The best in Russian TV content will once again be center stage across MIPCOM and MIPJunior this month as part of a “Made in Russia” showcase.

Made in Russia is an umbrella brand that will present a wide range of new drama series, films and animation from leading Russian producers and channels. It is the initiative of the Russian Export Centre (REC). It follows on from last year’s Russian Content Revolution showcase in Cannes, which was Made in Russia’s first appearance at MIPCOM.

“In a year when Russian companies have made a quantum leap with drama and animation acquired by leading international video platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, while upcoming projects are tracked and immediately picked up by major worldwide distributors such as Beta Film, Eccho Rights, Cineflix Rights, Dori Media, Red Arrow and Global Agency, Russian animated series are gaining millions of views on major Chinese online platforms with more titles to come,” said Nikita Gusakov, Senior Vice President of the Russian Export Center. “We are delighted to see such high-profile projects as Trotsky, Trigger, Ordinary Woman, Little Tiaras and Kid-e-cats make a splash on the international marketplace. As there is still room for developing more original content, it’s time to watch out for more hits from Russia that will fire audiences’ imagination across the globe. That is the kind of programming Made In Russia sets out to promote.”

The Russian drama series Trigger, made by Sreda for Channel One Russia, will feature as a special MIPCOM Pre-Opening TV Screening on Sunday at 6.30pm in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals. Beta Film is handling international sales on the series, which centers around a psychologist with radical methods, who is fighting to restore his reputation after apparently provoking one of his patients to commit suicide. Lead cast Maxim Matveev and Viktoria Maslova will present the series in Cannes and take part in a Q&A after the screening, which is open to all MIPCOM delegates.

MIPCOM will also host the international premiere of Mathilde, a miniseries by Alexei Uchitel about the love affair between the last Russian emperor, Nicolas II (Lars Eidnger) and prima ballerina Mathilde Kseshinska (Mikhalina Olshanska). It was selected for the first MIPDrama Screening in 2016 and has gone a long way since, with the national theatrical release of the film and production of the four-part series. The project is available in UHD and will also be screened in the 4K Ultra HD program.

One of the biggest Russian channels, TV3, is presenting its new TV series Ordinary Woman at MIPCOM, together with Cineflix Rights, which is handling global distribution. The drama, produced by 1-2-3 Production and Look Film for TV3, is about a woman who seems like an ordinary wife, mother and flower shop owner, but her real income comes from running a clandestine network of prostitutes. The story follows how she copes as her carefully constructed house of cards begins to collapse around her.

“The series is about a woman who has to support her family and appears to be stronger than men. At first, we thought it would be a typically Russian story about a middle-aged woman heroically acting for the sake of her family, and we were surprised when we realized that the story appeals to viewers regardless of the country they live in,” said Valery Fedorovich, general producer of TV3. The series stars Anna Mikhalkova, who won the best actress award at the Series Mania festival for her performance.

At MIPJunior, Made in Russia is hosting 14 animation companies who will present their new projects and work-in-progress. Among them is a brand-new animation series Little Tiaras, that will premiere on Saturday 13 October. It will be presented by Russian TV group CTC Media together with its co-production partner CTB Film Company. CTC has built up a strong animation department over the past few years, already renowned for the “Kid-e-cats” project (sold worldwide by APC Kids). This new series recounts the adventures of five little girls who represent the female characters of traditional Russian fairy tales, each having some superpower and learning to use it.

Other Made In Russia participants are AA Studio, Aeroplane, brand4rent, Master film, Melnitsa, Parovoz, Project First, RIKI Group, Soyuzmultfilm, Wizart, and White Ball, who will all pitch their latest projects at the special “Made in Russia: Future Hits and Hidden Treasures” presentation on Sunday starting at midday.