Cannes – The inaugural Arabic Co-Production Salon at MIPCOM wrapped up a successful run from October 21 to 24, marking a pivotal moment in the B2B media and content investment industry. This event aimed to encourage investment in content for and from the MENA region’s 22 Arabic-speaking countries, establishing a robust bridge between the Middle Eastern and global content markets.

Supported by key players like the Saudi Broadcast Authority, the Salon received an inspiring endorsement from their CEO, Mohammed Al Harthi, who announced the upcoming FOMEX and Saudi Media Forum slated for February 2025. The event kickstarted networking with a dedicated hour led by the Co-Production Salon on MIPCOM’s opening day.

A standout feature of the Salon was the impressive 7-meter-wide display wall, showcasing the best and strongest of the Arab world's production houses, alongside another highlight, the highly sought-after MENA Co-Production Guidebook distributed at the venue. This comprehensive guide offered insights into viewership habits, investment opportunities, regional obstacles, and censorship guidelines: a goldmine of information for newcomers to the region.

The Salon saw active engagement from over 60 participants involved in marketing and business expansion campaigns. Prominent production houses, streaming platforms, and content investors from across MENA, including Lebanon's Cedars Art, Egypt's United Media Services, Saudi Arabia's MBC Studios, Dubai Studios, and Sharjah Media City of the UAE, among others, participated. The Salon was buzzing with activity for every minute of MIPCOM’s first three days, during which over 150 meetings and matchmaking efforts per day were facilitated.

This initiative marks MIPCOM's increased interest in the Arab world and vice versa, underscoring the region's thriving content industry, at a time when the Western content industry experiences noticeable contraction. It also highlights the significant rise in involvement from Arabic companies, with individual booths, shared knowledge platforms, and a notable 50% increase in participation from Arabic content entities compared to last year.

Feedback from Arabic participants at MIPCOM reflected a high level of satisfaction, with immediate announcements sparking excitement. Notable highlights included Cedars Art celebrating their 70th anniversary, along with strategic revelations from Saudi Broadcast Authority’s upcoming event in Riyadh, Dubai Media’s collaboration with the Emmy Awards, Sharjah Media City announcing their brand-new studios, Egyptian Media Hub’s first collaborative participation, and Qatar Media Corp’s top-tier display of impressive regional stories.

To deliver a holistic experience to its participants, the Co-Production Salon also offered an exclusive content monetization AI session, with complimentary trials for Arabic producers and platforms, presented by the Polish R&D company Adspective, augmenting the Salon’s commitment to provide value to its partners.

Heba Korayem, Founder of the Co-Production Salon, said: “The success of MIPCOM’s first Arabic Co-Production Salon underscores a significant growth trajectory for MENA's content market. We are anticipating many deals to unfold in the coming weeks. We have always been focused on content as a form of investment, and right now, more than at any previous time, we have the tools to properly measure and make ROI projections from investing in these video assets. We are an Arabic company, run by Arabic speakers, in the middle of it all. We not only have historical data on the types of investments and deals closed in our region, but also real-time performance data from our analytics partners. This, along with the perfect network of the biggest and best content industry stakeholders, opens new avenues for further cross-cultural content exchanges and enriches the global media landscape from MENA to the world!”

About the Co-Production Salon: CoProductionSalon.com is a lounge, both virtual and physical, designed to connect high-level media professionals, producers, and investors in Film and TV Content across the Arab world and globally. Focused on fostering co-productions and content partnerships, the platform provides a space for users to pitch projects and discover investment opportunities. With deep insights into the MENA region's media landscape, the Co-Production Salon serves as a vital hub for facilitating collaboration and content exchange in the growing Arabic content industry.

About MIPCOM: MIPCOM is the world’s leading entertainment content market, held annually in Cannes. Bringing together global industry professionals, it serves as a premier platform for networking, deal-making, and showcasing the latest trends in TV, film, and digital media. MIPCOM is where key players in the entertainment world connect and collaborate.

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help@coproductionsalon.com