Mr. Okan, you have an impressive portfolio of TV series, formats and feature films. What have been the bestsellers for Inter Medya?
In recent years, Turkish content has become more and more popular around the world and we have broken many sales records, specifically with our series. We launched two new series in late 2017; Mrs. Fazilet and Her Daughters, produced by Avsar Film, and Broken Wings, produced by Koliba Film. Very successful in Turkey, both series have attracted quite a lot of interest from buyers across the globe. At MIPTV, we added The Pit, a new series from Ay Yapim, to our catalog. Perfectly blending romance with action, this title has already been sold in a number of territories.
We also have a wide-ranging film catalog. From romance to action to historic movies, we have something to offer to every region. Lately, we have closed package deals in Spain, Mexico and the MENA region. We have also sold a package to Air Astana, which is our first airline sale. In addition, for the first time, we have sold one of our movies, Entrusted, to be shown in theaters in Chile, Peru and Argentina. We are currently planning a trip to these countries with the main actor, Engin Akyurek.
In terms of formats, we have just recently launched an exciting format called The Perfect Couple, for which we are in serious talks with a number of broadcasters and hope to come back to you with some positive news in the near future.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Turkish series have now been exported to over 140 territories, generating an annual income of $350 million. How have the past couple of years been for Inter Medya business-wise and what are your targets for 2018?
Indeed, the popularity of Turkish drama series has increased more and more in the past decade, especially in the MENA region, Latin America and Eastern European countries. Turkish series have been exported to more than 140 territories and we are very proud to have contributed to the worldwide sale of Turkish content, with our varied catalog full of intriguing stories and talented cast members. Our goal this year is to sell more and more to Africa, Southeast Asia and Western Europe.
You recently signed a deal with Mexico’s Imagen TV and also with Cine Latino for a package of movies in the US, with earlier deals announced for Latin America. Have North and South American territories become your main focus?
At Inter Medya we try not to focus on just one territory and believe that every territory holds the same importance. Our main aim is to satisfy our production partners and our buyers, by providing them with a varied catalogue of products and by facilitating a transparent and easy sales experience.
What have been your latest deals in Central and Eastern Europe? Where are Turkish long-running drama series most popular in the region?
Since the beginning, Turkish series have been successfully sold all over Central and Eastern Europe. The Balkan region has been an especially important market for us, where we have recently signed deals for Mrs. Fazilet and Her Daughters as well as Broken Wings.
