MIPCOM 2016: What’s the deal?

Cannes, October 2016: The world’s most important TV market, MIPCOM, has just closed its gates in Cannes, France. Productions of Terra Mater Factual Studios were highly sought-after by channels around the world. Buyers from France, Spain, Italy, Poland, the US, Mexico, China, Taiwan as well as Iran have filled their shopping baskets with TMFS documentaries.

One of the productions in highest demand was the multiple-award winner ‘David Attenborough’s Light on Earth’, shining a light on the phenomenon of bioluminescence. Spanish channel RTVE as well as France 5, Taiwan’s PTS and Chinese channel CCTV10 all have secured themselves broadcasting rights.

The three-part science series ‘Wild Weather with Richard Hammond’, featuring the ex-Top Gear-star as he experiences the wildest of weather phenomena, also convinced many buyers. The multi-award winning documentary series was sold to Poland’s MetroTV as well as China’s CCTV10.

Mexico and Iran also went to check-out with many TMFS productions. IRIB licensed numerous nature and science documentaries, while Mexico’s Canal Once will broadcast ‘Brazil – A Natural History’.

The high quality standards of TMFS productions were a convincing argument for prestigious networks to further invest in co-productions with the Austrian studios. The well-established collaboration with National Geographic Wild will be continued by creating productions such as ‘Wild Uganda’, three-part natural history series ‘Wild Tanzania’ as well as ‘Namibia – Sanctuary of Giants’, a production about conservation issues in Namibia.

Pre-sales were announced of four more productions: ‘Badlands’, ‘The Leopard Rocks’, as well as of both three-part series ‘Nature’s Greatest Talents’ and ‘Okavango – Thread of Life’.

“I’m very happy about the outcome of this year’s MIPCOM, and about the continued confidence our co-production partners are having in us”, says Sabine Holzer, Head of TV of Terra Mater Factual Studios. “Once more we have come to see that our productions are in high demand all around the globe.”

The award show continues for TMFS
Already before MIPCOM, there was cause for celebration: traditionally, the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards honour their winners at a gala dinner ahead of the media market. Around 300 invitees from over 25 countries attended the evening’s celebrations. Terra Mater Factual Studios were awarded the Golden Dolphin for the production ‘David Attenborough’s Light on Earth’ in the category Nature, Environment & Ecology, as well as a prize for Best Camera. ‘Wild Sri Lanka’ was awarded a Silver Dolphin.

Just a week ago, TMFS were honoured by receiving the Golden Panda Award, the most prestigious award the industry has to offer in the realm of science and nature documentaries, alongside four other Panda Awards at Bristol’s Wildscreen Festival.