Conecta Fiction Sets On-Site Event for Early September 2020

MADRID —  Renamed Conecta Fiction Reboot, the on-site fourth edition of the Latin America-Europe TV co-production forum, a vibrant and fast-growing event on the market calendar, will take place in Spain’s Pamplona over Sept. 2-3, unspooling as a hybrid on-site and virtual event.

Moved from its traditional mid-June slot – this year’s event was originally slated for June 22-25 – the Reboot will figure as the first at least on-site international TV co-production forum after COVID-19 fears forced the cancellation of Series Mania in Lille and Sunny Side of the Doc in La Rochelle, said a Conecta Fiction press statement released Friday.

It will be preceded, however, by what Conecta Fiction described as “strong” program of online events over the week of June 15. Early September’s Conecta Fiction Reboot will frame the industry centerpiece of the event, however: The presentation of drama series pitches from Latin America, Europe and Spain to an industry audience.

The event will once more take place at Pamplona’s Baluarte Palace of Congress, and receive forceful backing from the local Navarre government.

The decision to stage a double-backed hybrid event was taken after lengthy consultation with prior attendees, taking into consideration the health protocols of companies and countries.

Much of the attraction of Conecta Fiction has been the presence in Spain of top decision makers from Latin America with far time to meet and greet than at bigger events such as Mipcom. With Latin America yet to reach any kind of COVID-19 contagion peak, let alone face the long recuperation from pandemic afterwards, a June berth for a physical meet has looked impossible for weeks.

By early September, however, the situation may have changed. Connect Fiction organizer Inside Content will most certainly hope that a muscular delegation of French drama series producers, announced in January, will still make the Pamplona meet, with France selected as the subject of Conecta Fiction’s 2020 European Country Focus.

“The decision hasn’t been easy but has been necessary and in line with those taken by the heads of other international events which we’ve been in contact with, such as Series Mania, Sunny Side of the Doc and Mifa,” said Géraldine Gonard, Conecta Fiction director.

“We would like Conecta Fiction to offer the possibility of a re-meeting, where talent and new co-productions once more gain in importance and, little by little, we again explore a path for the industry which can’t and shouldn’t be lost,” she added, underscoring the “pro-activeness and agility” of Navarre’s government and its entities in “finding answers for such a changing scenario.”

Conecta Fiction will once more be produced by Inside Content, founded by Godard.