MUMBAI: Television trade event Mipcom has announced four internationally-renowned women executives to headline its inaugural "Women in Global Entertainment Power Lunch." Mipcom takes place next month in Cannes, France.

A+E Networks president, Entertainment and Media Nancy Dubuc, 20th Century Fox International Television president Marion Edwards; BSkyB MD Entertainment, News and Broadcast Operations Sophie Turner Laing and Russia Today editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan are thje panellists.

The panelists will be introduced and moderated by The Hollywood Reporter contributing editor Elizabeth Guider.

In partnership with Lifetime Networks, the invitation only networking event will bring together 150 of the most influential women executives from international television and entertainment on 8 October.

MUMBAI: International hit Your Face Sounds Familiar leads Endemol?s line up of formats for Mipcom 2012 along with brand new series World Games, The Bodyguard and Love is in the Air, which make their international debut, alongside returning format Plan B.

Endemol?s MD of Creative Operations Iris Boelhouwer said, "Our slate for Mipcom 2012 offers a great mix of entertainment, comedy, music and reality. These are formats with significant international potential that have already won over viewers in key territories. We?re especially proud of Your Face Sounds Familiar which is fast becoming Endemol?s next big global success."

Mipcom is the world?s entertainment content market.
 
International success Your Face Sounds Familiar is a talent competition with a comedy twist. Celebrities take on a new identity as an iconic music performer and are awarded points for singing, style and believability. But the catch is they could well find themselves transformed into someone far older, younger or even of the opposite sex. Originally produced by Endemol Spain for Antena 3, Your Face Sounds Familiar has been sold to nine territories including China and Italy.

World Games sees two celebrity rivals travel the globe competing in extreme challenges set in exotic locations. From Thai-boxing blindfolded in Thailand or jumping from the world?s highest bungee tower in Macau, each task pushes the contestants mentally and physically. They must also conquer a tough new task relating to the country they?ve just visited in front of a studio audience. Created by Endemol Germany; World Games successfully launched on ProSieben earlier this year winning its primetime Saturday night slot in the target 14-49 demo.

From Endemol UK is The Bodyguard, a game show where contestants team up with their favourite celebrities and are challenged to serve and protect their famous partners. Piloted in the UK for BBC One, The Bodyguard sees the trainee minders put through their paces in a series of funny, challenging and entertaining games.

Love is in the Air - from Endemol Netherlands is a heart-felt reality series that reunites loved ones residing in far flung countries. The host flies around the world to reunite best friends, family or soul mates. Each moving story tells the tale of a close pair who miss each other terribly but haven?t been able to organise the journey themselves. The host arranges the emotional get-together before saying goodbye and leaving for the next destination and reunion.

Plan B uses social media and television to join together people who have never met before to spontaneously make music over the Internet, creating original tracks that are immediately available for download. The interactive dance music format is based on the innovative multiplatform strand within Spanish TV entertainment hit ?The Anthill?, which has generated number one dance hits week after week. Endemol has partnered with the format owner 7Yaccion to develop Plan B for the international market.

MUMBAI: ?Three Blind Saints?, the family-friendly comedy about three childhood friends scheming to make it big, has signed a deal with FilmWorks Entertainment Inc. for worldwide distribution.

The US release is set just in time for Thanksgiving and the film will be available on DVD, digital and video-on-demand on 20 November. International sales efforts will begin this October at the television trade event Mipcom, which will be held in Cannes, France.

FilmWorks Entertainment is an independent film, television, and specialty programme distribution company. Established by film makers for film makers, FilmWorks acquires, produces and releases programming worldwide across all platforms.

It is the story of three guys whose road trip turns into a jail sentence. Pretending to get saved, their scheme backfires when the judge assigns them to a local church for community service. When corruption is discovered, it?s up to the guys to rise to the occasion and prove they have what it takes to do the right thing in this hilarious fish-out-of-water tale.

Executive producer and writer of the film, Steven J. Gray is pleased to partner with FilmWorks Entertainment for distribution. "We?re excited to share the fun and inspiring message of this movie with audiences worldwide." Many of Gray?s church congregation worked alongside cast and crew from Hollywood for the filming of the movie shot in the Lee?s Summit and Kansas City areas.

MUMBAI: Veria Living Wordwide, which produces television content on lifestyle and wellness, has said it will be unveiling four original series during the television trade event Mipcom which takes place in Cannes, France in October.

Veria will unveil Myth Defying with Dr. Holly, What Would Julienna Do?, Kitchen Cures with Peggy K, and Yoga Sutra Now with Jai Sugrim at Mipcom.

Veria Living Worldwide senior VP / head of programme sales Raymond Donahue said, ?For Mipcom we?re excited to offer an expanded line-up of new, original programming that exemplifies Veria Living brand?s standard of high quality wellness programming. Veria Living Worldwide is now in the position of being able to offer broadcasters ?viewer-tested? programming in topic-centric blocks ranging from fitness to healthy cooking to help them enhance their key dayparts.?

The company, which offers broadcasters services such as creation of programming blocks to fill day part and custom channel IDs, will also offer programming blocks featuring 200-plus hours of fitness shows and 150 hours of cooking shows.

MUMBAI: Canada will be the Mipcom 2012 Country of Honour, Mipcom has announced. Organised by Reed Midem, the television trade event will take place in Cannes from 8-11 October.

As part of the tribute to the Canadian television, film and digital industries, Mipcom, in partnership with the Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada, will organise a dedicated Focus on Canada featuring a programme of high-level conference speakers, screening showcases, Canadian talent, and business matchmaking events.

The Focus on Canada will run throughout MIPJunior (Oct. 6-7) and MIipcom (Oct. 8-11) and will highlight Canadian excellence in international co-productions and across all media, as well as celebrating Canadian world-class scripted dramas, animation, documentaries, films, experimental and digital media.

The Focus will also provide an opportunity to update international decision makers on federal and provincial financing and funding incentives; the broadcast, cable and satellite distribution market; and location scouting in Canada.

Reed Midem director television division Laurine Garaude said, "With more than 228 Canadian companies present at MIPCOM, including a wide range of independent producers and major television and film studios, and encompassing both English and French-language productions, Canada has been one of the most inspiring and active global players in the television industry for as long as we can remember.

"The Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada play a pivotal role in supporting the Canadian television, film and digital industries and that role is once again confirmed by their support for the Focus on Canada initiative."

CMF president, CEO Valerie Creighton said, "The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is thrilled to partner with Reed Midem and Telefilm Canada to feature great Canadian talent and productions at Mipcom 2012. The quality Canadian television and digital media projects that the CMF supports have generated $2.3 billion CAD in production activity across Canada since 2010. International audiences and partners are paramount to position Canada as a leader in today?s competitive global digital environment. This partnership is an opportunity to showcase the best of Canada and to share our achievements with the world."

MUMBAI: Jerome Delhaye has been named Reed Mdiem director of the entertainment division.

Delhaye will oversee the business and strategic development of Reed Midem, which organises markets like Mipcom and MipTV in Cannes, France.

Reed Midem Television Division director Laurine Garaude and Reed Midem director of music markets Bruno Crolot will report directly to Delhaye.