Banff World Media Festival head Jenn Kuzmyk on international buzz, addressing the big topics and points of difference

CEO Jen Kuzmick says this year’s Banff World Media Festival will be one of the most international, going beyond television trends to discuss some of the world’s biggest issues.

Speaking to Deadline ahead of the annual event, which takes place in person online two years later from Sunday June 12 to Wednesday June 15, Kuzmik noted the hustle and bustle of non-North American delegates traveling to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Such as Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon, BBC and production companies based in Nigeria, France, Sweden and Korea.

“The virtual transition during the pandemic has expanded our access and really represents the breadth of participation,” he added. “We have always been well represented internationally, but maybe a little more this year”.

He scored international hits for prestigious Rockie Awards such as BBC Comedy. Country, Jack Thorne Help and Denmark kamikadze For HBOMax.

This year’s Rockies presented works from around 45 countries, with more than 150 judges from different countries.

The 2022 Festival will feature some of the biggest names in global television, including Bella Bajaria, Head of Netflix Global TV, Perlana Igbokve, President of Universal Studio Group and David Linde, CEO of Participant Media, as well as numerous panels that will host the talk. show. Distribution, content for children and focus on different networks and transmitters.

The delegates are already over 1,500, which would be a record, but Kuzmik stressed that “this is not the biggest event in the world, we are not Mipcom, but we want to say that” in the banff there are the right people. “

Panel sessions include trends such as content trends, consolidation and “pointing out opportunities and paths for future business,” but Kuzmik added that the festival goes beyond TV topics and thinks about the world’s biggest problems.

To that end, on day one, Lionsgate co-founder Frank Giustra and White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Ashish Jha discuss the responsibility of the media to combat disinformation and disinformation.

“The festival will start where attendees can get real depth,” added Kuzmik. “We don’t want to talk only about trends, but I think that at Banff we have always touched upon themes of greater importance. We want to explore the responsibility and power we media have to change our minds and policies around the world. “

Worst scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic in the past, Kuzmik was struck by the fact that society and the business world “got to work”.

As for the festival he ran for five years, “he learned that a banff is more than a place” when he was working virtually.

“We felt the strength of the festival. [when it was virtual] And they have been able to facilitate thousands of meetings, resulting in the scheduling of new shows.

Banff’s “point of difference” is also in diversity, Kuzmik added, noting a focus on black and indigenous businesses over the past two years with the BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Media Business designed to address gender equality and representation.

The first day of this year will begin with a session for 15 indigenous producers to present their programs to the buying panel and the industry audience.

“Many festivals around the world enjoy this opportunity [to commission more diverse content] “And I think we are leaders on that front,” he added. “It can only generate more interesting content and better business around the world.”