Le Rendez-Vous: 'A comprehensive view of French industry'

‘Le Rendez-Vous was first held in 1995, as a defining factor shortly after TV France International was set up. The market offers a great opportunity to screen the latest French production and to meet with French content providers ahead of Mipcom, in a causal yet business-oriented environment. The location changed to Biarritz in 2007, the video library was digitized in 2004, special events have been added (screenings, dinners focused on highlighted programs), but the fundamentals have remained the same’, explains Bejot, and highlights that at the edition were 110 buyers from Europe only, and 33 French exhibiting companies, while for this year are expected over 300 buyers form 5 continents and 69 French exhibitors. 

In terms of new features, Le Rendez-Vous will have two premiere screenings: The Ransom, a documentary on the business of kidnap and ransom, presented by Java Films, and Guest List, a comedy series about the wedding of a couple in their forties which doesn’t quite go as per planned, presented by SND – Groupe M6.

Two dinners and a luncheon will focus on new programs: The Chalet (francetv distribution), thriller; Cinema, documentary produced on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the famous photo agency, Magnum, presented by Doc & Film International, and a cooking show Simplissime (Lagardere Studios International).

Partnerships include EurodataTV Worldwide, which will open Le Rendez-Vous with its presentation ‘French productions: trendsetters in a global market’ and, the City of Biarritz, which will be hosting the opening dinner in the covered market to celebrate 10 years of Le Rendez-Vous in Biarritz. Also, the local agency Studio Anyway is organizing the second Colorama Street Art Festival in a disused industrial building where the closing dinner and party will be held, in the middle of urban art murals painted by international and French artists.

‘Our focus in unchanged to make sure that buyers enjoy the best possible screening and meeting experience’, emphasizes the executive and adds that ‘the video library will go partly online to allow for live interaction onsite’. ‘Buyers will be able to share playlists and notes, and communicate with colleagues or French distributors, whether they are in Biarritz or at home. The market area was totally redesigned last year, to the satisfaction of participants, so we’re not changing it this year’.

‘Le Rendez-Vous is a unique opportunity to get a comprehensive view of French production, both in terms of screening (1,200 recent programs) and meeting French content providers which both happen at the same time. Since the event is very focused and not too large, it’s very efficient and a great business accelerator. 60 some territories are represented in Biarritz. We’re always looking at welcoming more attendees from Latin and North America, as well as Asia’, he remarks.

And completes: ‘While the market has grown dramatically since we first started, we wish to keep it reasonably sized in order to maintain quality meetings. We prefer to be more selective in terms of clients and prospects than to grow for the sake of expansion. The market is by invitation only, since we organize the market on behalf of our member companies. Who’s there is just as important as how many are there’.