From 17 to 20 October 2016, Cannes played host to the largest international audiovisual content market, MIPCOM, where the SOVTELEXPORT Distribution Company has presented its new Russia Television and Radio’s catalogue. Main projects of autumn 2016 became the TV series as follows: “Anna Karenina”; “Sophia”; "Ekaterina. Season 2"

The new screen adaptation of the world famous novel “Anna Karenina” directed by Karen Shakhnazarov aroused special interest among buyers. The project’s key competitive advantages are the quality of the drama, the prominence of the literary source, and the scale of the scenography.

A number of commercial offers for “Anna Karenina” were made by BTV Media Group from Bulgaria, RTS state TV channel from Serbia, and LeEco from China – the biggest cable and internet TV operator in the country. New deals with buyers from Slovakia, Greece, Croatia, France, Portugal, Afghanistan and Iran are still under discussion. Such companies as CanalOnce and Canal 22 Mexico (Mexico), Telefe (Argentina) and Amazon (USA) have already confirmed their interest.

Historical dramas are in stable demand. Buyers from large state TV channels of Latin America and Portugal have shown interest in the costume historical drama “Sophia” about the Byzantium princess Sophia Palaiologina.
“Ekaterina: Season 2” is on top of the most wanted projects. BTV Media Group (Bulgaria) and RTVS (Slovakia) have already made their commercial offers. The deals for the first season of “Ekaterina” with WP (Poland), Tring TV (Albania) and distributors from Macedonia, Greece and Cyprus are now on the final stage of negotiation.

Russia Television and Radio’ telenovelas are especially popular in Tunisia, Vietnam and Middle East. SOVTELEXPORT has signed a licensing deal with RTRS (Bosnia and Herzegovina) for such TV series as “While the Village Sleeps” and “Heirloom”, and is now discussing the deal for a couple of long series, “Janissary” and “Institute for Noble Maidens”, with Nessna (Tunisia).

Historical documentaries containing an impartial point of view on global current affairs and wide-known historical facts are now extremely topical. Such documentary projects as “Lenin”, “To Kill Trotsky: A New Version” and “Mannerheim: the Mission in China” are in focus because of the upcoming 100-year anniversary of Russia’s October Revolution. The commercial deals with AB Groupe (France), SPI (USA), Polcast TV (Poland) are now being discussed.
There is a growing tendency of attention towards documentaries showing an alternative point of view on the current global affairs – “World Order”; “The President”; “Mikhail Gorbachev”; “Russia and China. The Heart of Eurasia”; "Crimea. The Way Home".
"Mysterious Antarctica", a unique project, has appealed to professionals from almost all continents, among which are Canal 22 (Mexico), Phoenix (China), RAI (Italy), Mediaset (Italy), YLE (Finland), SBS (Australia), VTV (Vietnam), TBS Vision (Japan), Journeyman (Great Britain).

SOVTELEXPORT has extended its cooperation with China through an agreement for the “Blue Light” and “Firing Range” TV shows; “And Quiet Flows the Don” and “Ekaterina” TV series. There is a commercial offer for the packet of melodramas: "Russian Beauty”; “Born to Be a Star”; “The Actress”.

The number of potential counterparts from North America (USA, Canada) has obviously increased. So has the number of contacts with large TV channels and distributors from Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela, and with representatives of VOD and OTT platforms worldwide.

Julia Matyash, the Director of SOVTELEXPORT with 20 years of experience in distribution, says: “The attitude to Russia is not conducive to work on global markets. However, due to our strong positive reputation and established partnership with many countries, we’re managing to stay afloat”.

Following the results of work of Russia Television and Radio’s stand at MIPCOM 2016, SOVTELEXPORT has proved itself rather effective in promoting Russian original TV content on the global market.