The market may be as difficult as it's been in years, but Canadian producers and exporters sound decidedly upbeat as they head to MIPCOM, the international film and program market for TV, video, cable and satellite, running Oct. 10-14 in Cannes, France.

Telefilm Canada reports an unprecedented 80 Canadian production and distribution companies will rally under the Canada Pavilion at MIPCOM, up from 65 last year.

"The Canadian television industry is in full swing, producing high-quality programs on rich, diverse subjects," says Richard Stursberg, Telefilm's executive director. Stursberg says success at home with Canadian programs also "involves increasing the global competitiveness of Canadian companies by facilitating strategic partnerships and increasing export opportunities."

Hugh Beard, CEO of Force Four Entertainment in Vancouver, says his company is looking to secure more international financing and is moving quickly to diversify production across lifestyle, documentary and drama platforms.

Distrib Alliance Atlantis will be selling the Force Four/House on Films six-hour immigration drama copro Human Cargo, directed by Brad Turner and licensed in Canada by CBC and Showcase. "[AAC] is giving it a very big launch and we'll be there to help support that development," says Beard.

Beard will be looking for partners and financing on Murder Unveiled, a new MOW in development with CBC, as well as a miniseries and a $6-million theatrical feature, A Diamond for Veena, set in Canada and the U.K., about an arranged marriage in an East Indian family.

"One of the things that people are looking for is highy diversified programming," says Beard.

Force Four (Jinnah on Crime) is also looking for additional funding support ($3 million to $4 million) for the Citytv-commissioned theatrical/MOW Jillian Guess, about the infamous Vancouver juror who slept with the accused. It's slated to shoot in B.C. in March 2004.

Although distribution may be in the company's future, "at this point in time we need the distribution advance, and the expertise, too," he says.

Pushing Betty

Ira Levy, executive producer at Toronto's Breakthrough Films & Television, says, "We are going to be pushing Atomic Betty [an animation series coproduced with France], because we have a lot of presales so far. We are also pushing [drama series] Paradise Falls because we have a renewal [from Showcase], and Little Miracles, - 10 new hours - because we've had tremendous success selling that internationally."

Michael Prupas, president and CEO of Muse Entertainment Enterprises, Montreal, says the company will be selling existing product at MIPCOM as well as scouting out coproduction deals and financing for new production.

Muse Distribution International titles include the CTV movie Deadly Friends (aka The Death and Life of Nancy Eaton); The Clinic (for sales to Germany), a TV movie set in an animal emergency facility, originally commissioned for Animal Planet and A-Channel; and the TV movies Chasing Cain I & II and The Many Trials of One Jane Doe, all three multiple Gemini nominees.