The Arab Co-Production Salon was established to connect high-level media professionals, producers, and investors in film and TV Content across the Arab world and globally.
The inaugural Arabic Co-Production Salon wrapped up a successful run at Mipcom Cannes (October 21 to 24). The Salon aimed to encourage investment in content for and from MENA’s 22 Arabic-speaking countries, and establish itself as a robust bridge between the Middle Eastern and global content markets through its participation at Mipcom.
The Co-Production Salon began on a powerful note. It led a dedicated networking hour on Mipcom’s opening day and was endorsed by key industry players such as Mohammed Al Harthi, CEO of Saudi Broadcast Authority.
A standout feature of the Salon was its 7-metre display wall, showcasing the Arab world’s most prominent production houses. Further, the Salon distributed the highly sought-after MENA Co-Production Guidebook distributed at the venue. Serving as a compass for newcomers to the region, this comprehensive guide offers invaluable insights into viewership habits, investment opportunities, regional obstacles, and censorship guidelines.
The Salon saw active engagement from over 60 participants involved in marketing and business expansion campaigns. Prominent production houses, streaming platforms, and content investors from across MENA, including Lebanon’s Cedars Art, Egypt’s United Media Services, Saudi Arabia’s MBC Studios, Dubai Studios, and Sharjah Media City of the UAE, among others, were present at the Salon. Over 450 meetings and introduction sessions were facilitated by the Salon during the first three days of Mipcom. The Co-Production Salon also offered an exclusive content monetization AI session, with complimentary trials for Arabic producers and platforms, presented by the Polish R&D company Adspective, augmenting the Salon’s commitment to provide value to its partners.
The Salon’s presence at Mipcom marked the event’s increased interest in the Arab world and vice versa,
underscoring the region’s thriving content industry, at a time when the Western content industry is experiencing noticeable contraction. It also highlights the significant rise in involvement from Arabic companies, with individual booths, shared knowledge platforms, and a notable 50% increase in participation from Arabic content entities compared to last year.
Some of the notable highlights from the Salon included Cedars Art celebrating their 70th anniversary, along with strategic revelations from Saudi Broadcast Authority’s upcoming event in Riyadh, Dubai Media’s collaboration with Emmy Awards, Sharjah Media City announcing their brand-new studios, Egyptian Media Hub’s first collaborative participation, and Qatar Media Corp’s top-tier display of impressive regional stories.
Heba Korayem, Founder of the Co-Production Salon, said: “The success of MIPCOM’s first Arabic Co-Production Salon underscores a significant growth trajectory for MENA’s content market. We are anticipating many deals to unfold in the coming weeks. We have always been focused on content as a form of investment, and right now, more than at any previous time, we have the tools to properly measure and make ROI projections from investing in these video assets. We are an Arabic company, run by Arabic speakers, in the middle of it all. We not only have historical data on the types of investments and deals closed in our region, but also real-time performance data from our analytics partners. This, along with the perfect network of the biggest and best content industry stakeholders, opens new avenues for further cross-cultural content exchanges and enriches the global media landscape from MENA to the world!”
The Arab Co-Production Salon was established to connect high-level media professionals, producers, and investors in film and TV content across the Arab world and globally. Focused on fostering co-productions and content partnerships, the platform provides a space for users to pitch projects and discover
investment opportunities. With deep insights into the MENA region’s media landscape, the Co-Production Salon aims to serve as a vital hub for facilitating collaboration and content exchange in the
growing Arabic content industry.
