Registration for the first annual MIPDOC Documentary Programme Screenings has hit 500, with Canada the third largest representation at 28 companies.

At press time, attendance split out into 153 production and distribution companies and 229 buyers representing 52 countries. Preceding mip-tv, the inaugural mipdoc takes place April 1-2 in Cannes, France, and will host the likes of Motion International, Coscient Group, Films Transit International, and Cambium Releasing.

France scores the largest representation at 48 companies confirmed, followed by the u.s. with 39. The u.k. total stands at 26 companies and German representation is at 13.

American companies include Discovery, National Geographic, Tapestry, King World, Adler Media, and The Odyssey Channel.

From the u.k., BSkyB and PolyGram TV International were among the confirmed attendees as of Feb. 27. French representatives include Pathe Television, AB International and M5. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Germany’s zdf, Fox Latin America and Hong Kong’s Star tv and Wharf Cable are also attending.

Overall, Europe accounts for 56% of the participation, followed by North and South America at 28%. Thirteen companies from Africa and the Middle East have registered.

To date, mipdoc non-fiction providers have entered 467 titles. Discovery, wildlife and nature programs are the leading categories (112 titles), followed by arts, music and culture (91), current affairs (74), history (74), lifestyle (46), science and knowledge (38), and adventure and travel (32).

The conference lineup is focusing on the current state and development of non-fiction programming.

A Reed Midem/aited (International Association of Educational and Discovery Television Companies) conference will assess the growing link between documentaries and educational channels, and the Banff Television Festival’s Pat Ferns will helm a panel discussion looking at how docs are reformatted for new markets and evaluate the needs of educational channels.

Members of the Communaute des Televisions Francophones, an association of 12 French-speaking broadcasters, will survey the growth of non-fiction on their channels.

Also scheduled is a market simulation in which four pitches come under the examination of a panel of broadcasters, distributors and potential coproducers.