenties is a metropolis for those with talent and ambition. But beneath the glittering surface, the impoverished masses strive for a better life. It is a time for organized crime and political extremism with old militaristic elites not yet abolished while an even more dreadful monster starts flexing its muscles. The show follows a police officer investigating with his own agenda in the capital. Babylon Berlin is produced by X Filme Creative Pool, ARD Degeto, Sky and Beta Film.
Rome, 30 April 1993: A crowd throws coins at Italian Prime Minister Bettino Craxi – as if the Civil War has begun. It is the setting of 1993 (8 hours; “1992”: 10 hours), the highly ambitious Sky Italia series about political corruption, the mani pulite bribery investigations, the collapse of a political system and the chance for new powers to rise out of the ashes. 1993 is a Sky Italia production realized by Wildside (“The Young Pope”).
Further highlights among Beta’s event miniseries lineup are Sacher (4 hours), a moovie/Constantin/MR/Beta Film production about the renowned Grand Hotel and glamorous hotspot for the élite of Vienna’s Golden Age and the second season of legal thriller series Shades of Guilt (10 hours, moovie/Oliver Berben), centering on defense lawyer Friedrich Kronberg, who is struggling for justice, no matter how guilty his defendants are. The event movie The Light of Hope (2 hours, Distinto Films Miriam Porté), based on a true story, tells the harrowing tale of Elisabeth Eidenbenz and her female co-workers who saved the lives of almost 600 infants and their mothers who suffered unbearable conditions in refugee and prison camps in Southern France during World War II.
Formats are flying high at Beta Film, with Professor T. (Rowboat) gaining record ratings on Germany’s ZDF and the French version premiering on TF1 (6 hours, VEMA Production) later this year. The crime format is the latest example of successful shows being adapted abroad, just like the Spanish series Grand Hotel (39×70′, bamboo) with its offspring in the US, Italy and the Middle East or Red Bracelets (German version produced by Bantry Bay), which goes into its third season on Germany’s VOX, even extending the Spanish/Catalan original run.
The kids’ slate comes with the brand-new scripted show Five2Twelve (26 x 24′) about five teenage boys between 14 and 16 who have their last chance to get it right. All of them already hear the prison doors closing when a judge gives them the option for a new perspective in a mountain boot camp. The series is produced by BR/TV60. Also available are seven new family entertainment features like Timm Thaler (Constantin), the boy who sold his laughter or the friendship adventure of Wendy (Bantry Bay) on vacation at her grandparent’s horse ranch.
Last but not least, there are new entries in Beta’s movie cycles. Inspector Dupin (16 hours, filmpool) solves murders at Brittany’s seaside and completed its sixth part, while Murder by the Lake (20 hours, Rowboat) presents its seventh case at the three nation border in the heart of Europe.
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.
