Studio expertise changes hands and international production cooperation gains ground under a partnership formalised at MIPCOM Cannes. Shams Production Hub begins with five purpose-built sound stages in a first phase scheduled to commence in Q1 2027.
CANNES, France: Development of Shams Production Hub in Sharjah, UAE has gained the backing of a strategic partnership sealed at MIPCOM Cannes, where Sharjah Media City (Shams), a leading UAE freezone authority, formalised the arrangement with Origo Studios, one of Hungary’s leading film studio complexes.
Delivery of a three-phase training and knowledge-transfer programme falls to Origo Studios under the agreement, preparing the Shams team to operate the facility in line with international standards. Trainees will attend online sessions, then travel for hands-on learning at Origo Studios in Budapest, with guidance also provided on site in Sharjah.
Ground to be covered includes studio operations, art department management, post-production, business development and sales, finance and production incentives, backlot operations, technical infrastructure, governance and sustainable production practices.
Plans for Shams Production Hub include five purpose-built sound stages, each measuring approximately 1,710 square metres. Q1 2027 is the scheduled start for its first phase.
Growing business ties between Hungary and Sharjah give the partnership added foundation. Shams is currently home to 67 companies registered by Hungarian businesses and investors, among them 31 with media-related activities.
The Director General of Shams, H.E. Rashid Abdalla Al Obad, 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.”
Dr. Márta Fekszi Horváth, who is CEO of Origo Studios, said: “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.”
Further cooperation in studio development, technical expertise, knowledge exchange and potential international production opportunities now has a base in the agreement, subject to mutual agreement.
