Turkish Buyer at the First Sobh Media Festival Market: Like Korean Dramas, Iranian Productions Should Be Seen Globally; Such Events Help Boost Their Visibility

The first edition of the Sobh Film Market Festival officially launched on Monday, May 5, with the participation of the president of Iran’s IRIB broadcaster and guests from 13 countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Syria, and Turkey. Four of the guests represented OTT platforms. The event also hosted the IRIB’s General Directorate of Program Supply as well as World Service channels. The festival will run until May 8.

The opening ceremony took place at the IRIB International Conference Hall. This year’s market featured 38 booths for participants, along with a large pavilion dedicated to buyers at the market. Productive negotiations took place between the exhibitors, Iranian content providers, and international attendees.

Besides the IRIB World Service channels, the General Directorate of Program Supply and the International Media played a significant role in discussions with foreign buyers. The presence of VOD platform representatives at the venue of the talks with the purchasers facilitated networking and content presentations, making the first Sobh Media Market a unique opportunity for Iranian productions.

During the event, a Turkish buyer commented, “At one point, South Korea offered its dramas to foreign countries free of charge. Now, they only collaborate with major OTT giants at exorbitant costs. Given the significant volume of Iran’s drama productions, in both television and home entertainment, some advancements have been made and they should gain global recognition. Therefore, hosting such events creates more opportunities for Iranian content to be seen internationally.”

Notably, on the second day of the festival, Sobh Festival Secretary Ehsan Kaveh held fruitful meetings with several international guests. Discussions covered co-productions with Turkey, including a mini-series focusing on Palestinian women and children, as well as collaboration with Russia and CIS countries on shared cultural roots and with the Balkan region on cultural narratives. A cooperation agreement was also signed between Bangla TV and Iran’s International Media division to stream iFilm English content on Bangla TV’s platform.

On the second day, a group of buyers visited Iran’s Children and Youth Animation Production Center at the invitation of its director. The two-hour visit featured informative brochures and a puppet show in English, which delighted the attendees. One Indian buyer, visiting Iran for the first time, remarked after the tour, “My perception of Iran’s animation industry has completely changed.”