“Unscripted programming is the driving force as documentary accounts for half our Hot Picks”
It’s hard to believe we’re heading to Cannes when it feels barely a day has passed since I was swapping the Unifrance Rendez-vous in Paris for the (surprisingly chilly) streets of Austin and Realscreen Summit. What it shows is that international events are back in full swing, and I return to Mip TV with four markets under my belt in the first three months of the year – doubtless many of you will have racked up even more.
The number of titles submitted for our Hot Picks likewise shows the industry is getting back up to full speed, with 36 distributors offering up more than 100 shows.
The 20 shows chosen here offer originality, mainstream appeal, premium quality and ambition in equal measure. But above all, they entertain. Entertainment doesn’t have to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy; if it is thought-provoking or troubling, but brings you back for more episodes, it has entertained. That is what we hope we’ve achieved with this selection.
Unscripted programming is the driving force as documentary accounts for half our Hot Picks. High-profile true-crime titles such as Fifth Season’s The Pez Outlaw, All3Media International’s The Man Who Played With Fire and BossaNova’s The Chameleon: The Killing Of Ronald Platt signpost the enduring popularity of the sub-genre.
International scripted numbers five series, including the return of Netflix sci-fi smash Orphan Black, alongside four formats and a solitary UK scripted selection.
The one UK drama is Fifteen-Love, about which showrunner Hania Elkington recently said: “We want people to recognise that splinter of themselves that exists within the character that we don’t want to align ourselves with”. If that’s not a basis for entertainment (in all its forms), I don’t know what is.
Hope to see you in the Palais.
- John Elmes is the international editor at Broadcast
No comments yet