Signed at MIPCOM Cannes, a new partnership aims to hand over studio know-how while building closer international production cooperation. Q1 2027 marks the scheduled start of the first phase at Shams Production Hub, which centres on five purpose-built sound stages.
CANNES, France: Development of Shams Production Hub in Sharjah, UAE is to be supported by a strategic partnership that Sharjah Media City (Shams), a leading UAE freezone authority, formalised at MIPCOM Cannes with Origo Studios, one of Hungary’s leading film studio complexes.
Under the terms of the deal, Origo Studios takes charge of a three-phase training and knowledge-transfer programme, readying the Shams team to operate the facility at international standards. Online sessions will be followed by hands-on learning at Origo Studios in Budapest, with on-site guidance also provided in Sharjah.
Across its phases, the programme takes in 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 centre on five purpose-built sound stages of approximately 1,710 square metres apiece. The first phase of the project is scheduled to commence in Q1 2027.
Trade between Hungary and Sharjah, which continues to grow, gives the partnership added weight. Hungarian businesses and investors have 67 companies registered at Shams today, and 31 of these carry 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.”
Dr. Márta Fekszi Horváth, 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.”
The agreement also maps out where further cooperation between the two sides could extend: studio development, technical expertise, plus knowledge exchange and potential international production opportunities, all subject to mutual agreement.
