INTERNATIONAL www.VideoAge.org OK, we’ve all heard it repeatedly for years now… Africa is the next big market. Africa is the next big market. The numbers certainly support that it could be. On the continent, the revenue generated makes impressive leaps upward yearly, and even as the shifting consumer behavior puts pressure on traditional models, linear TV still draws viewers for live sports and appointment television, while both Africa-based OTT platforms such as Showmax, as well Netflix and Amazon Prime subscribers, continue to increase. For certain, the 2025 African television landscape is a vibrant and rapidly evolving one, with a growing emphasis on producing high-quality and diverse programming that appeals to both local and international audiences. African television has seen a sigThe Venice Film Festival (first held in 1932, making it the oldest film festival in the world), the Cannes Film Festival (first held in 1946), and the Berlin Film Festival (first held in 1951), are known as the three most prestigious European film festivals on the annual calendar. Desi Arnaz: The man behind modern television Jornadas wants to reaffirm its LatAm TV role TIFF is adding features, distancing itself from VFF My 2¢: Outcomes of trade shows assessed by advertising pages Page 8 Page 6 Page 4 Page 3 THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF FILM, BROADCASTING, STREAMING, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION August/September 2025 - VOL. 45 NO. 5 - $9.75 A Glowing African TV Market Review and a Reality Check Challenges and Changes for CEE Trade Mart Venice Film Fest Firsts and its Starring Role (Continued on Page 10) (Continued on Page 16) (Continued on Page 14) Just before the closing of the most recent edition of NATPE Budapest (which ended on June 26, 2025), NATPE’s market officials made the rounds among some exhibitors, asking them their thoughts on whether the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market should move from its current June — a rather busy month for folks in the TV trade business — to the less hectic April. The news was first reported in VideoAge’s Thursday, June 26, CASTADIVA presents Holiday Crush, a co-production with Prime Video Italia, filmed at our creative hub in Cape Town Fabio Nesi, CEO Massimo Righini, CCO www.castadivagroup.com
3 My 2¢ September 2025 MAIN OFFICES 216 EAST 75TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10021 TEL: (212) 288-3933 WWW.VIDEOAGEINTERNATIONAL.COM WWW.VIDEOAGE.ORG VIALE ABRUZZI 30 20131 MILAN, ITALY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DOM SERAFINI EDITORIAL TEAM SARA ALESSI (NY) ENZO CHIARULLO (ITALY) LEAH HOCHBAUM ROSNER (NY) SUSAN HORNIK (L.A.) CAROLINE INTERTAGLIA (FRANCE) OMAR MENDEZ (ARGENTINA) LUIS POLANCO (NY) MIKE REYNOLDS (L.A.) MARIA ZUPPELLO (BRAZIL) PUBLISHER MONICA GORGHETTO BUSINESS OFFICE LEN FINKEL LEGAL OFFICE STEVE SCHIFFMAN WEB MANAGER BRUNO MARRACINO DESIGN/LAYOUT CLAUDIO MATTIONI, CARMINE RASPAOLO © TV TRADE MEDIA INC. 2025 When the economy tanks, the TV business surges. The present and future outcomes of international TV trade shows will be assessed by looking at the number of advertising pages in TV trade publications, which can also attest to the level of success of exhibiting companies. If I have to compare today’s TV business environment with ones from the past, I have to rely on two historical elements, and not my own recollections since, as it is known, time makes the past look better due to a condition called “rosy retrospection,” otherwise known as nostalgia. By the way, some critics attach negative connotations to the term “nostalgia,” which derives from the combination of the Greek words “nostos” (return) and “algos” (grief). The first historical element is the publication VideoAge itself. The second is the size (i.e., the number of pages) of the same VideoAge publication over various decades of its 45-year existence. By now the international TV industry’s contingent has realized that the size of a trade publication, determined by the number of ads it carries, offers the best way to realistically assess the level of success of a TV trade show and the business it generated. So, armed with patience and a duster, I have sifted through piles of old VideoAge issues to unlock the secrets of the past to see if we can feel good about the future. Every business is cyclical — even the TV sector — despite the fact that it traditionally follows a reverse pattern. When the economy tanks, the TV business surges since people tend to stay home and watch more TV. Looking through the big VideoAge issues from the 1980s, it is clear that when the television business was booming, so were the TV trade shows (with MIP-TV leading the international pack). It is also apparent that the economy faced some ups and downs with a recession that was followed by a period of expansion and high inflation. In the 1990s, the size of VideoAge issues slimmed down and a number of TV markets either closed or downsized. Conversely, the economic outlook was characterized by growth and defined as a “boom.” However, the 1990s were when the Latin American TV production and distribution companies reached their maximum expansion, eclipsing Italian, French, Canadian, and German companies in terms of market presence and promotional strength in VideoAge. In the 2000s, the international TV trade shows picked up steam and so did the size of VideoAge issues, especially in the first part of the new century, when the MIP-TV and MIPCOM markets were equal in size. (It wasn’t until 2009 that MIPCOM became bigger than MIP-TV.) However, during the first decade of the 2000s, LatAm distributors’ fortunes started to fade, replaced by those of Turkish companies, which, over the years, have turned into marketing juggernauts. In 2011, TV trade shows started a downward spiral, reflected by fewer ad pages in VideoAge as well as other publications. However, while the traditional TV markets were under economic stress, a number of newer, smaller TV trade shows emerged and, starting in 2016, VideoAge was able to publish nine annual “monthly” editions (compared to its traditional six in previous years) in order to better serve the editorial expectations of the international content sector. This year, the TV trade shows’ picture is as confused as the business of television itself, and the world’s economic outlook is no better defined. But based on the above explanation, the pendulum for the international content business could swing into the green area if TV trade shows start to rebound, and into the red area if they continue their decline, with the size of VideoAge and other trades as the real judges. Dom Serafini “You told me to bring home a big bird from MIP Africa.”
4 (Continued on Page 6) The TIFF Organization, the festival’s organizer, is a notfor-profit organization that, in addition to selecting new award-winning films for its festival, excels in marketing the festival’s main “product,” which is theater tickets, each priced at C$17 (for top-tier seats), for screenings at one of the festival’s five cinemas around downtown Toronto, but also ancillary items like the Festival Program Book (priced at C$65), and various merchandise. Participant fees range from C$515 for the conferences to C$995 for buyers. This year’s 50th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will be held September 4 to 14, 2025, two days of which will overlap with the Venice Film Festival, set to happen August 27-September 6 (see front cover story). Next year, with the addition of a film market (TIFF Market), the event will move to the later dates of September 10-20, 2026, with the market portion taking place September 10-16. However, as per midAugust 2025, TIFF’s organizers were not yet able to provide VideoAge with additional information about the marketplace’s future venue or the number of buyers and exhibitors expected. TIFF is Expanding, Adding Features, “Distancing” Itself from the Venice Fest MultiChoice is FAME Week’s “Super Sponsor” for 2025. FAME is the umbrella event that is taking place in Cape Town, South Africa from September 1-6, 2025, and the MIP Africa TV market is the key component of the event, concentrated across September 1-3. MultiChoice operates the linear DStv, which reaches across the African continent, and its now relaunched streaming Showmax platform. Commented Nomsa Philiso, CEO of General Entertainment at MultiChoice Group, “Our sponsorship of MIP Africa at FAME Week goes far beyond financial support for the continental industry. We want to meet, engage, and build a future with the people and ideas shaping the continent’s cultural narrative and continue to take African stories to the world.” South Africa’s film industry attracted 2.52 billion rand (U.S. $144 million) in foreign investments from international productions between November 2023 and June 2024, the latest available figures according to UNESCO. The fourth annual MIP Africa (the continent’s premier trade gathering for the film, MIP Africa Expectations VIDEOAGE September 2025 World C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Let your MIPCOM marketing strategy be carried over by the premier league of a trade publication
6 “Jornadas is a reflection of our industry: it reinvents itself year after year to support an ecosystem in constant transformation,” said Federico Fornelli, president of ATVC. “Each edition represents an opportunity to evolve. This new format will allow for a more dynamic and accessible exchange aligned with the current needs of the sector. With the event just a few months away, we are confident in our collaborative work to ensure every detail meets expectations.” For his part, Sergio Veiga, president of CAPPSA, added: “Each year, our goal is to improve the experience of all stakeholders involved in Jornadas, creating a space that more effectively connects technological innovation, content, and the visitors who attend the event.” In addition to the trade show, Jornadas Internacionales 2025 will highlight multiple simultaneous spaces for workshops, technical training, and conferences featuring top-level speakers. One of the leading meetings for the TV hardware and content industries in Latin America — the Jornadas Internacionales, a TV trade market jointly organized by Argentina’s ATVC (cable TV channels) and CAPPSA (cable TV equipment) associations — will return to the Hilton Buenos Aires Hotel on October 7 and 8, 2025. In line with the trends of major global events and trade shows, the Jornadas (which in English translates as “the days”) Internacionales TV market will adopt a new space layout for its 35th edition. This reconfiguration will offer greater visibility to exhibitors and foster more dynamic interactions between brands and attendees, with the goal of boosting networking and generating business opportunities. Argentina’s Jornadas Wants to Reaffirm Its South Cone TV Role television, and creative market, which includes a conference program, networking opportunities, and business meetings) will be returning to Cape Town as part of FAME Week. Reed Exhibitions, MIP Africa’s organizer, recently announced free passes for verified buyers to attend the show. The passes are available on application to buyers from around the world and grant access to a broad and diverse range of distributors, studios, and producers with a strong focus on Africa. While African film and television continues to captivate audiences worldwide, structural challenges — such as limited funding, policy uncertainty, and digital inequity — still hamper the full realization of the sector’s potential. MIP Africa Expectations (Continued from Page 4) VIDEOAGE September 2025 World
8 Journalist and author Todd S. Purdum tells a well-researched and absorbing story of the life and times of Desi Arnaz, Cuban-born musical talent, businessman, and former husband to Lucille Ball. Desi Arnaz: The Great Talent Behind I Love Lucy and Modern Television By Luis Polanco Desi Arnaz was born on March 2, 1917, in Santiago de Cuba to Cuban politician Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Alberni II and Dolores, the daughter of a Bacardí rum salesman. One of the first formative events to shape the young Arnaz’s life took place in 1933, when, as a result of the Cuban Revolution, his family fled the island and landed in Miami. Arnaz began life as a descendant of Cuban aristocrats, but his family’s financial situation in America forced him to clean canary cages to make money. Despite this, from a young age, Arnaz nurtured an interest in music that led to the making of the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, a band that would lead him into New York City’s club scene and inaugurate a lifelong career in show business. Today, Desi Arnaz is best known for his dual role as husband to the hilarious Lucille Ball and as the fictional husband to her eponymous character on the classic American sitcom I Love Lucy, from which his singsong pronunciation of unforgettable lines like “Lucy, I’m home!” and “Lucy, you got some ‘splainin’ to do!” have been imprinted in the minds of millions of viewers. A new biography from the writer Todd S. Purdum also makes the case that Arnaz was more than just a husband to a beloved comedic actress. Arnaz was also, as Purdum reminds us in Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television (368 pgs., Simon & Schuster, 2025, $29.99), a masterly musical and entertainment talent, an accomplished image of Latino representation in the twentieth century, and an innovative entrepreneur whose business acumen as a producer and co-founder of the production company Desilu Productions helped to not only cultivate his and his wife’s critical success in the entertainment industry but also, as the subtitle of the biography attempts to persuade readers, (re)invent television or at least the form of television that contemporary viewers watch today. To characterize Arnaz as “the man who invented television” is, of course, a tremendously grand claim, and one which reads as a glaring act of editorializing on the part of the publisher and editors, and which might imply to the reader that the biography is full of rosy depictions and an idealized version of its subject’s life. A veteran journalist and author of the two books Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution and An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Two Presidents, Two Parties, and the Battle for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Purdum, however, presents an honest and clear-eyed account of Arnaz’s life, an account that advocates for the triumphs of his legacy and acknowledges the lapses in his character. Purdum takes a direct approach in spelling out the ways that Arnaz shaped the television business, specifically his contributions to producing a TV series with a live studio audience: “It was Arnaz (and I Love Lucy’s head writer and producer Jess Oppenheimer) who assembled the world-class team of Hollywood technicians who figured out how to light and film the show in front of a live studio audience, with three cameras in sync at once—a then-pathbreaking method that soon became an industry standard for situation comedies that endures to this day.” Purdum goes on to write, “It was [Arnaz’s] ability to preserve those episodes on crystalline black-and-white 35-millimeter film stock that led to the invention of the rerun and later to the syndication of long-running series to secondary markets. This innovation also made it possible for the center of network television production to move from New York to Los Angeles and created the business model that lasted unchallenged for the better part of seven decades, until the streaming era established a competing paradigm.” Purdum does not shy away from admitting the tension between Arnaz’s professional life and his private life, the former marked by accomplishments such as unparalleled deals for his TV shows, and the latter marked by rocky relationships and alcoholism. While the professional relationship between Arnaz and Lucille Ball brought them joint success, their personal relationship and marriage, which ended in divorce in 1960, could be described as uneven. In recounting the year before their divorce, Purdum notes that “Lucy had plenty to be sad and angry about, as the gulf between Desi’s professional accomplishments and his personal irresponsibility continued to widen.” That “personal irresponsibility” could refer to a tendency in Arnaz’s character that Purdum hinted to at various points in the biography: “At the pinnacle of his achievement, [Arnaz] became a victim of his own success, the pressures of which accelerated a spiral into alcoholism and compulsive patronage of prostitutes.” By depicting all these layers to Arnaz, Purdum delves deep in exploring questions that help us to understand his life: How did Arnaz innovate television production and distribution? What role did Arnaz have in defining the success of I Love Lucy? What was the professional and personal relationship between Arnaz and Lucille Ball really like? And importantly what were the limits to his legacy? With Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television, Purdum supplies readers with one piece of a larger puzzle explaining the transformations in Hollywood and the entertainment business in the twentieth century, but delivers a full portrait of a man whose contributions were considerable. “At the pinnacle of his achievement, [Arnaz] became a victim of his own success.” VIDEOAGE September 2025 Book Review
10 (Continued from Cover) nificant increase in investment and innovation, leading to a surge in the production of original content that reflects the rich cultural diversity of the continent and the creativity of both young innovative producers and longestablished players. One of the key factors driving the growth of the African television industry is the increasing value and interest in African programming around the world. African content is gaining popularity on the global stage, attracting international audiences and critical acclaim. This only leads to a greater demand for African content from international broadcasters and streaming platforms, further boosting the profile of African television on the global stage. Many platforms strive to be thought of as having the broadest selection of international content, and for these, having Africa prominently represented in their offerings is a must, for both their viewers who want global options and the growing African diaspora seeking homegrown content. An African TV Overview Africa’s television industry is a rich tapestry of diverse cultures and languages, with 54 countries and over 2,000 languages spoken on the continent, which is typically separated into five major regions. Television-wise, in North Africa there is: Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania; in West Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Mali; in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia; in Central Africa: Congo; and in Southern Africa: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. There are also four linguistic areas: Anglophone, Francophone, Arabophone and Afroasiatic. State broadcasters continue to dominate local viewership, however, private multiple broadcast operators do exist, such as the Paris, France-based and U.S.-owned Trace TV, which, with its 18 channels across East Africa, is popular with younger audiences. Streaming platforms are also entering the continent, with Netflix leading the pack with an estimated 2.6 million subscribers, followed by MultiChoice-owned Showmax with 1.8 million, Disney+ with 905,000, and Amazon Prime with 575,000 subscribers. However, armed conflicts in Angola, Nigeria, Central Africa Republic (CAR), Somalia, Sudan, the Sahel Region (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger), and the DR Congo (not to be confused with Congo Brazzaville), make the TV business there more difficult than usual. Then, Sudan and Zimbabwe are experiencing economic instability, while Russia’s grip on countries in the Sahel Region, CAR, Libya, and Equatorial Guinea, is creating added political instability. Similarly, increased Chinese influence, particularly in Ethiopia, Angola, Nigeria, and Zambia, is creating trade tensions with the U.S. In terms of programming in Anglophone West Africa, Nigeria leads the pack with Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Africa Independent Television (AIT), and Channel TV, with Nigerian drama series, news, and talk shows. In Ghana, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and private channels like TV3 and UTV offer a mix of English and local language programming, soap operas, talk shows, and music videos. In Anglophone East Africa, Kenya leads with Kenya Broadcasting Corp. (KBC), Citizen TV, and NTV Kenya, with local dramas, news, and reality shows. In Uganda, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) and private stations like NTV Uganda and NBS TV offer a mix of programs in English and Luganda. Talk shows, dramas, and music videos are among the most-watched. In Tanzania, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and private channels like ITV provide news, dramas, and music shows. In Anglophone Southern Africa, South African Broadcasting Corp. (SABC), e.tv, and MultiChoice (DStv) dominate with drama, reality TV, news, and sports. In Botswana, Botswana Television (BTV) offers a variety of programs in English and Setswana, including news, dramas, and music shows. In Namibia, Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) provides content in English and various local languages, including news, dramas, and cultural shows. In Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) operates multiple channels offering a mix of programs in English and Shona, including news, dramas, and music shows. In Francophone West Africa, Ivory Coast is the key country with broadcasters. Radiodiffusion-Television Ivoirienne (RTI) and Nouvelle Chaine Ivoirienne (NCI) rule the roost with telenovelas, news, and music programs. In Senegal, Senegalese Television (RTS) offers a range of programs, including news, dramas, and cultural shows. In Mali, Malian Television (ORTM) provides a mix of programs in French and Bambara, including news, dramas, and music. In Francophone Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo operates Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise. In Arabophone North Africa, the dominant broadcaster is Egypt with Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU), Al-Nahar, and Egyptian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), which offer dramas, news, political talk shows, and religious programs. In Tunisia, Télévision Tunisienne features a blend of Arabic-language dramas, news programs, and cultural content. In Algeria, Algerian Television (ENTV) broadcasts Arabic-language soap operas and political discussions. In Morocco, Al Aoula and 2M are leading broadcasters, offering a mix of Arabic and French-language programs like dramas, talk shows, and reality TV. In Mauritania, Mauritanian Television (TVM) provides a range of programs in Arabic and French, including news, cultural shows, and music. In Arabophone East Africa, Somali National Television (SNTV) broadcasts a range of programs in Somali, including news, dramas, and cultural shows. In the Afroasiatic-speaking region of East Africa, the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) operates multiple channels, including ETV News, ETV Entertainment, and ETV Afaan Oromo. However, Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) leads in viewership. Popular programs include talent shows and various dramas and sports. *Compiled with data generated by Michel Zgarka, president of Canada-based HITLAB Group of Companies Inc. (Continued on Page 12) VIDEOAGE September 2025 African TV Market
(Continued From Page 10) 12 And so, yes, as we’ve all heard everywhere and for a while now, and correctly, Africa is indeed poised to become the next big media market, with a rapidly expanding middle class and a youthful population that is hungry for content that reflects their own experiences and aspirations. This has created a fertile ground for the development of a wide range of programming, from drama and comedy to reality shows and documentaries, that resonates with African audiences and seems poised to interest and captivate viewers around the world. In terms of the type of programming being produced in Africa and reaching the rest of the world, there is a diverse range of content that showcases the talent and creativity of African filmmakers and storytellers. From gritty crime dramas set in urban centers like Johannesburg and Lagos, to heartwarming family comedies set in small villages, African television offers a rich tapestry of stories that reflect the complexities and contradictions of modern African life, and at this relatively still early stage of its global reach, the world seems interested. All of this sounds promising, but it must be viewed in the context of the 2025 global state of the industry. African content is going worldwide in a very different moment than that in which other continents and regions hit the rest of the world. License fees are not what they once were in the heydays of terrestrial, cable and satellite. Series tend to be of significantly shorter running times, which typically means significantly less revenue, and programming now competes for acquisition with content from pretty much the entire world these days. Films, although certainly of continued importance to numerous platforms, don’t keep subscribers subscribed, a real concern of many SVoDs. Thus, it remains to be seen, despite all the aforementioned positives, the extent of the inroads that African content can make in a global market more crowded, more evolved than ever before. We’ll see. (By Bruce Rabinowitz) Bruce Rabinowitz is a New York Citybased distributor with extensive TV business experience in various parts of Africa. African content is going worldwide in a very different moment than that in which other continents and regions hit the rest of the world. VIDEOAGE September 2025 African TV Market s ln the business of building businesse ATF25_VideoAge FP Ad 270x360mm_FA.indd 1 14/8/25 11:11 PM
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(Continued From Cover) 14 This year’s Venice Film Festival (its 82nd actual event) unspools on August 27 for 10 days and, as always, awards recipients will be eagerly anticipated. In its history, the festival took a couple of early non-award years — except for unofficial audience votes on what they liked best — until the awards were officially introduced in 1934 (however, not in the number we have now come to expect, as they came in gradually over the years). An outgrowth of the Venice Biennale (which began in 1895), the film section went out on its own in 1932 (though today’s Biennale includes Italian and international art, architecture, dance, music, and theater). Incidentally, the first film screened in Venice was the 1931 movie Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Rouben Mamoulian, and the first color film shown was A Star Is Born in 1937. Though held up during the Second World War, Venice did go live during COVID, admittedly (and not surprisingly) attracting fewer attendees, all of whom wore masks. There was another “interruption” back in 1968 when a group of Vietnam war protesters delayed proceedings for a while. Today, the Venice Film Festival (known locally as Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia) is perceived by many as a leader of prestige and innovation within the global film industry. Over the years, Venice has been bold and innovative in several areas — including, in the 1960s and 1970s, when it welcomed the “rebellious” New Wave cinema, which served as a launch pad for directors who would later go on to become famous in the industry. Venice, for example, screened the first Japanese film shown at a festival in the West — Akira Kurosawa’s Rashômon, even though Rashomon was unique in the sense that Venice only accepts films that have never been presented at any other international film festival, cinematographic event, or had any form of commercial distribution or exhibition — meaning they have never been seen by audiences before their premiere at the festival. Documentaries are not forgotten, or given short shrift, as they are deemed important to the culture of film and receive special attention at Venice, with a dedicated section. There’s also a showcase for new talents under the Venice Submersive banner, with Vidocq becoming the first film shot entirely in a digital format to be shown at the festival (in 2001). More importantly, for international attendees and buyers, films are screened in multiple languages. In 2017, a new section for virtual reality films was introduced. Initially this section was called Venice Virtual Reality, but in 2022, the organization announced a change in name to Venice Immersive and was first amongst the “Big Five” international film festivals worldwide to introduce virtual reality content into a film festival program. Venice also led the field in placing an emphasis on sustainability, with initiatives to reduce the event’s carbon footprint. In 2018, a television streaming service’s film broke another Venice Film Festival norm, initially by being accepted, but further, by winning an award — none other than the prestigious Venice Golden Lion. Roma, from director Alfonso Cuarón, became the first movie produced by a streaming service, Netflix, to win anything, let alone the top award at a major film festival. Surprisingly, no other smallscreen production has managed to attract such attention since. The main Venice Film Festival awards include The Golden Lion; The Silver Lion; The Marcello Mastroianni Award, recognizing the best emerging actor or actress; and the Special Jury Prize, for a film that demonstrates exceptional artistic merit. Sponsored awards include the Campari Passion for Film award, which this year is going to American director Gus Van Sant; and the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award, which this year will be bestowed upon American artist and director Julian Schnabel. In total, the 2025 Venice Film Festival will feature 21 films competing in the main competition (Venezia 82) for the Golden Lion. In addition to the main competition, the line-up also includes 30 out-of-competition films, 19 films in the Orizzonti section (new trends and talents), and 69 immersive works in the Venice Immersive line-up. The international jury of the Venice 82 Competition will be chaired by U.S. director and screenwriter Alexander Payne, and will also include French director and screenwriter Stéphane Brizé; Italian director and screenwriter Maura Delpero; Romanian director, screenwriter and producer Cristian Mungiu; Iranian director and writer Mohammad Rasoulof; Brazilian actress, writer and screenwriter Fernanda Torres; and Chinese actress Zhao Tao. Chaired by French director and screenwriter Julia Ducournau, the Orizzonti International Jury will also consist of Italian director and video artist Yuri Ancarani, Argentine film critic Fernando Enrique Juan Lima, Australian director Shannon Murphy, and U.S. artist and filmmaker RaMell Ross. Chaired by Scottish director Charlotte Wells, the Venezia Opera Prima “Luigi De Laurentiis” International Jury will also be composed of French-Tunisian director, producer and former journalist Erige Sehiri; and Italian director and screenwriter Silvio Soldini. (By Mike Reynolds) Over the years, Venice has been bold and innovative in several areas. VIDEOAGE September 2025 Venice Film Fest
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(Continued From Cover) 16 2025 Water Cooler feature. As it stands, the month of June has three major CEE markets, with NEM in Dubrovnik constituting the most challenging competition to NATPE, mostly because it starts first, sucking off the “energy” from later markets. The month of April, which was vacated by MIPTV, was looked at early this year by reps from the November MIP Cancun market, who thought that due to the absence of a Latinaimed TV trade show set just a few weeks after October’s MIPCOM, more Latin American companies might be drawn to Cannes in October. But the idea was discarded after opposition from Latin American TV executives who felt that the April dates were too close to the beloved L.A. Screenings in May. Some NATPE Budapest exhibitors reportedly viewed the suggestion of NATPE’s April move favorably, noting that the change could revitalize the Hungarian TV market. This is despite the fact that Budapest in April is often cold and rainy. However, as per mid-August, NATPE Budapest organizers couldn’t confirm or deny a possible date change, blaming the slow decision-making on the fact that many of the decision-makers are away during the summer months. This year, most of the screenings at the NATPE Budapest market took place on opening day, Monday, June 23, at the recently opened Dorothea Hotel, which is located just around the corner from the InterContinental Hotel (IC), the traditional venue for NATPE, which houses the exhibition floors and suites. In total, 105 exhibiting companies (with Turkey’s ATV having both a suite and a table) and, officially, more than 400 buyers participated, for a total of 750 delegates from 65plus countries. Different from past editions, this year, the action moved mostly from the second-floor suite level of the IC to the market floor on the first level. Only eight exhibitors remained on the second floor, while the market floor increased its occupancy. There was also a noticeable reduction of top-level executives in attendance, with some of the buyers relegating the job of scouting for new products to their junior executives. The Latin American presence was drastically reduced, with only three exhibiting companies: Caracol, RCN, and Globo. However, the Romanian presence was increased to 10 exhibiting companies. Clearly, the market is showing a transition from a onetime Latin American domination, which was superseded by an overwhelmingly Turkish presence, to today’s Central and Eastern Europe takeover. The increased market floor occupancy forced NATPE organizers to move their conferences, previously held on the market’s floor, to the nearby Dorothea Hotel. The move, however, removed the flow of buyers who would have reversed on the market floor after each conference. Registration, the market floor, and exhibition suites were still at the IC, while all conferences took place at the Dorothea on Tuesday and Wednesday. Monday also saw the opening party at the Corso Terrace of the IC hotel, and the newly introduced CEE-focused NATPE Honors celebration at the Dorothea Hotel. Indeed, the major highlight of the week was the Monday debut of NATPE Honors Europe, a new initiative celebrating the leaders who are reshaping the CEE media landscape. The awards program for exactly 96 participants was hosted by Hungarian TV star Nóra Ördög. The inaugural recipients who took to the stage included George Levendis (managing director, ANT1 TV, Mak TV & Antenna Studios, Greece); Levente Málnay (managing director and executive vice president, AMC Networks International, Central and Northern Europe); Daniel Grunt (CEO, Nova Group); Magdalena Szwedkowicz (producer, MAG Entertainment); and Ukraine’s STARLIGHT Media, whose award was accepted by Yana Honcharenko, the company’s chief communications officer. Tuesday evening was reserved for the popular boat party. The market closed on Thursday, June 26, at 1 p.m., with the actual busy period taking place on the first two days. Here’s a summary of other highlights from NATPE Budapest 2025: The Opening Keynote was from YouTube’s Andreas Briese, Country director for Germany; Regional director for Central and Northern Europe. Briese shared insights tailored to the CEE market, focusing on how creators and media companies can leverage YouTube to grow audiences and monetize content. Pitch & Play LIVE! – This high-energy format competition shined a spotlight on the CEE region’s most original format concepts with international potential, in an interactive showcase. CEE Breakout Hits – Spotlighted the topperforming new series across CEE markets, analyzed the drivers behind their success, and what they signaled for the future of programming and acquisition strategies. Formats Track – An event for unscripted and format buyers and sellers. This session dove into the evolving world of format transcreation, and how local success stories can be scaled for global audiences. Kanal D’s Sangerim Zhakhina and Onay Devrim TRT’s Mustafa Ilbeyli, Pinar Gedikoglu, and Merve Mutluer Dubai Int’l Content Market’s Irina Deaconu and Romania Creativity’s Mihai Lupu Inter Medya’s Hasret Ozcan and Sinem Aliskan NATPE Honors Europe award winners VIDEOAGE September 2025 CEE Market
13th-16th October Palais des Festivals, Cannes. More information www.mipcom.com TAKE YOUR PLACE AT THE N°1 GLOBAL CONTENT MARKET. Celebrate today’s content + discover tomorrow’s.
18 A Year of Air Travel Disruptions With Four More Months To Go Air traffic control personnel shortages, equipment malfunctions and meltdowns, digital problem disruptions, radar system failures, hackers making mischief, passengers’ bad behavior. These are some of the many reasons given for the seemingly constant air travel delays, cancellations, and near-miss disasters, without taking into consideration the nine crashes that happened between January and April 2025, including a mid-air collision in Washington D.C. and the fatal crash of Air India 171. Then nature got into the picture with delays and cancellations due to bad weather. And, of course, there were also diverted air routes due to armed conflicts. The hope is now that air travel for this year’s remaining four months will be relatively uneventful. VENICE FILM FESTIVAL August 27 – September 6 Venice, Italy Tel: (39) 041 521 8718 www.labiennale.org MIP AFRICA September 1-3 Cape Town, South Africa Tel: (27) 010 496 3500 www.mipafrica.com TIFF September 4-14 Toronto, Canada Tel: (1 888) 258-8433 www.tiff.net JORNADAS ATVC October 7-8 Buenos Aires, Argentina Tel: (54 11) 4968-8041/3 www.atvc.org.ar MIPCOM October 13-16 Cannes, France Tel: (33) 77769 3496 www.mipcom.com NAB SHOW NY October 22-23 New York, U.S. Tel. (1 202) 429-3183 www.nabshow.com DUBAI INTERNATIONAL CONTENT MARKET November 4-5 Madinat Jumeirah, UAE Tel: (971 4) 520 8888 www.dicm.ae Recognized standard of quality in Audio Description descriptivevideoworks.com With more than 40,000 television shows, feature films and LIVE shows completed, you can rely on us to deliver your project on budget and on time. Our technical expertise guarantees a top quality product - a commitment we’ve made to our clients for more than 20 years. Descriptive Video Works is committed to providing access to all forms of visual media Request a Quote info@descriptivevideoworks.com VIDEOAGE September 2025 Event Planner
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