Power, romance, betrayal, ambition — the ingredients of hit Turkish dramas are familiar to audiences worldwide. But getting those stories from Istanbul to international screens requires an equally compelling business savvy. From October 12 to 15, 2026, Turkey’s powerhouse international TV distribution companies will once again gather in Cannes for MIPCOM, bringing their signature content to consumers of TV content across the globe.
Can Okan, founder and CEO of Inter Medya, said, “We are bringing a very strong and varied lineup to MIPCOM this year. Our top highlights include one of this season’s new hits, Black Sea, My Love (Sevdam Karadeniz), our brand-new co-production Caged Love (Tutsak Sevda), while Halef has made an explosive return with its highly anticipated second season, and more.
“In addition to our flagship dramas, we are placing a major strategic focus on our expanding portfolio of vertical dramas and new miniseries, reflecting our commitment to innovative content formats,” Okan added.
Kanal D is highlighting its new drama series Dignity (Haysiyet), which Elif Tatoglu, Kanal D’s Distribution Strategy and Sales director, reported, “has that classic Turkish drama feeling, but at the same time the story and characters feel very fresh.” The company is also showcasing Torn Apart and Sins and Roses, which, like much other Turkish content, “has already had a very strong international journey and continues to perform well across different territories.”
Izzet Pinto, the founder and CEO of Global Agency, said his company is toting a “very strong new format, which we are particularly excited about.” Drama and mystery being top-of-mind, Pinto reported that the “title will remain a secret until MIPCOM, but we can already reveal that it is a unique competition format built around music.” The format will have its official unveiling at MIPCOM.
Global Agency is also pushing dramas such as One Love. “Drama has always been a major part of Global Agency’s international success… At the same time, we have a long history in formats, and we see great potential to grow this side of our business even further.” Pinto added that Global Agency will introduce several new titles at MIPCOM, “making this year’s market an important starting point for our upcoming slate.”
ATV Distribution is showcasing Different Lives, Villa Coral, Love and Throne, Land of the Sun, and the second season of A.B.I. (A Broken Inheritance).
According to MediaHub’s Elif Turna, the company’s Sales and Business Development manager, “We wanted this year’s lineup to feel fresh, diverse, and full of stories that buyers can discover.” Some of the company’s biggest highlights are Close to You, Take My Hand, and Roses. These are three new Turkish dramas that “bring different shades of romance, family relationships, and emotional conflict to our slate.” The company is also presenting productions such as Bitter Justice and Alaca, as well as a “growing international catalog, spanning Korean, Greek, Filipino, Spanish, and Dutch productions, and factual entertainment.”
Calinos Entertainment’s deputy general manager, Ismail Dursunov, said the company’s catalog has become “increasingly diverse.” He added, “Alongside Turkish dramas, we represent international content from Europe, Canada, and the Spanish-speaking market, so naturally, we work with buyers from many different parts of the world.”
Highlights of Calinos Entertainment’s slate include two new Turkish dramas, Salted Love and Love in the Ashes, as well as Ugly, which has a second season available and, according to Dursunov, “has been one of the strongest titles in our current slate.”
In fact, Calinos Entertainment has planned a special event surrounding Ugly. On the second day of MIPCOM, the company is hosting a press conference featuring the cast and directors, who will meet with members of the international press to discuss the “series, the characters, and their experience working on the show,” Dursunov reported. A special event celebrating Ugly is also planned for that evening. “Having the cast and creative team with us in Cannes gives us a valuable opportunity to introduce the series more closely to our international partners,” explained Dursunov.
Global Agency is also hosting a special, exclusive screening at a cinema for 80 select guests, where its new format will be introduced for the first time. According to Pinto, “A format has never been launched at MIPCOM with a cinema screening before, so we wanted to create a different and memorable experience. At Global Agency, we always try to bring creativity not only to the content we represent, but also to the way we present to the international market.”
Inter Medya’s Okan reported that his company’s presence at MIPCOM this year will be “both commercial and thought-leadership driven. Our president, Hasret Özcan, will participate as a featured speaker on the MIP Innovation Lab panel titled ‘Beyond the Gold Rush: What’s Next in Vertical Storytelling?’” This panel is slated for Wednesday, October 14.
Okan added, “Beyond this key industry session, we have curated a series of engaging activities and networking events at our booth to connect with our global partners.”
ATV Distribution also has special plans for MIPCOM. On opening day, the company will host an “exclusive VIP dinner where we will showcase our new-season drama slate to our international partners and industry guests,” said ATV’s group head of Sales and Distribution, Müge Akar. “The event will provide an opportunity to introduce our latest productions and strengthen relationships with buyers from around the world.”
Indeed, MIPCOM serves multiple purposes for Turkey’s powerhouse distribution companies. Calinos Entertainment’s Dursunov said, “For us, MIPCOM is not only about presenting new titles. It is also an important opportunity to reconnect with our long-standing partners, understand how their programming needs are evolving, meet new buyers, and identify where new opportunities are developing in the market.”
He explained that Calinos Entertainment will have a team of eight in Cannes this year, and the sales team will have a full schedule of meetings with existing and new partners alike. “We expect MIPCOM to be a particularly active market for our team,” said Dursunov.
Global Agency’s Pinto reported, “Around half of our team will be attending MIPCOM this year, with at least 12 Global Agency representatives present at our stand. MIPCOM is one of the most important markets for us, so we always make sure to have a strong team there.”
Pinto noted that France and Germany are becoming “increasingly important markets” for Turkish drama. “They were among the later territories in Europe to open up to Turkish series, but we are now seeing growing interest and new opportunities in both countries. We believe there is still significant potential for Turkish drama to expand further in these markets.”
As far as formats go, Pinto said the “English-speaking world remains a key focus… With our new format slate, we are especially interested in building new partnerships and creating opportunities in these territories.”
“MIPCOM is one of the few markets where we can meet partners from almost everywhere,” Kanal D’s Tatoglu noted. “That said, Europe, MENA, CIS and Latin America continue to be very important regions for us. We have been seeing particularly strong interest in Turkish drama across these markets, so we are looking forward to building on that momentum with our new titles.”
A global approach is also key for Inter Medya. “Our primary focus is unequivocally the entire world,” Okan explained. “While we maintain strong, long-standing partnerships across established regions, our content portfolio is strategically designed to resonate with diverse audiences on a truly global scale, leaving no specific territory sidelined.
“Inter Medya maintains a collaborative and inclusive business model. We actively work with all leading production companies across Turkey, allowing us to curate a versatile and high-quality catalog that meets the evolving demands of international broadcasters and platforms.”
“ATV Distribution has a truly global distribution strategy,” Akar explained. “We actively focus on all territories and continue to strengthen our presence across Europe, MENA, CIS, Asia, and Latin America. Our goal is to maximize the international reach of our content and build long-term partnerships in every region.”
At MIPCOM this year, Kanal D’s primary focus is “meeting with our existing partners, catching up with clients from around the world and, of course, introducing our new titles and discussing new opportunities.”
“We will have a strong team at MIPCOM this year,” added Kanal D’s Tatoglu. This includes sales managers and senior management, plus top executives from Kanal D. “It will be a great opportunity for us to meet our partners as a wider team,” Tatoglu said.
ATV Distribution’s Akar reported, “Our international sales team will consist of five representatives… Including members of ATV’s executive management, acquisitions team, marketing and programs teams, and other company representatives, the total ATV delegation attending MIPCOM is expected to reach approximately 30 people.”
(By Sara Alessi)
Audio Version (a DV Works service)october
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