MIP London Is Launching In 2025 – Historic Programming Market Is Relocating From Cannes & New Event Will Run Alongside The London Screenings
26.03.2024 - 10:53
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: It’s confirmed – or will be later today – the organizers of MIPTV are setting up a new event in London, Deadline can reveal. MIP London will be based in The Savoy hotel and an adjoining space, the IET London, in a seismic change to the international TV calendar. Historic programming market MIPTV has been situated in Cannes since the 1960s.
The new event will run concurrently with the hugely successful London Screenings.
The news that MIPTV organizer RX France was hatching plans to move from the south of France to the UK have been the talk of international TV circles since Deadline broke the news in February.
At that point, plans were advanced, but the lack of definitive comment from RX meant weeks of will-they-won’t-they speculation in international TV circles. It turns out they will.
Lucy Smith, Director of the entertainment division at RX France, has been on a charm offensive to persuade both potential MIP London attendees and the companies associated with the London Screenings of the benefits of having a new event in the English capital.
The message has been that it will not just transpose the usual Palais Des Festivals proceedings to The Savoy and adjoining 1,300 capacity IET London venue, and it will be a more boutique set-up for international distributors to hold meetings with buyers, network, and, crucually, screen their wares. It won’t be the classic MIPTV set-up with exhibitors and stands.
Several UK-based distributors have bristled at the notion of – as they saw it – MIPTV muscling in on the London Screenings, which have become a successful diary date for international buyers. The event, which take place in February is akin to the LA Screenings – with about 750 acquisition execs watching episodes