Mipcom calm after the storm

MIPCOM: The annual Mipcom conference in Cannes opened as usual on Monday morning, with minimum disruption, despite the lethal flash floods that swept through the town over the weekend.

There have been 17 confirmed fatalities in South East France following Saturday’s storm, which dumped two months’ worth of rain on Cannes in less than two hours.

A team of 130 from Mipcom worked round the clock over the weekend in partnership with the Palais des Festivals to limit disruption and ensure the market started as usual this morning despite the deluge.

Although Sunday night’s traditional red-carpet photocall was cancelled due to flooding at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez, the opening-night party was able to go ahead after being switched to The Carlton and there have been no other changes or cancellations to the programme.

Sunday’s MipJunior conferences were moved from The Martinez to the Palais, and the market’s screenings were all made available online in less than 24 hours.

The premiere of The Art of More went ahead on Sunday evening in the Palais.

The storm disrupted flights, rail and road travel over the weekend, leaving execs who hadn’t yet arrived in Cannes struggling to make the market, forced to hunker down in Nice airport and the surrounding hotels.

Those who had arrived found themselves trapped in the town’s bars and restaurants until the early hours as the water levels rose.