What to expect at Conecta Magaluf-Mallorca

With its tenth aniversary fast approaching, Géraldine Gonard tells Broadcast International what delegates can expect from Conecta Magaluf-Mallorca and how the industry has changed over the past decade. 

Conecta is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year in Magaluf-Mallorca. Tell us about this new location and what delegates can expect from the event’s 2026 edition.

This is our first edition in Magaluf, but in many ways it feels like a return to our roots - not geographically, but in spirit. We are going back to what made Conecta distinctive from the beginning: a boutique environment where things actually happen.

Magaluf today is not what people expect. It has evolved quickly into a strong destination for international events, with excellent infrastructure, easy international connections and close proximity to Palma airport. Most importantly, it offers a setting that allows people to slow down and have real conversations, something that is increasingly rare in our industry.

For 2026, we are designing an environment where time is used more effectively. Our team also plays an active role throughout the event, working closely with participants in a proactive, PR-driven way to facilitate introductions and help them connect with the people who are most relevant to their projects.

The international industry has faced a tumultuous couple of years amid consolidation and squeezed budgets. What kind of intel and networking opportunities can under-pressure producers expect to find at Conecta?

In my opinion, the biggest challenge today is not a lack of ideas but knowing where to place them, and with whom. The industry has shifted structurally. Digital-first consumption is now dominant, artificial intelligence is already impacting workflows, and financial pressure is forcing companies to be far more selective in what they develop and finance. The model based on volume and visibility is no longer sufficient.

People have less time, budgets are tighter, and the level of risk is higher - that has changed the way professionals connect

At Conecta, the response is to focus on relevance and timing. Participants will have access to up-to-date insight from leading analysts including GECA, Glance, the European Audiovisual Observatory and Parrot Analytics, The Wit, OMDIA, providing a clear view of where opportunities actually lie. But insight only has value if it translates into action. What we prioritise is bringing together professionals who are actively looking to move projects forward, and creating the conditions for that to happen in a focused and efficient way.

Producers should expect to leave with a sharper understanding of the market, and with connections that are directly aligned with their development and financing needs.

International partnerships and connections remain at the centre of the event. Have you noticed these relationships changing over the 10 years since Conecta began and if so, how?

Completely. Ten years ago, partnerships were often about access. Today, they are about precision and trust.

People have less time, budgets are tighter, and the level of risk is higher. That has changed the way professionals connect. It is no longer about meeting as many people as possible, but about meeting the right ones.

We have adapted to that by moving away from volume-driven formats and focusing on relevance. Our FOCUS ON strand reflects this shift, bringing together commissioners, producers and investors in a more targeted and thoughtful way.

At the same time, the geography of collaboration has expanded. We see stronger bridges between Europe and the Americas, and increasing interest from regions such as North Africa and Asia. The conversation has also evolved. It is less about selling finished content and more about building projects together from an early stage and sharing both risk and opportunity.

How many attendees/countries are you expecting to be represented this year?

We expect around 400 senior audiovisual professionals. That number is intentional. It allows us to maintain an environment where people can actually meet and spend time together.

We are not interested in scale for its own sake. What matters is the quality of the room.

In terms of international reach, our recent project calls received 271 submissions from 34 countries, with a nearly even split between the Americas and Europe. That gives a good sense of the diversity we expect to see in Mallorca.

Co-productions and co-financing have always been a key focus for Conecta, and both have arguably never been more important to getting shows greenlit in the current climate. How is this aspect of the industry being reflected at the event?

Today, co-production, and for many projects co-financing, is not just an option. It is how projects get made.

At Conecta, this is reflected across the entire programme, with a focus on creating the right context for partnerships to develop in a practical and efficient way, both within structured sessions and through more informal interaction.

A key element of this edition is reskilling. We are bringing in experienced professionals to share concrete, applicable knowledge. This includes, for example, a hands-on approach to vertical content, where a project is developed live during a workshop and then analysed to demonstrate how that material can be positioned and monetised. The aim is to move beyond assumptions and give a clearer sense of the real opportunities in that space.

Our pitch sessions, spanning Drama, Comedy, Vertical Series and Direct to Streaming Movies, are another key entry point for projects looking to connect with potential partners. The focus is not just on discussing collaboration, but on helping it take shape in a tangible way.

Tell us about some of your personal highlights of the past ten years of Conecta and what elements of the 2026 line-up you’re particularly looking forward to.

The real highlight over the years has been seeing projects come to life. Through Conecta, 34 international series & films that passed through our pitching sessions have been produced or are in an advanced stage of production often as a result of unexpected partnerships. That is ultimately what gives meaning to everything we do.

For 2026, I am especially looking forward to presenting the Conecta Honor Award to the journalist John Hopewell. He has played an important role in amplifying voices that have not always been part of the international conversation, and in connecting different parts of the industry.

I am also particularly interested in the more hands-on dimension of this edition. The sessions on artificial intelligence, new formats, and the practical side of co-production reflect where the industry is right now and what professionals need to deal with on a daily basis.

Above all, I am looking forward to bringing the community together in a setting that allows time for focus and real exchange. That is often where the most relevant conversations happen, and where new projects start to take shape.