MIPCOM Cannes Is Giving Vertical Drama Its Own Matchmaking Track
Updated: Oct 9
At MIPCOM Cannes on October 12–15, 2026, vertical content gets a dedicated speed matchmaking category alongside scripted and unscripted television. The market's official programme says qualified buyers, platforms, producers and distributors will be matched for sourcing, licensing and partnerships.
This is a practical piece of news for creators. A panel can make a format sound fashionable. A meeting structure tells you that buyers and sellers expect actual transactions. It does not guarantee a deal, but it changes who might sit across the table.
What is on the programme
MIPCOM also lists a Microdrama and Vertical Leaders' Summit and a Media Odyssey podcast conversation with RoseBerry Media's Guy Hameiri and Lior Friedman. Among the announced industry speakers are executives associated with FlareFlow, GammaTime and NetShort. The vertical programme is integrated with the wider market, including brand and creator discussions.
The dedicated matchmaking track was announced before October, so this is a preview of an approaching event rather than a claim that a new partnership was signed this week.
How to use the attention wisely
A producer heading to Cannes should be able to answer three questions quickly: what is the series, who is meant to watch it, and what rights are actually available? “It could be a hit” is not a rights package. A buyer needs to know whether the show is finished, whether it can be localized, and whether music, performances and underlying material are cleared for the territory.
A writer who is not attending can still watch the announcements that follow. Which genres sell, which languages travel, and whether platforms commission original scripts or acquire finished libraries will tell us more about real opportunity than a crowded conference room.
More on vertical drama
It is not too late to enter this business. Explore myVertical Drama articles for more on stories, production and the changing market.
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Viola Musaraj is a writer, novelist, micro and vertical drama producer, and interactive narrative designer with more than 140 million reads worldwide.
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