Despite talk of a decline in the number of Canadian distributors – especially for drama programming – another healthy contingent is headed to the Palais des Festivals in Cannes to sell, sell, sell from April 2-6 at the MIP-TV program market.

Telefilm Canada will host 19 Canadian companies under its umbrella stand in the Palais basement, four more than at MIP 2000. Lise Corriveau of Telefilm says 135 Canadian companies are exhibiting at the market as compared with 1,183 exhibitors from all countries – up slightly from 1,170 in 1999.

Several stands will house a group of distributors from one province, such as British Columbia Film, Horizon Quebec and Ontario Media Development Corporation.

The market’s organizers are also staging MIPNET, a conference running April 2-4 in the Auditorium Esterel in the Palais, featuring discussions on new media, the Internet and interactive content within the TV industry. MIPNET is open to all MIP delegates.

For buyers and sellers of factual/infomag/reality programming, MIPDOC runs March 31 and April 1. This year sellers will have access to just over 350 specialized buyers.

At MIP, Telefilm is launching its new coproduction guide, featuring more than 250 Canadian companies, as well as revised guidelines for all types of coproductions. * -www.miptv.com