Event Coverage
Second DVD awards at MIPCOM 2005 expands categories
CANNES: Reed MIDEM is expanding the MIPCOM DVD Awards to include three new competitive categories.
Organised in partnership with the DVD Association (DVDA, USA) and the International Video Federation (IVF, Belgium), the second edition of the MIPCOM DVD Awards will reward creativity and innovation in DVD content.
An international jury will evaluate the original content of the selected DVDs according to a pre-defined set of criteria including – Web Features and Interactivity, Programme Content Restoration, Special Features, Navigation and Graphic Design.
Following the success of last year’s awards and in response to client demand, three new categories have been added this year bringing the total number of classifications up to 10 Games, Sport and Music will join, TV Series (English-language), TV Series (original version non-English), Children/Youth Fiction, Children/Youth Animation, Non-Fiction (documentaries, sports, leisure etc. excluding music), Film (English-language), Film (original version other than English). These categories exclude all titles with adult content.
Submissions for the awards are open from 11 April and apply to all DVD artists, developers, authors, designers, distributors, and publishers. Companies wishing to participate can present a total of three titles per category. The deadline for entries is 30 June.
The DVD sector will have a strong presence at MIPTV/MILIA 2005. Two focused conferences will highlight the latest trends within the field and display the innovations in interactive DVD for entertainment and education. In addition, the DVD Club, situated inside the Palais des Festivals and run by the DVDA, will enable buyers, distributors and producers to network, view the most recent international productions and finalise new signings.
The award regulations and entry procedure are available on the following website: www.dvda.org.
Enrolment forms for the MIPCOM DVD Awards will be available in the DVD Club during the whole duration of MIPTV/MILIA 2005.
The 9 winners of the Mipcom DVD Awards 2004 were:
TV Series (English-language)
Red Dwarf IV, BBC, United Kingdom.
TV Series (original version non-English)
Bibi Blocksberg, Kiddnix Media AG, Germany.
Children/Youth Fiction
Spy Kids 3D : Game Over, Buena Vista International, USA.
Children/Youth Animation
Sinbad, la légende Des sept mers, Universal Pictures Video, France.
Nonfiction (documentaries, sports, leisure etc. excluding music)
Capturing the Friedmans, Hit the Ground Running/ Notorious Films, USA.
Film (English-language)
The Last Samurai, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., USA.
Film (original version other than English)
Hero, Universal Pictures Video, France.
Special Jury Prize (Technical Recognition Diploma)
InteracTV Elmo’s World, Spongebob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer; Fisher Price; USA.
Special Jury Prize
Capturing the Friedmans, Hit the Ground Running/ Notorious Films, USA.
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.
