Turkish TV Festival Agenda

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BY ELIZABETH BOWEN -TOMBARI

The Imprint of Turkish Dramas

According to a recent study by Parrot Analytics, Turkey is now the third-largest exporter of scripted series in the world after the U.S. and the U.K. Between 2020 and 2023, global demand for Turkish programs grew by 184 percent—well outpacing the 73 percent increase for Korean dramas.

Over the past ten years, Turkish series, notably dramas, have dominated free-TV schedules in Latin America. Once deemed a passing fad in the region, Turkish dramas have forged a connection with local audiences through their stories, protagonists and high production values. As a result, distributors have expanded their trade beyond free TV, working with streaming platforms across Latin America, including Netflix.

In honor of Turkey’s decade of success in Latin America, we present the Turkish TV Festival, a virtual conference in English and Spanish that will delve into this phenomenon, reve al the secret of its success and project a new decade of achievements.

The festival features participation from industry figures such as Erdem Seçkin from OGM Pictures, Beatriz Cea Okan from Inter Medya, Handan Özkubat from Eccho Rights, Özge Özpirinçci from I Am Mother, Selin Arat from TIMS&B Productions, Duda Rodrigues from Calinos Entertainment, Müge Akar from atv, Ateş İnce from Madd Entertainment, Sibel Levendoğlu from Kanal D International, Iván Sánchez from Global Agency, Barış Kılıç from One Love, Aysegul Tuzun from MISTCO, Emrah Turna from MediaHub and Melih Özkaya from Alaca.

The Turkish TV Festival is a virtual event in Spanish and English that will focus on the demand for Turkish content in Latin America, the U.S. Hispanic market and Iberia. It will feature keynotes from leading Turkish television producers and distributors. The festival will be live-streamed and available on-demand at FestivalTurco.com and TurkishTVFestival.com

TUESDAY,

MAY 7

Erdem Seçkin, CEO, OGM Pictures

(9 a.m. Miami, 10 a.m. Buenos Aires, 4 p.m. Istanbul)

Opening the first day of the Turkish TV Festival, Seçkin will talk about the importance of Turkey being positioned among the top three exporters of scripted series in the world and how the distribution of these titles remains profitable, despite the high production cost of each one. Seçkin will also explain the importance of seeking co-production partnerships, working with talent, the value of continuing to conquer new territories and the opportunities that streaming services are providing.

Beatriz Cea Okan, VP & Head, Sales & Acquisitions, Inter Medya

(10 a.m. Miami, 11 a.m. Buenos Aires, 5 p.m. Istanbul)

In conversation with Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari, editor of TV Latina, Cea Okan will talk about the importance of co-producing with various partners and the benefits of such agreements beyond sharing costs and risks. Cea Okan will also comment on the work done with Caracol Televisión for Leylifer and with MGE Chile, as well as the distribution of Turkish films and their reach. Additionally, she will detail the recent agreement with GAİN to manage the international distribution of all its current content, positioning Inter Medya as the representative abroad for the platform’s content.

Handan Özkubat , Director, Turkish Drama, Eccho Rights; Özge Özpi rinçci, Lead Actress, I Am Mother (11 a.m. Miami, 12 p.m. Buenos Aires, 6 p.m. Istanbul)

Özkubat will talk about how Eccho Rights amortizes the cost of Turkish dramas through global sales. Özpirinçci, the lead actress of the successful drama I Am Mother , which has just been renewed for a second season by Show TV, will reflect on what attracte d her to the role of Karsu.

Selin Arat, Director, International Operations, TIMS&B Productions (12 p.m. Miami, 1 p.m. Buenos Aires, 7 p.m. Istanbul)

During her interview, Arat will explain the main challenges and opportunities that TIMS&B Productions has faced since its foundation in 2017, the work it does with writers, its global perspective in conceiving new stories and the search for the next Magnificent Century.

Duda Rodrigues, Sales Manager, Latin America, Calinos Entertainment (1 p.m. Miami, 2 p.m. Buenos Aires, 8 p.m. Istanbul)

Rodrigues will reveal how Calinos Entertainment is working to ensure that Turkish dramas remain relevant in the region over the next decade. Rodrigues will also speak about the company’s business in Brazil.

Müge Akar, Head, Sales, atv (2 p.m. Miami, 3 p.m. Buenos Aires, 9 p.m. Istanbul)

Akar will explain how the company’s format sales have been growing in various territories. Additionally, Akar will explain how atv’s off erings have evolved and adapted to changes in the business and its investments in high-quality dubbing for its shows.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

Ateş İnce, Managing Director, Madd Entertainment (9 a.m. Miami, 10 a.m. Buenos Aires, 4 p.m. Istanbul)

İnce will discuss the synergies between Medyapım and Ay Yapım, the production companies that joined forces to launch Madd, as well as the results since its founding. İnce will also touch on the production of Turkish super series, the types of stories the company is seeking and the broadcast and co-production partnerships it is working on, as well as plans for the remainder of the year.

Sibel Levendoğlu, Sales Manager, Latin America & North America, Kanal D International (10 a.m. Miami, 11 a.m. Buenos Aires, 5 p.m. Istanbul)

Levendoğlu will discuss the work Kanal D International had to do to reach Spain, bringing the company’s titles to local television channels. Additionally, Levendoğlu will comment on the challenges of trying to penetrate the Anglo market in the United States, the evolution of the Turkish content business and the importance of Kanal D Drama for the company.

Iván Sánchez, Sales Director, Latin America, Global Agency; Barış Kılıç, Lead Actor, One Love (11 a.m. Miami, 12 p.m. Buenos Aires, 6 p.m. Istanbul)

In this interview, Sánchez and Kılıç will talk about the global success of Turkish dramas since Global Agency opened the market with the sale of 1001 Nights to Mega in Chile. Sánchez will also detail the expansion to Spanish television screens, competing with telenovelas and the com pany’s work with streaming services. Kılıç will explain what attracted him to One Love , his character in the drama and his experience working with renowned producer Faruk Turgut.

Aysegul Tuzun, Managing Director, MISTCO (12 p.m. Miami, 1 p.m. Buenos Aires, 7 p.m. Istanbul)

Tuzun will highlight the impact of period dramas like Resurrection Ertu grul and The Last Emperor on global audiences, how they have boosted the company’s catalog and the high production values of these titles. Tuzun will also detail what, in her opinion, have been the milestones of Turkish dramas in Latin America, MISTCO's extensive portfolio—including miniseries, children’s content, films and docu mentaries—and upcoming projects.

Emrah Turna , Founder & CEO, MediaHub; Melih Özkaya , Lead Actor, Alaca (1 p.m. Miami, 2 p.m. Buenos Aires, 8 p.m. Istanbul)

Turna will talk about the company’s activities and services, including its first original production, Alaca , which stars Özkaya. Turna will describe the search for ideal co-production partners and how his company is collaborating with talent in front of and behind the camera. Özkaya will talk about his role as Kenan in Alaca , which tells the story of a young woman whose kidney is stolen in a brutal kidnapping when her biological father needs a donor for his dying daughter.

Daily Schedule

TUESDAY, MAY 7 WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

Erdem Seçkin, CEO, OGM Pictures

(9 a.m. Miami, 10 a.m. Buenos Aires, 4 p.m. Istanbul)

Beatriz Cea Okan, VP & Head, Sales & Acquisitions, Inter Medya

(10 a.m. Miami, 11 a.m. Buenos Aires, 5 p.m. Istanbul)

Handan Özkubat, Director, Turkish Drama, Eccho Rights & Özge Özpirinçci, Lead Actress, I Am Mother

(11 a.m. Miami, 12 p.m. Buenos Aires, 6 p.m. Istanbul)

Selin Arat, Director, International Operations, TIMS&B Productions

(12 p.m. Miami, 1 p.m. Buenos Aires, 7 p.m. Istanbul)

Duda Rodrigues, Sales Manager, Latin America, Calinos Entertainment

(1 p.m. Miami, 2 p.m. Buenos Aires, 8 p.m. Istanbul)

Müge Akar, Head, Sales, atv (2 p.m. Miami, 3 p.m. Buenos Aires, 9 p.m. Istanbul)

Ateş İnce, Managing Director, Madd Entertainment

(9 a.m. Miami, 10 a.m. Buenos Aires, 4 p.m. Istanbul)

Sibel Levendoğlu, Sales Manager, Latin America & North America, Kanal D International (10 a.m. Miami, 11 a.m. Buenos Aires, 5 p.m. Istanbul)

Iván Sánchez, Sales Director, Latin America, Global Agency & Barış Kılıç, Lead Actor, One Love (11 a.m. Miami, 12 p.m. Buenos Aires, 6 p.m. Istanbul)

Aysegul Tuzun, Managing Director, MISTCO

(12 p.m. Miami, 1 p.m. Buenos Aires, 7 p.m. Istanbul)

Emrah Turna, Founder & Managing Director, MediaHub & Melih Özkaya, Lead Actor, Alaca (1 p.m. Miami, 2 p.m. Buenos Aires, 8 p.m. Istanbul)

Müge Akar Head, Sales atv

Müge Akar is the sales director of atv, a part of Turkuvaz Media Group (TMG). She joined the group in 2013 and had the opportunity to work during the early stages of Turkish drama’s growth in international markets. Akar has led atv’s expansion in Latin America, Asia and Europe.

TMG, one of Turkey’s largest media groups, operates in television, radio and newspaper publishing. Its flagship television channel, atv, was launched in 1993 and has become a gem in the crown of this prominent media company.

Furthermore, atv’s distribution unit offers a wide range of titles, providing over 40,000 hours of television series and movies. The channel’s content sales department exports series to more than 60 countries worldwide.

SESSION: Tuesday, May 7, 2 p.m. Miami, 3 p.m. Buenos Aires, 9 p.m. Istanbul

Since December 2012, Selin Arat has served as the director of international operations at TIMS Productions. She has held the same position at TIMS&B Productions since its inception in 2017. TIMS Productions is the force behind the hit drama Magnificent Century , which has been sold in 140 countries. With a portfolio of 13 series, TIMS&B has also made its mark with titles like Bitter Lands.

In her role overseeing international operations at TIMS and TIMS&B Productions, Arat has been instrumental in designing and implementing the international strategy for all productions. Prior to her current position in television production, she worked on award-winning feature films as a project director, handling all international transactions with co-producers and financial institutions. Additionally, she collaborated with the globally acclaimed director Nuri Bilge Ceylan.

SESSION: Tuesday, May 7, 12 p.m. Miami, 1 p.m. Buenos Aires, 7 p.m. Istanbul

Selin Arat Director, International Operations

TIMS&B Productions

Beatriz Cea Okan

VP & Head, Sales & Acquisitions

Inter Medya

Beatriz Cea Okan joined Inter Medya in 2014 as a sales executive. Today, her responsibilities span across Latin America, Spain and the U.S. Hispanic market.

Inter Medya, founded by Can Okan in 1992, initially operated as a film distribution company in Turkey. Over its first decade, it established itself as a key player in the Turkish film distribution market. Since 2001, Inter Medya has expanded its business scope to include Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Central Asia and the Baltic States. Starting from 2007, Inter Medya diversified its content portfolio to include Turkish telenovelas, television series and Turkish films. In recent years, the markets for these Turkish audiovisual products have expanded, and Inter Medya also distributes its content to the Middle East and North Africa.

SESSION: Tuesday, May 7, 10 a.m. Miami, 11 a.m. Buenos Aires, 5 p.m. Istanbul

Madd Entertainment is a joint venture between Ay Yapım and Medyapım.

Founded in 1993, Medyapım is one of the most experienced and well-known production companies in the country. Ay Yapım, established in 2005, is the producer of beloved and influential Turkish dramas.

In 2018, İnce launched Madd Entertainment as a prominent distributor of Turkish dramas. The company boasts over 400 hours of original programming each year, sourced from both Ay Yapım and Medyapım.

Before joining Madd, İnce served as the chief revenue officer of Doğuş Media Group and was the founder of Doğuş Digital. There, he created the Turkish OTT platform puhutv and led the production of Turkey’s first super series, Phi.

SESSION:

Wednesday, May 8, 9 a.m. Miami, 10 a.m. Buenos Aires, 4 p.m. Istanbul

Ateş İnce Managing Director

Madd Entertainment

Barış Kılıç

Lead Actor

One Love

Since starting his acting career in commercials in 2004, Barış Kılıç has starred in productions such as All My Children , Feriha , War of Roses , Forbidden Fruit and All About Mar riage . In 2014, he made his film debut with the movie Seni Seviyorum Adamim. Currently, Kılıç stars in One Love , distributed by Global Agency, which is already in its second season. The series follows the story of the idealistic Doga, who falls deeply in love with a charming man from a devout family. Their values clash with those of her mother, creating a powerful drama as they strive to overcome their differences and find harmony.

In January, Kılıç received an award for his professional achievements at the Turkish Drama Gala.

SESSION:

Wednesday, May 8, 11 a.m. Miami, 12 p.m. Buenos Aires, 6 p.m. Istanbul

Si bel Levendoğlu oversees sales in Latin America and North America at Kanal D International. The company is the global commercial arm of the Turkish broadcaster Kanal D. The company’s distribution division, Kanal D International, is accompanied by the brand Kanal D International Networks, which includes Kanal D Drama, the first 24/7 channel for Turkish dramas.

SESSION:

Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. Miami, 11 a.m. Buenos Aires, 5 p.m. Istanbul

Sibel Levendoğlu Sales Manager, Latin America & North America Kanal D International

Melih Özkaya made his debut in Yer Gök Aşk ( Love is in the Air ) in 2011. Since then, he has taken on various roles in both film and television, gaining recognition for his leading role in the series Emanet ( Legacy ), particularly in Latin America. He plays the lead role in Alaca, MediaHub’s first original production, which will premiere internationally this year. The drama tells the story of a young woman named Alaca, whose kidney is stolen in a brutal kidnapping when her biological father needs a donor for his dying daughter. Özkaya portrays Alaca’s love interest, Kenan. Özkaya also portrays the character Akın in the successful series Golden Boy.

SESSION:

Wednesday, May 8, 1 p.m. Miami, 2 p.m. Buenos Aires, 8 p.m. Istanbul

Melih Özkaya Lead Actor Alaca

Handan Özkubat joined Eccho Rights in 2012. Having worked alongside prominent producers in the Turkish television industry, she has played a crucial role in the acquisition, development and international sales of series and formats. Additionally, Özkubat has made significant strategic contributions to Eccho Rights’ growth, including establishing the company’s direct-to-consumer digital networks in 2017.

Eccho Rights is a development agent and distributor of dramatic series. Through its offices in Stockholm, Istanbul, London, Madrid and Seoul, it licenses over 17,000 hours of drama to broadcasters and platforms worldwide every year. Eccho Rights is headquartered in Stockholm and is majority-owned by Night Train Media.

SESSION:

Tuesday, May 7, 11 a.m. Miami, 12 p.m. Buenos Aires, 6 p.m. Istanbul

Handan Özkubat Director, Turkish Drama Eccho Rights

Özge Özpirinçci

Lead Actress

I Am Mother

Ozge Özpirinçci’s breakthrough came with a leading role in the popular youth series Melekler Korusun ( Guardian Angels ). She later starred in Netflix’s Into the Deep and Kadın, the Turkish adaptation of Woman. In 2024, Özpirinçci will be seen as Karsu in I Am Mother, produced by O3 Medya for Show TV. Distributed by Eccho Rights, the drama has been renewed for a second season. The story revolves around the bonds between mother and daughter and Karsu’s empowering transformation.

SESSION:

Tuesday, May 7, 11 a.m. Miami, 12 p.m. Buenos Aires, 6 p.m. Istanbul

Duda Rodrigues joined Calinos Entertainment to establish a closer connection with the Brazilian market. Since then, she has expanded her responsibilities to oversee all Latin American countries as well as Portugal, Angola and Mozambique.

Founded initially in Los Angeles and now headquartered in Istanbul, Calinos Entertainment exports Turkish content to international platforms. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Calinos has sold over 130,000 hours of television programming to more than 105 countries across all continents, distributing over 200 programs.

SESSION:

Tuesday, May 7, 1 p.m. Miami, 2 p.m. Buenos Aires, 8 p.m. Istanbul

Duda Rodrigues Sales Manager, Latin America

Calinos Entertainment

Iván Sánchez Sales Director, Latin America

Global

Agency

Since 2012, Iván Sánchez has led sales for Latin America at Global Agency. He was the first to introduce Turkish drama to the region, specifically through Mega in Chile, where 1001 Nights shattered all ratings records in 2014, paving the way for Turkish productions across the rest of Latin America.

Global Agency offers an extensive catalog of dramas, including 1001 Nights , Mag nificent Century, Broken Pieces and Mother. Additionally, it distributes a range of non-scripted formats.

SESSION:

Wednesday, May 8, 11 a.m. Miami, 12 p.m. Buenos Aires, 6 p.m. Istanbul

Erdem Seçkin boasts extensive experience across various business domains. In 2005, he joined the Turkish media conglomerate Doğan TV, eventually rising to the position of CEO. His responsibilities included overseeing strategic financial management, business development, media asset management, acquisitions and partner relations, among other duties.

In 2022, Seçkin assumed the role of CEO at OGM Pictures. Since its establishment in 2019, OGM has delivered a substantial volume of content to Turkish broadcast channels and streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video.

SESSION:

Tuesday, May 7, 9 a.m. Miami, 10 a.m. Buenos Aires, 4 p.m. Istanbul

Erdem Seçkin CEO

OGM Pictures

Emrah Turna Founder & Managing Director MediaHub

Emrah Turna held key positions at Kanal D International, the global commercial arm of Kanal D, before launching a media rights management company, MediaHub. In less than two years, the company established a robust distribution network and began producing original content, including Alaca. MediaHub is a 360-degree media distribution and rights management company representing broadcasters, independent producers, writers and rights holders.

SESSION:

Wednesday, May 8, 1 p.m. Miami, 2 p.m. Buenos Aires, 8 p.m. Istanbul

Since 2016, Aysegul Tuzun has led the team at MISTCO and also oversees sales in Central and Eastern Europe.

MISTCO was founded as an international brand management and content distribution agency. The company serves as the exclusive sales agent for Turkish Radio and Television (TRT). Additionally, MISTCO distributes select Turkish dramas from other global producers.

SESSION:

Wednesday, May 8, 12 p.m. Miami, 1 p.m. Buenos Aires, 7 p.m. Istanbul

Aysegul

Tuzun

Managing Director MISTCO