NATPE Budapest: good perspectives for the CEE future

This edition also confirmed the strong bet on original productions, which directly affects the ready-made suppliers. Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Croatia are the some of the bigger hubs, but there are smaller territories that are also improving fast: Romania, Estonia, Serbia, among others. International drama continues to be the principal demand from the local and regional players. There, Turkey takes the lead. For the first time, it was confirmed the establishment of a “pricing pool” by the main Turkish representatives in Budapest to compete with other global drama providers. 

As it had happened in past editions, the US Studios’ screenings took place in the hotel and in the theatres close to the Intercontinental. According to the sources, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Lionsgate and A+E presentations were attended by some-20/25 executives. Market networking was important with NATPE organizing a “Buyer Reception” and the Opening Party on Day 1, while Kanal D International closed the shows with a Gala Party featuring talent from its leading drama series Three Sisters at Budapest hot spot Ötkert Night Club.

On the animation side, Toonz’ Viju Thomas confirmed this business segment is evolving worldwide: ‘We are not only promoting our catalogue, we are mainly looking for partnerships in distribution and coproductions’. Gaumont’s Virginie Royer is promoting the company huge lineup of French movies: ‘Historically they have worked well and become strong and popular, even more than American movies, among the CEE viewers’.

Other executives like Film Rise’s Melissa Wohl and Emilia Nuccio remarked the company is ‘open for business’ in CEE and they highlighted a market trend; there is a ‘high demand’ on AVOD content and FAST channels, while they continue focusing on broadcast and SVOD players. 

Organized by CEETV, the sixth edition of the Pitch & Play Live! recognized CEE formats with international potential. Supergranma was the 2022 winner from Starlight Mediab network STB (Ukraine): distributed by Can’t Stop Media, it is daily stripped show about grandmas and how they raise their grandchildren (a spin-off from Mum of the Week). The project, presented by Anastasia Bataieva-Dokalenko, has been awarded with registration and accommodation to the upcoming NATPE Global even in Nassau, Bahamas, which will take place January 17-19, 2023. 

The other pitchers were The Last Man on Earth with 1+1 Media’ Maria Bielaia and Olga Slissarenko and Restaurant 0 with Estonian ETV’, Tiivi Tuur. The jury consisted of Victoria Yarmoshchuk CEO at Film.UA; Christophe Brackx, Managing and Creative Director Paprika Studios (Romania), and Milan Vollebregt, Senior Sales Manager, Talpa Entertainment Productions.

Mariano Gutiérrez Alarcón, from Budapest