An increase in accreditations is announced for the 2013 Mifa marketplace in Annecy, France.
Just a few days before the annual marketplace begins, Mifa has announced an increase in accreditations, particularly on the international side. The numbers include a rise in attendance from professionals from South Africa and South America, with delegations from Columbia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. In addition, with delegates from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, India and Hong Kong, Asia is once again confirming its allegiance.
Mifa organizers report a 25 percent rise in attendance from buyers and distributors, with professionals from Brazil, Columbia and the United States on a first-time visit to Annecy, bringing with them 143 projects and 114 films to be presented at the video library. This is a new record that will be added to the films from the official selection, for a grand total of 500 films and projects up for grabs.
New for Mifa 2013
Mifa consolidates its concepts that work on a yearly basis, while introducing new ones in line with the expectations of its attendees.
The Territory Focus sessions will be back again with five sessions with Poland, South Africa, Japan, Russia and Great Britain presenting their talents, projects and companies to attending professionals from all over the world. These sessions are a great opportunity to discover a production territory or new funding possibilities.
Two new meeting concepts will also be introduced this year: the Mifa Talks and Share With sessions.
The Mifa Talks will give the possibility to talk about issues affecting TV, features and short films. These three meetings are organized with partners Natalie Altmann from Media Valley (TV), Europa Distribution (features) and the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market.
With the Share With sessions, the Mifa has created conditions for privileged exchanges between investors and producers offering professionals over 20 sessions of 30 minutes each.
New exhibitors
Unifrance, Illumination Mac Guff, Films en Bretagne, Pôle Image Haute-Normandie, Pro Imagenes (Colombia), Lithuanian Film Centre, Asifa China, Animation South Africa/NFVF, School of Visual Art (New York)
Other events for Mifa 2013
French broadcasters – France Télévisions, Lagardère Active, TF1 and CANAL+ – are remaining loyal to Mifa and will be revealing their programming for the autumn or news about future productions.
Presentations from Stateside majors such as Pixar and Disney.
And finally, the Mifa will be the occasion to celebrate 50 years of Calimero with the opening party showing off this cross-generational little character, along with the screening of the first episode from a brand new series, produced by Gaumont Animation.
The Creative Focus
The Creative Focus received 265 projects this year including 31 features, shorts, TV series or specials and cross-media (GMCmifa) that have been selected to be pitched.
Like the Festival and Mifa, the geographical origin of these future productions goes far beyond the frontiers of Europe, with projects to present to investors coming from Africa (Kenya, Senegal, South Africa), Iran, Chile and Argentina.
The Creative Focus four-day program includes sessions with Nickelodeon and Sony Pictures Animation. Finally, major American and European studios will be taking advantage of recruitment sessions to hire talents enabling their projects to see the light of day.
The Festival and Mifa mobile app: live the event as it happens, anywhere anytime!
As well as providing access to news, the program, schedule and location, Mifa attendees can also use the connected space to check out the list of visiting professionals, the video library and organize timetables according to previously located events. Free and bilingual, the MyAnnecy2013 app, developed in partnership with Noé Interactive agency, is available on Android and iOS tablets and mobiles.
Source: Mifa
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
