MEDIA PLAY 2026 AGENDA

13:00 - 14:00

Registration and badge pick up

Location: Networking area in front of Main Hall

14:00 - 14:15

Opening remarks

A friendly welcome from your organizers, joined by our special guest and partner, Hicran Lefort, Sales Director of MIP Markets.

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

14:15 - 15:00

Futureproof: The Trends Reshaping the Industry

Presented by: - Hristo Hadzhitanev, Creative & Program Development at NOVA Broadcasting Group

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

15:00 - 15:45

AI, Rights & Creativity: A New Battleground

Moderator: Gospodin Yovchev - Media, Corporate and Legal Affairs Expert Speakers: - Nadia Gancheva - Chief Content Officer at Net Info; Executive Producer at NOVA TV; AI Media Strategist; Digital Transformation Leader - Emilian Arnaudov - Managing Partner at "Popov, Arnaudov and Partners" - Mila Georgieva - Chair of the European Music Council and Vice-Chair of the Bulgarian Music Association - Svetoslav Georgiev - CEO at BG Content and creator of the first Bulgarian AI persona - Ahinora

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

15:45 - 16:00

Coffee Break

Location: Networking area in front of Main Hall

16:00 - 16:45

Stronger Minds, Better Stories: Mental Health in the Entertainment Industry

Moderator: Monika Chopakova, Founder of "Words Matter" Agency Speakers: - Annie Vladimirova, Media psychologist - Galina Dimitrova, HR at Nova Broadcasting Group - Emmanuel Eckert, Producer at Samara Media

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

16:45 - 17:30

The Podcast Power Shift: Stories That Travel Further

Moderator: Elena Chopakova, Journalist, Documentaries Producer & author Speakers: - Kristina Patrashkova, Journalist, TV & Podcast host - Konstantin Valkov, Media professional, Journalist - Miroslav Dimitrov - TV host, interviewer, and media professional

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

17:30 – 18:15

Time for REAL Success Stories!

- "You’re Playing…Stoichkov" - casting reality show for the biopic film; - "SOS Cleaners" - reality about extreme home clean-ups and transformations; - "Battle for the Keys: Home2U vs. INclusive" - real estate reality; - "Lili Ivanova" & "Emil" features - Bulgaria’s music icons - MP-Studio - visual art, 3D projection mapping, interactive art and visual effects.

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

18:15 - 19:30

Welcome Cocktail & Networking

Location: Networking area in front of Main Hall

20:00 - late

OPTIONAL: Evening Concert - Asaf Avidan LIVE in Sofia!

Joins us for a great live concert under the stars. Please reach out to us if you'd like to go!

Location: Maimunarnika - Borisova Gradina Park

10:00 - 10:30

Registration & Coffee

Location: Networking area in front of Main Hall

10:30 - 12:30

MASTERCLASS: SCRIPTWRITING FOR SERIES

The 7+7 Method for Professional TV Writers: The toolbox that takes you from a promising idea to a season that works. Led by - György Baráthy, Screenwriter, Tutor, Creator of the 7+7 Method

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

12:30 – 13:30

Lunch Break

Location: InterContinental hotel

13:30 - 15:00

Documenaries on Focus!

Hear from: - Tim Cragg - DOP, BAFTA Award winner - Andy Byatt - Filmmaker & Executive producer with Emmy and BAFTA-winning productions - Bilyana Trayanova - "No Luggage" - Bulgaria's most loved travel series

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

15:00 - 16:30

MASTERCLASS ON PITCHING : Insights, Tips, Recommendations

PITCHING MASTERCLASS + Q&A Led by: - Agathe Berman - a.k.a. The Pitchologist

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

16:30 - 16:45

Coffee Break

Location: Networking area in front of Main Hall

16:45 - 17:10

What’s Next at MIDPOINT Institute

Hear all about MIDPOINT Institute's programs and opportunities to further develop your projects! Presenter: Anita Pócsová - Program Coordinator - Series Launch

Location: Event location

17:10 - 17:30

ALL you Need to Know About: International Screen Institute

The ISI provides high-quality training programmes for European and international film, TV and media professionals. Presenter: Michael Frenschkowski - Honorary Member of the ISI & Producer

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

17:30 - 18:30

CEE Production Power: Studios, Cooperation & Cross-Border Growth

Moderator: Hristo Hadzhitanev, Creative & Program Development at NOVA TV Speakers: - Elena Chopakova, Journalist & Producer - Bojana Kesić, Executive Producer at United Media - TBC - TBC

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

19:00 - 20:30

Nu Boyana Film Studios: Organized Visit

Visit one of the leading film production studios in Europe! Please reach out to us to sign up, places are limited.

Location: Nu Boyana Film Studios

10:30 - 11:00

Registration & Coffee

Location: Networking area in front of Main Hall

11:00 - 11:30

Best of Heart of Europe 2025: Winning projects

“The Swimming Pool” – Feature film - Jean-Nicolas Gilles Hopfer & Marta Hopfer Gilles, Writers and Producers “The Last Divorce of Communism” – TV series - Teodora Markova, Creator and Showrunner

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

11:30 - 12:15

Formation without borders - creating the new media people

Moderator: Emmanuel Eckert, Producer Speakers: - Sascha Fahrbach, TV anchor at TVP World, Journalist, Tutor - Olga Slisarenko, Head of Entertainment & Reality Format Development at United Media - Maya Vasileva, Head of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Sofia University Bulgaria

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

12:15 - 13:15

Lunch Break

Location: InterContinental hotel

13:30 - 15:00

FICTION TV Series Pitching Session

Session to be led by Hristo Hadzhitanev - Creative & Program Development, NOVA TV Order is to be confirmed: - "TOSHE - GAMES WITHOUT BORDERS" - Sanya Arsovska & Pece Taleski (OXO Producton) - "OPERATION BUDAPEST" - Péter Deak, Simona Nobile, Tibor Forizs (Sysplex Ltd.) - "FRECKLED LOUISE" - Anna Zavorszky and Marcell Pátkai (Solid Film) - "IN NOMINE PATRIS" - Anastasia Pashkevich (Terence Films) - "ELENA, UNHINGED" - Katerina Papanastasatou (Independent) - "DEALER OF REALITIES" - Nicholas Dimitroff and Nikolay Urumov (BOF Pictures) - "PALAVEEVI SISTERS" - Mila Voinikova and Delyana Maneva (Miramar Film/OXO Production) - "INTIMACY ON PRESCIPTION" - Karolina Zalabáková and Lukáš Gargulák (Cinebonbon/Czech TV/JOJ)

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

15:00 - 15:30

Coffee Break

Location: Networking area in front of Main Hall

15:30 - 16:30

DOCU Pitching Session

Session is to led by Martichka Bozhilova, Producer at Agitprop & Director of Balkan Documentary Center and Neda Milanova, Project Manager at the Balkan Documentary Center Order is to be confirmed: - "Hear Me Out" - Sanya Arsovska & Pece Taleski (OXO Production) - "How I didn't meet Zoja (Zoja's Law)" - Nenad Mikalacki (Druid Film) - "Sold Souls - Algorithm of Crime" - Žana Filipovic Kovacević (ProudCloud Production) - "The American Spy" - Nikol Dragneva & Nikola Damov (handplayed) - "Vlach Requiem" - Maria Makedonska & Nicola Zambelli (ProudCloud Production/SMK Factory) - "Revealed: Buzludzha" - Kalin Rumenov (Rumenov and Filipovski Ltd.) - "Hope Seekers" - Karolina Zalabáková & Lukáš Gargulák (Cinebonbon/Czech TV/Falcon)

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

16:30 - 17:15

Broadcasting vs. Streaming

Moderator: Hristo Hadzhitanev, Creative & Program Development at NOVA Broadcasting Group Speakers: - Alexander Varov - CEO, NETINFO, United Media - Andrey Arnaudov, Producer at Medium Station - Maya Kalcheva, CEO Neterra Communications; Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Neterra Group

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

17:15 - 17:30

Winners Announced!

Who will be the winning projects from the Fiction Series and Docu Pitching Sessions?

Location: Main Hall - InterContinental Hotel Sofia

18:00 - Late

Farewell Drinks

Sofia Center, Shipka Street 1, 1000 Sofia

Location: NOMO del Arte