Studio know-how will be passed on, and cross-border production cooperation strengthened, under an agreement formalised at MIPCOM Cannes. The opening phase of Shams Production Hub, due to begin in Q1 2027, is built around five purpose-built sound stages.
CANNES, France: Sharjah Media City (Shams), a leading UAE freezone authority, and Origo Studios, one of Hungary’s leading film studio complexes, have formalised at MIPCOM Cannes a strategic partnership that supports the creation of Shams Production Hub in Sharjah, UAE.
Under the agreement, Origo Studios will deliver a three-phase training and knowledge-transfer programme, preparing colleagues at Shams to run the facility to international standards. Online sessions form part of the training, alongside hands-on learning at Origo Studios in Budapest and guidance delivered on site in Sharjah.
The programme covers 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 the core of Shams Production Hub. Commencement of its first phase is scheduled for Q1 2027.
Strengthening commercial links between Hungary and Sharjah also underpins the tie-up. Shams currently hosts 67 companies registered by Hungarian businesses and investors, of which 31 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.”
Wider collaboration spanning studio development, technical expertise, knowledge exchange and possible international production opportunities is also envisaged under the deal, subject to mutual agreement.
