Studio expertise is to be handed over and international production cooperation reinforced through an agreement formalised at MIPCOM Cannes. The first phase of Shams Production Hub, centred on five purpose-built sound stages, has a scheduled start of Q1 2027.
CANNES, France: Backing for the development of Shams Production Hub in Sharjah, UAE now comes from a strategic partnership that Sharjah Media City (Shams), a leading UAE freezone authority, formalised at MIPCOM Cannes alongside Origo Studios, counted among Hungary’s leading film studio complexes.
A three-phase training and knowledge-transfer programme will be provided by Origo Studios under the terms of the deal, readying the Shams team to run the facility to international standards. The format blends online sessions with hands-on learning at Origo Studios in Budapest and with on-site guidance in Sharjah.
Within the programme sit studio operations, art department management, post-production, business development and sales, finance and production incentives, backlot operations, technical infrastructure, governance and sustainable production practices.
At the hub itself, five purpose-built sound stages are planned, each of approximately 1,710 square metres. Q1 2027 is when the opening phase of Shams Production Hub is scheduled to commence.
A widening business relationship between Hungary and Sharjah lies behind the tie-up as well. Of the 67 companies registered by Hungarian businesses and investors that Shams hosts at present, 31 carry media-related activities.
According to 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.”
Adding her view, CEO of Origo Studios Dr. Márta Fekszi Horváth 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 joint work in studio development, technical expertise, knowledge exchange and potential international production opportunities rests on the foundation set by the agreement, subject to mutual agreement.
