Changes to MIPCOM’s exhibition space and a consolidation with MIPJunior will be seen at this year’s edition of the Cannes-set TV market, MIPCOM and MIPJunior director Lucy Smith said on Wednesday (July 21).

Smith announced that MIPJunior will take place during MIPCOM from Oct. 11 to 14 in the Palais des Festivals this fall, instead of being scheduled as a standalone event. The MIPJunior Screenings Library will also be integrated into the Digital MIPCOM platform this year.

Participation at MIPJunior won’t require separate registration from MIPCOM this year.

Telefilm Canada is among the Canadian organizations to attend MIPCOM, bringing back the Canadian Pavilion after cancelling it in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The application window for Canadian prodcos and distributors to attend is open until Aug. 19. Telefilm is currently reviewing the travel restrictions in place for the International Promotion Program, which supports Canadian companies whose projects are selected for eligible international film festivals. As it stands, travel expenses are excluded from eligible costs.

SODEC will also host the Quebec Creative Pavilion (Le pavillon Québec créatif), with registration open until Aug. 20. The funder held a virtual pavilion for MIPCOM and MIPJunior Online in 2020.

Smith said the Riviera 8 Hall will be transformed into a multi-purpose events venue to accommodate the MIPCOM Opening Party, the event’s Women in Global Entertainment Lunch, a series of conference-led formats and a networking lounge.

The event will also feature a new show floor plan with a streamlined exhibition. Smith said MIPCOM is offering stand holders the flexibility to change the size of their stand if needed because of these changes. The event will also offer a selection of turnkey decoration solutions.

The physical market at MIPCOM will be supported by a digital extension this year for networking, discovery, marketing and lead generation. It will be available for use by everyone attending the event in Cannes, as well as those who are attending MIPCOM remotely.

The event will still feature COVID-19 regulations to protect the health of attendees. MIPCOM attendees will be required to provide a valid “sanitary pass” proving they’ve had a COVID-19 vaccination, a negative test less than 48 hours earlier or immunity following a COVID-19 infection via the TousAntiCovid smartphone app. Face masks will also be required at the event.

“We are responding to the unique challenges of planning for a major exhibition in the current circumstances, with the end goal of ensuring a flexible and vibrant marketplace for everyone participating in Cannes this October,” Smith said in a press release.

A version of this story originally appeared in Realscreen, written by Andrew Jeffrey