At MIPCOM Cannes, an agreement was formalised that transfers studio know-how and deepens cross-border production cooperation. Five purpose-built sound stages make up the opening phase of Shams Production Hub, which is due to begin in Q1 2027.
CANNES, France: A strategic partnership backing the creation of Shams Production Hub in Sharjah, UAE, has been formalised at MIPCOM Cannes by Sharjah Media City (Shams), a leading UAE freezone authority, together with Origo Studios, which ranks among Hungary’s leading film studio complexes.
The deal tasks Origo Studios with running a three-phase training and knowledge-transfer programme so that the Shams team is ready to operate the facility in line with international standards. Online sessions form part of the training, alongside hands-on learning at Origo Studios in Budapest and on-site guidance in Sharjah.
Topics addressed by the programme include studio operations, art department management, post-production, business development and sales, finance and production incentives, backlot operations, technical infrastructure, governance, and sustainable production practices.
Five purpose-built sound stages, each of roughly 1,710 square metres, will sit at the heart of Shams Production Hub. Its first phase is scheduled to commence in Q1 2027.
Expanding commercial links between Hungary and Sharjah also underpin the tie-up. Hungarian businesses and investors have registered 67 companies currently hosted by Shams, and 31 of those pursue media-related activities.
H.E. Rashid Abdalla Al Obad, Director General of Shams, said: “Our vision for the Shams Production Hub goes beyond developing world-class production infrastructure. We want to build the expertise, operational capabilities and industry relationships needed to support productions at every stage of their lifecycle. Our partnership with Origo Studios enables our team to learn from an established European studio environment and bring that knowledge to Sharjah, while strengthening connections between the UAE and international production markets. It reflects our commitment to developing a sustainable, globally connected media and creative ecosystem that creates opportunities for talent and businesses.”
Commenting on the agreement was Dr. Márta Fekszi Horváth, CEO of Origo Studios: “We are pleased to partner with Sharjah Media City at an important stage in the development of the Shams Production Hub. Building a successful production ecosystem requires more than world-class facilities; it requires strong operational expertise, practical experience and a deep understanding of the production industry. Through this partnership, we look forward to sharing our knowledge and experience with the Shams team and supporting their journey towards establishing a production hub capable of serving local, regional and international productions. We also see strong potential for this partnership to develop further, with continued cooperation between our teams across operational and development matters.”
Subject to mutual agreement, the foundation laid by this deal may extend to studio development, technical expertise, knowledge exchange and possible international production opportunities.
