MIPCOM in Cannes: opening under high protection

A few defections (Americans have come) for an International market of audiovisual programs which is opening this morning, under a reinforced surveillance since yesterday.

Will Americans come to the MIPCOM in Cannes ? This was the question that everybody wondered after the tragic attacks of last September 11th. The answer is positive. American studios have wanted to show that horrible attacks in America hadn't stopped everything. Only four American companies (over more than 350 concerns coming from northern America) have cancelled their coming to the 17th international market of audiovisual programs which takes place in Cannes at the palais des festivals from Monday October 8th to 12th. This show will be inaugurated on Monday at 11.45am by Catherine Tasca, the secretary of culture and communication.Moreover, the American delegation is the most numerous in this exhibition (117 exhibiting companies), before Great-Britain and France. The American majors, in particular, will thus be gathered together at the palais: Columbia Tristar International, Television, Disney, MGM Worldwide Television Group, Paramount International Television, Twentieth Century Fox International, Universal Studios Television Distribution and Warner Bros. All of these majors will present their new productions (serials, feature films) on the market. Of course, security measures are drastic all around and at the entry of the palais des festivals. And because of the American strike which has begun on Sunday night, these measures should be strengthened again.And finally, those which are the least numerous are French televisions. TF1, M6 or Canal+, non of these channels has planned to come to the Croisette. With France Television and the Cinquième, the public service will be more present. The Cinquième will thus launch "Histoires de familles" (family affairs), a European collection of six episodes.As far as the number of participants is concerned, this MIPCOM 2001, the first international to take place on the French Riviera after the events, risks not to reach the record figures of last year. Of course, companies are present: exhibitors, according to the latest statistics of October 1st, will even be a bit more numerous with 1.214 exhibiting companies (1.155 last year) while 2.600 companies from 86 countries will be on the market. On the other hand, representatives of these companies and visitors are likely to be less numerous than last year. Around 500 withdrawal have thus been recorder over a bit more than 11.000 expected participants.This is the first time that Xavier Roy, the CEO of Reed Midem Organisation, has to face difficulties of international events: the first MIPIM, around ten years ago, had been launched after the Gulf War had begun. But it did not prevent the international market for real estate from rising.