MUMBAI: TV France International will showcase the latest TV content offerings to global buyers through its annual trade event Le Rendez-Vous .
The ninth edition of Rendez-Vous. held from 8-12 September in Saint-Tropez, will bring together 173 buyers from 114 foreign television channels from more than 48 countries and 44 French production and distribution companies.
A press release claims that Le Rendez-Vous 2003 will witness a strong attendance from Middle East buyers in the wake of the Beirut Showcase organised by TV France International in April. For the first time, some of the programmes in the video library will be digitised for enhanced screening conditions, say the release.
The release adds that 116 titles will be available in the digital video library out of the 675 programmes (around 70 per cent of which are brand new) that are presented. The release says that the timing is apt - introducing these programmes to the international market a month ahead of MIPCOM gives French distributors a competitive edge.
The 2002 results of the annual report on 'The international components of the French production' carried out with INA (Institute National de l'Audiovisuel), CNC and DDM (Direction du Développement des Médias) will once again be unveiled at Le Rendez-Vous. The press conference will take place on 9 September.
The total amount of sales, pre-sales and revenue in co-production reached 3,355 million euros in 2000, says the release.
On 13 September, three press meetings will be held. Three companies - France Television Distribution, MK2 and Article Z - will be presenting the most recent and exciting programmes to be launched on the international market at Le Rendez-Vous 2003.
Some of the recent examples of French programme sales are - Fellini, sono un gran bugiardo feature film, 100, and Chaplin Today series, 1OX 26' and have been sold to 20 countries.