The 12th edition of the MIA | Rome International Audiovisual Market will take place from 19-23 October, bringing the international audiovisual industry back to Rome with a renewed format and a programme focusing on financing, intellectual property, new business models and evolving forms of storytelling. Promoted by ANICA, chaired by Alessandro Usai, and APA, chaired by Chiara Sbarigia, the market is directed by Gaia Tridente. This year, its activities will extend across Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini, creating a market district connecting seven official venues.

The figures point to a growing international reach. MIA received more than 630 project submissions, up 26% on 2025, from 83 countries. Of these, 104 projects representing 43 countries have been selected for the Co-Production & Gap Financing Market and Work-in-Progress sessions. The editorial programme will meanwhile comprise more than 40 conferences, talks and meetings involving 85 international speakers.

Among the main additions is the European Investment Hub, a platform designed to connect audiovisual companies, investors and institutions and facilitate access to European and international financial instruments. The initiative reflects MIA’s increasing emphasis on the relationship between creativity and capital. As Alessandro Usai explained, access to innovative financing solutions has become a crucial issue for the sustainability and growth of audiovisual companies, with the new hub intended to make available instruments more accessible.

The market is also broadening its attention to changing content formats. The 2026 edition introduces an Animation Series Gap Financing Market and a focus on microdrama and emerging forms of serial storytelling. According to Chiara Sbarigia, these initiatives respond to a rapidly changing international context and are intended to provide producers with new production and financing opportunities.

The conference programme will address both industry economics and changing audience behaviour. On 21 October, Chiara Sbarigia will present APA’s eighth Report on National Audiovisual Production, examining economic and employment data and trends for 2025-2026. A subsequent discussion on production quality will bring together Maria Pia Ammirati (Rai Fiction), Eleonora Andreatta (Netflix), Giampaolo Letta (Medusa Film), Emanuele Marchesi (Sky Studios Italy), Nicole Morganti (Amazon Studios) and Laura Carafoli (Warner Bros. Discovery).

On 22 October, ANICA will present findings from its ongoing Sala e Salotto research project, analysing film consumption after theatrical release across pay-TV, linear television and streaming platforms.

For Gaia Tridente, the programme is designed to turn ongoing market transformations into concrete industry opportunities, strengthening connections between “ideas, capital, talent and companies” and consolidating MIA’s role as an international meeting point for the audiovisual sector.