Event Coverage
RX France’s MIPTV trade show calls for entries for the fifth MIP SDG Awards 2024
Mumbai: RX France has announced the Call for Entries for the 2024 MIP SDG AWARD, established in 2020, to recognise the contribution of, and action by, media companies worldwide to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The MIP SDG AWARD 2024 recipient will be presented live on stage in Cannes, France during MIPTV – The Spring International Television Market – in April of next year.
The announcement was made by RX France entertainment division director Lucy Smith, on the occasion of the 2023 SDG Summit, which kicked off the high-level week of the UN General Assembly in New York (18-22 September). RX France was participating in a media session at the SDG Media Zone,“Driving Social Impact for the SDGs” which also featured previous MIP SDG Award recipients Studio Silverback and Junk Kouture.
The MIP television industry trade shows are the largest gatherings of entertainment executives and media companies globally with representatives from over 100 countries convening in Cannes, France biannually to showcase their creativity and content. At these, the MIP SDG Award provides an international platform to demonstrate how progress can be accelerated by the industry, helping educate global audiences on sustainability issues both editorially and through their business practices.
“Inspiring change is what television does best,” commented Smith. “A MIP SDG Award provides a global stage to accelerate change and show what’s achievable and impactful in these critical areas by highlighting exceptional work that peers can admire, learn from and emulate in their own way.”
The awards form part of RX France’s ongoing membership and commitment to the United Nations’ SDG Media Compact. Founded by the United Nations in 2018, the alliance of media and entertainment companies now numbers over 450 members committed to leveraging their resources towards achieving the SDGs.
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.
