The not-so-sunny French Riviera inspired a sunny disposition among producers and buyers at this year’s MIPTV, a spring market marked by an upswing in sales of drama, animation and tween-aimed comedies.

‘It was upbeat and very, very busy,’ says Lise Corriveau, Telefilm Canada’s director of international festivals and markets, noting that the event shows ample evidence that the international television industry continues to mend. ‘We were swamped. It’s safe to say the market has picked up on a permanent basis.’

About 13,000 participants attended MIP, an improvement of about 18% over 2004. After years of reduced buying, many buyers were fueled this year by pent-up demand for new products, says Corriveau, and suppliers – including the participants at the Canada Pavilion – were ready to deliver.

The pavilion hosted a record-breaking 84 Canadian companies at MIP.

‘With the second-largest contingent at MIPTV, in terms of number of participants, it’s clear that our clients regard the Canada Pavilion as an initiative that helps get them the necessary competitive edge on the international scene,’ says Danny Chalifour, Telefilm’s director of international operations and development.

According to organizers, the market is still one of the largest TV events in the world, attracting more than 1,400 exhibitors, almost 3,000 international buyers, and 4,000 registered companies.

Formats were still hot at the market, but reality seems to be losing popularity and fiction is gaining – a trend Corriveau says was reflected on the trade-show floor.

‘People are getting tired of watching people eat bugs,’ she says.

‘Not only did I see a better mood among producers, but also among buyers,’ says Scott Dyer, executive VP of production and development at Toronto-based Nelvana. ‘I saw more production going forward than I’ve seen in a while.’

Dyer says the shift in attitude, at least in the animation sector, is helped by a shortage of programming. The need for content on mobile communications such as cell phones is also emerging as a key driver of the sector, he says, and Nelvana has deals pending.

But the steady decline of the U.S. dollar was a challenge in deal-making this year, he says, as is the loss of advertising from traditional media to new media.

In animation, according to Dyer, traditional European markets were busy, along with South America and Latin America. Asian business was somewhat flat.

Action-comedy for kids aged six to 11 was a hot genre, but not preschool and pure comedy content. ‘This was particularly true of the North American market, but it seemed to be working worldwide as well,’ he says.

A project that was a headliner development project last year for Nelvana morphed into a sales generator this year. Jane and the Dragon, a 3D-animated series for six-to-11-year-olds, was bought by France 3, TVNZ and ABC Australia. The 26-episode series, coproduced by Weta Productions, was originally commissioned by YTV and stars a headstrong 12-year-old girl knight with a 300-year-old dragon by her side.

Meanwhile, Nelvana’s 2D-animated series 6teen – 26 half-hours about tweens in a mall – was picked up by Cartoon Network Latin America and ZigZap Poland on top of recent sales to France 3, Fairmead (Africa), LUK (Spain) and NOGA (Israel).

‘The show has been a huge hit with girls two to 11, and six to 11, where it remains among our top three titles on our English network, while securing the number-one position in the French market with the same key demo,’ says Carole Bonneau, VP programming at Teletoon. Nelvana has just greenlit a second season of 26 half-hours of the sitcom.

Meanwhile, Toronto’s Temple Street Entertainment sold the international rights for its teen-ish comedy Darcy’s Wild Life to Granada International.

‘There seems to be a real appetite for shows that are accessible to that demographic,’ says producer Ivan Schneeberg. ‘It really is something that’s pretty hot in terms of international sales.’ The series is about a young girl from Hollywood who moves to the country.

The National Film Board also took more steps in its commercial evolution with MIP sales.

‘The NFB continues to attract new buyers, backed by our more aggressive international focus and a rapidly growing lineup of acclaimed one-offs and series,’ says Johanne St-Arnauld, director general, NFB distribution.

In terms of sales, Whale Mission sold to ARTE in France, the InDemand service in the U.S., Middle East distributor All Time Entertainment, and broadcasters KBS (Korea) and SVT (Sweden). The two one-hours, produced in HD by the NFB and Glacialis Productions, follows the commercial success of Arctic Mission.

The NFB’s 4 x 60 Shining Mountains, a grand look at the Rockies, also sold to ARTE and to All Time Entertainment. Meanwhile, the feature documentary The Peacekeepers went to NHK, Winter Wonderland: The Making of the Ice Hotel to SVT, France’s AB Sat and Italy’s RAI 3, and the series Science, Please! to Germany’s WDR.

Canadian soap Paradise Falls (Breakthrough Films & Television) sold 78 episodes of seasons one and two to here!, the U.S. gay-aimed channel.

‘The rapid growth of here! in the U.S. underscores the tremendous appetite for gay-themed programming across the country,’ says Mark Reinhart, EVP, acquisitions and distribution at here!.

-www.miptv.com