For our MIPCOM 2026 issue, we spoke with İsmail Dursunov, Deputy General Manager at Calinos Entertainment.
As MIPCOM 2026 gets underway in Cannes, İsmail Dursunov, Deputy General Manager at Calinos Entertainment, talks about the company’s latest slate, from the highly anticipated return of Ugly to breakout title Salted Love, and the enduring global appeal of Turkish drama.
Turkish drama continues to travel strongly across international markets, but buyer expectations are changing. Alongside compelling stories, strong casts and high production values, the right market positioning has become increasingly important. At MIPCOM 2026, Calinos Entertainment is bringing a diverse slate that combines new titles with established fan favorites, while continuing to navigate the changing balance between linear television, streaming and digital platforms. In this exclusive interview, İsmail Dursunov shares his perspective on the current market, emerging genre trends and Calinos’ approach to taking Turkish stories to audiences around the world.
What is your strategy and what are your expectations as Calinos Entertainment going into MIPCOM 2026? How do you assess the current global demand for Turkish series and the overall MIPCOM atmosphere this year?
We’re going into MIPCOM with a strong and diverse slate this year. Our meeting schedule is already very active, and we’re seeing encouraging interest in our titles ahead of the market, so we expect a busy few days in Cannes.
The global demand for Turkish series remains strong, although buyers are clearly becoming more selective. Today, having a good story alone is not enough; the cast, production quality, positioning of the title and its suitability for each market all play an important role.
Turkish drama already has a well-established international audience, but we’re also seeing interest in different genres and tones. Our catalogue this year reflects that diversity. For us, MIPCOM is also an important opportunity to understand how buyers’ needs are evolving and where new opportunities are developing across different markets.
Newly added to your catalogue, Salted Love stands out as an international romantic comedy that brings together humor, romance, and a strong cast. It has sparked significant curiosity among viewers from its very first episode. In an international market where Turkish dramas are predominant, how do you see the reception and potential of this kind of warm and dynamic romantic comedy among global buyers?
Salted Love is an important addition to our catalogue and has already generated considerable interest both in Türkiye and among our international partners. One of its biggest strengths is its cast. It brings together well-known and highly experienced Turkish actors, including some familiar faces returning to television after a long absence, which created considerable interest even before the premiere.
Turkish series have built a very strong international position through drama, and drama will naturally remain an important part of the market. At the same time, we believe there is room for romantic stories again that bring together humor, warmth and strong family dynamics.
Another new addition to your catalogue, Love in the Ashes, has also made a strong debut. What kind of story, tone, and atmosphere can viewers expect from the series? What do you see as the key elements that will make this series stand out in the international market?
Love in the Ashes brings together many of the elements that international audiences have traditionally connected with in Turkish drama: love, family dynamics, secrets, conflict and, at the heart of it all, a powerful love story.
Viewers can expect a layered narrative that continues to unfold with every episode, supported by strong performances from Özge Özacar and Murat Ünalmış, both of whom are already familiar to international audiences.
Cappadocia also gives the series a very distinctive atmosphere. The setting is not simply a backdrop; it becomes an important part of the visual identity of the series.
The response in Türkiye has also been remarkable. The series maintained its #1 position across Total, AB and ABC1 with its second episode, while delivering a major ratings increase across all three audience groups. For us, that strong audience response, combined with the story, cast and distinctive setting, gives Love in the Ashes a very strong identity and further strengthens its potential in the international market.
The second season of Ugly, which has generated significant interest on screen, is highly anticipated. Following the momentum achieved by the series in its first season, how will the developments in the story and production in Season 2 be reflected in your global distribution strategy? What are the expectations for Season 2 in the territories that licensed the first season?
Ugly has had a very positive international journey, particularly considering the relatively short run of its first season. The series has already travelled to a number of territories, and we have seen clear interest from our partners in how the story will continue.
Season 2 gives us much more to work with from a distribution perspective. Meryem, played by Derya Pınar Ak, enters a completely new stage of her journey, and her transformation becomes one of the central elements of the new season. At the same time, the emotional core of the series remains very much intact. The relationships, tension and visual identity that defined the first season remain, while the story itself expands significantly.
For the territories that already licensed Season 1, we see Season 2 as an opportunity to continue building the title and its audience. For markets where discussions are still ongoing, having a second season also gives us a stronger and more complete package to present to buyers.
As part of MIPCOM in Cannes, you are organizing a special launch event for Ugly. Could you tell us more about the details of this event, which will also be attended by the lead actors and the directors, and the experience it will offer to buyers in Cannes?
Yes. On the second day of the market, we’ll host a special press conference for Ugly with Çağlar Ertuğrul, Derya Pınar Ak and the directors of the series, Burcu Alptekin and Merve Çolak. They’ll talk about the series, the story, the production process, the characters and their own perspective on what makes Ugly connect with audiences. Members of the international press will also have the opportunity to speak directly with the cast and directors.
Later that same evening, we’ll come together with our partners, buyers and members of the press for the global launch of Ugly. The event will mark both the international journey of the series so far and the beginning of its second season. Beyond celebrating the title, it gives us an opportunity to bring the creative team and our international partners together around the series in Cannes.
How does the competition between global streamers and traditional national broadcasters affect your distribution processes? When determining the licensing strategy for a production, how do you strike a balance between digital platforms and linear TV channels?
We work closely with both global streaming platforms and traditional TV broadcasters, so our distribution strategy is based on finding the right balance between the two rather than prioritizing one over the other. We often work with a windowing strategy, with the approach varying depending on the territory, the rights available, the platform and the dynamics of each market.
The format and length of the series also play an important role. For example, shorter series can sometimes be more suitable for streaming platforms, while longer-running series may have stronger potential for linear television. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach. We evaluate every title separately and build the licensing strategy around the content, territory, available rights and the way audiences consume content in that particular market. The objective is always to protect the long-term value of the rights while maximizing the commercial potential of the title.
It is not only new projects that continue to attract attention; cult titles from Calinos’ extensive library also remain in demand in international markets. What are your thoughts on the continued success of your library titles in being repeatedly showcased on global platforms or FAST TV channels?
Absolutely. Our library titles continue to be an important part of our international business, with a number of series still attracting audiences years after their original release. Series such as That’s My Life (O Hayat Benim), Feriha (Adını Feriha Koydum) and In Spite of Love (İnadına Aşk) are great examples. They have performed particularly well on platforms in the U.S. Hispanic market, while also continuing to find audiences on linear television globally.
What this demonstrates is that the commercial life of a successful series can extend far beyond its original broadcast. There is still a strong appetite for classic Turkish series, and audiences continue to connect with the characters, emotions and storytelling.
For platforms and FAST channels, these titles also offer the advantage of an established track record while giving a new generation of viewers the opportunity to discover them. From a distribution perspective, a strong library is therefore not simply a catalogue of older titles; it remains an active asset that can continue to create value across new platforms, windows and markets.
