Five days, 2,800 professionals from 64 countries, and a Via Veneto that, for the occasion, once again breathed cinema. The MIA | Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo has closed its twelfth edition in Rome, confirming its status as one of the most important events in the industry worldwide.
The most visible change this year was leaving the traditional venues behind: seven official locations between Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini hosted more than 40 conferences, talks and meetings, with 85 international speakers, over 40% of them women.
It was not only a matter of location, though. According to ANICA President Alessandro Usai, “With this year’s edition, MIA achieved a double transformation, in content, with a particular focus on the relationship between industry and finance, and in format, by taking over Via Veneto for a few days.”
Growth is clear on the project side too: 630 submissions from 83 countries, 26% more than in 2025. Of these, 104 projects from 43 countries were selected for the Co-Production & Gap Financing Market and the Work-in-Progress sessions. Visibility is also up: more than 160 accredited media outlets from 15 countries, a 9.9% increase in Instagram followers, 6.02% on LinkedIn, and 365,000 new website users.
The conversation also looked ahead to the future of the industry. “As producers, we claim this narrative: we are companies that create ‘Originals’, and MIA is the place where we present ourselves to the world,” said APA President Chiara Sbarigia. MIA Director Gaia Tridente echoed this view, stating that “the responsibility of a market today is not just to match supply and demand but to help build the conditions for the future of our industry.”
On 22 October, the MIA Development Awards were presented: five cash prizes totalling €25,000, one for each category of the Co-Production Market:
- Animated series: Sophie, If You Are There Give Us a Sign!, an Italy-Belgium-Spain co-production directed by Dario Piana.
- Documentary: Loving Ika, on the confrontation with artificial intelligence, with a special mention for Bleaching Nemo, which uses the face of Nemo to talk about the climate crisis.
- Drama: Day Traitors, a Danish spy story in six episodes.
- Animated feature: All the Softness in the World by Ayce Kartal.
- Live action: The Lost Sons of Nada, a surreal comedy blending Nordic folklore and satire.
Among the sponsor awards, the GEDI Visual Award went to The Decoy Artist by Gigi Roccati, the Screen International Award to Off Season (Temporada Baixa) by Marta Font, the Sony Pictures Television Award (€15,000) to The Inheritance, a Belgian series produced by Panenka, and the WIFTMI Award to Animal Instinct, the debut feature by Vittoria Rizzardi Peñalosa. The Mnemonica Award made its debut, going to Diatribe by Shaun O’Connor, on the theme of online radicalisation.
Accredited attendees can continue to follow the edition: panels and talks are available on MIA Digital until 31 November.
Photo Credits: ©2026 MIA — Courtesy of MIA
