At MIPCOM Cannes, an agreement was formalised covering the transfer of studio expertise and closer international production cooperation. Five purpose-built sound stages will headline the opening phase of Shams Production Hub, with Q1 2027 set as its scheduled start.
CANNES, France: At MIPCOM Cannes, Sharjah Media City (Shams), a leading UAE freezone authority, and Origo Studios, one of Hungary’s leading film studio complexes, formalised a strategic partnership that will support the creation of Shams Production Hub in Sharjah, UAE.
Under the terms of the agreement, Origo Studios will deliver a three-phase training and knowledge-transfer programme, preparing the Shams team to operate the facility to international standards. The training mixes online sessions with hands-on learning at Origo Studios in Budapest and on-site guidance in Sharjah.
Topics addressed across 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 form part of Shams Production Hub. Q1 2027 is the scheduled start date for the first phase.
Expanding commercial ties linking Hungary and Sharjah also underpin the agreement. Among the businesses hosted by Shams are 67 companies registered by Hungarian businesses and investors, 31 of which carry media-related activities.
In the words of H.E. Rashid Abdalla Al Obad, Director General of Shams: “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.”
CEO of Origo Studios Dr. Márta Fekszi Horváth commented: “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, wider collaboration may follow under the deal, spanning studio development, technical expertise, knowledge exchange and possible international production opportunities.
