Significant Growth of the Russian Film Industry in the Middle East

Mid-November, the Russian film industry representatives showcased their latest works to international buyers at the Dubai International Content Market DICM 2024, the major industry event in the MENA region. Organized by ROSKINO with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Russian Content Worldwide stand managed to showcase all the Russia-based stakeholders. Twenty national film companies presented over 110 movies, series and animated films to drive sales to potential customers.

The top results are as follows: the sale of the huge animated hit Moonzy: Homecoming to the Middle East, North Africa and Mongolia CTB Film Company sold, as well as further talks to sell the animated film to Turkey; a proposal from a Malaysia-based film company to co-produce a psychological thriller film and the negotiations regarding the movie Fog with five other countries (Vstrecha Studio). An agreement between Russia Television and Radio and leading TV channels in Tanzania and Ethiopia was reached, which will allow them to broadcast a heap of romance movies such as The Color of Pomegranate. We can observe a burning interest in such titles as Red Silk, Ice 3, Vasiliy (Art Pictures Distribution) among UAE and Indian companies. Terra Anima held discussions concerning the possibility of co-producing animated films with Iran and the UAE. The romantic comedy The Oligarch Driver (Pimanov and Partners) caught the eye of VOD platforms and TV channels from the UAE, India, Turkey and Spain. Planeta Inform Film Distribution discussed selling Anna’s Feelings, Centaur and other films, to the countries of the MENA region, the Baltic States, and the SAARC region. Turkey and the Middle Eastern countries have shown an increased interest in the movie A Dog named Palma 2 (Mars Media Entertainment). A number of animated series like Rockoons, The Secrets of Honey Hills, Oomka & Me (SMF Animation) fascinated the major market players of the MENA region – Dubai TV, Oman TV, Abu Dhabi Media. Other important market results include interest in the animated series Puppies & Kittens (Digital Television Russia) and the discussion of coproduction with India, Malaysia and Philippines (ROCK Films).

Russia-based film companies arranged more than 400 meetings with foreign content buyers. The international partners highlighted the diversity of Russian movie genres, not to mention high-tech cinematography, gripping plots, and general emphasis on family values and traditions which are so important to the Middle Eastern audience, as well as praised the easy availability of many animated projects both in series and feature film format.

Russian companies revealed a strong demand for super high budget action films and series with a plot that is clear for audiences of all ages, as well as thrillers, dramas, romance movies, animation for preschoolers, historical series and documentaries about Russian history, nature and travelling, dramas and thrillers, action series.

Over 900 attendees from 70+ countries were welcomed to the DICM market, reaffirming it as the industry’s largest event within the MENA region.

Feature films

Art Pictures Distribution officials said that during the event they have concluded several agreements that could lead to more deals in the near future. The company organized meetings with colleagues from the UAE, India, Oman, Türkiye, South Korea, all of which made special note of the films Red Silk, Vasiliy, Ice 3, among others.

It was stressed by the CTB Film Company that there have been ongoing discussions about the feature films The Wish of Fairy Fish and The Enchanted Tinderbox with local distributors in the Middle East and Africa. These regions are looking forward to the purchase of different types of rights to these films – starting from in-flight entertainment rights (for airlines) to TV and VOD licenses.

The comic-book-based blockbuster Major Grom: the Game, marketed by Plus Studio, has been of great interest to TV channels from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Morocco and post-Soviet countries.

As usual, a lot of attention was given to Central Partnership Sales House’s projects from buyers in the MENA region and Asia. The film studio premiered a number of titles, including such newcomers to the market such as The Wizard of the Emerald City. Part 1, The Last Ronin, The Poet and etc.

Fog, a psychological thriller shot by Vstrecha Studio, appealed to an exhaustive list of purchasers from China, Türkiye, UAE, Egypt, Malaysia, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, South Korea, Chile, Morocco, and Jordan. Negotiations with five countries on that matter are currently pending. In addition, director Natalia Gugueva, who introduced the motion picture in Dubai, received an offer from Malaysia to do a collaborative film in a similar style, she said.

Pimanov and Partners noted that the main focus for foreign distributors, representatives of VOD platforms and TV channels from the UAE, India, Türkiye, Spain turned out to be a romantic comedy The Oligarch Driver. The genre of the project itself, the beautiful camerawork and breathtaking views of Moscow captured the attention of their foreign colleagues.

As for spokespeople from Planeta Inform Film Distribution, they are hoping to strike deals soon. In the course of meetings with potential partners, the film company raised the question of selling its projects to Middle Eastern and North African countries, as well as to the Baltic states and the member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Of the utmost interest to foreign companies were Anna’s Feelings and Centaur, a drama and a thriller, respectively.

A Dog named Palma 2 has also received an eyeful from the Middle East and Türkiye, Mars Media Entertainment reported. Company officials indicated a greater attendance rate than last year’s meeting. Plenty of buyers from Morocco, Türkiye, Egypt, Spain and other countries were present, not to mention those from the UAE.

The films of the ROCK FILMS studio (The Flying Ship and others) also aroused interest. ROCK FILMS also said that discussions are underway for potential co-productions with India, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Original and made-for-TV series

Russia Television and Radio, one of the largest Russian media holding, promoted its cooperation with the largest broadcasters and platforms in the region. For example, Dubai TV expressed its genuine willingness to keep broadcasting a lineup of Russian romance dramas dubbed into Arabic. MBC Group (UAE), Azam Media (Tanzania), Kana Television (Ethiopia), ZEE (India) and others are also committed to acquiring licenses for Russian melodramas and historical series. The team at Russia Television and Radio noted that a collection of short melodramas (The Color of Pomegranate), costume historical series, film adaptations of Russian literature masterpieces and multi-genre documentaries are in demand. An adventure film series (Syria. History of Civilization), nature shows and informative documentaries (Space Flight: Towards the Sun, Space Flight: Jupiter’s Magnetism) boast their own special appeal. In fact, vast opportunities are opening up in licensing various content dubbed into English, Arabic and Urdu to digital platforms.

DICM market proved to be successful for NTV Broadcasting Company too. A series called Five Minutes of Silence. Mountains and Sea, as well as historical dramas and action series, tempted appetites of distributors, TV channels and online platforms from Arab states and Southeast Asian countries.

One of the most popular Russian series of 2023 named Street Creed: Blood and Concrete drew the audience from the UAE, India, Oman, Türkiye, South Korea, and the Baltic states. The series was presented at DICM by Art Pictures Distribution.

The demand for Russian documentary films in the DICM market remained large as well. For example, S Sales House shared insights into how representatives from Türkiye, China, South Korea and the UAE are focusing their attention on the new docuseries Intriguing Secrets of Anna Karenina. It was noted by Pimanov and Partners that the The Unknown Kremlin series generated the interest of foreign partners thanks to excellent cinematography and cutting-edge technologies used to reproduce the Moscow Kremlin architecture as it is.

Animated films

SMF Animation hosted a number of meetings in Dubai with firms from Iran, Iraq, Korea, Chile and other states, including renowned market participants from the MENA region: Dubai TV, Oman TV, Rotana, Abu Dhabi Media and etc. Animated series as Rockoons, The Secrets of Honey Hills, Oomka & Me, as well as new feature-length releases, stirred up quite a bit of interest.

Reportedly, Voronezh Animation Studio held talks with distributors, VOD platforms and TV channels officials from the the MENA region, as well as Asian and European ones. When it comes to the The Steel Family. Brotherhood vs Gold project, foreign buyers noted the presence of down-home values familiar to the audiences in the regions mentioned earlier. Arctic Heroes mesmerize local viewers with their exciting adventures amidst snowy scenery.

The latest feature-length New-Year’s cartoon Kids-e-Cats. New Year Film (Art Pictures Distribution) caught the eye of film studios from the UAE, India, Oman, Turkey, South Korea and the Baltic states.

Digital Television Russia hosted meetings with partners from Pakistan, India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and other countries. There seemed to be a considerable enthusiasm for the project Puppies & Kittens released by Parovoz Animation Studio.

Terra Anima’s main project Tugan Batyr became a hot topic for Free TV and Pay TV broadcasters based in the UAE, India, Singapore and Estonia. The company also established contacts with Iran and the UAE for potential co-productions.

According to the YARKO Animation Company, customers were intrigued by projects for little kids and older ones alike. Purchasers from various countries (UAE, Egypt, India, Singapore, Spain, etc.) were very much impressed with the versatility of the animated film offerings. They were also introduced to projects like Team M.A.T.C.H., Dragonia and others.

As far as Roy Entertainment is concerned, DICM emerged as a very productive market for the company. Indian distributors, TV networks for kids in areas of the Arab World, along with various airline distributors have displayed much curiosity about the Super Meow animated series.

KinoAtis anticipates multiple profitable deals by the end of DICM. While in Dubai, the Russian film company unveiled the animated series Space Dogs. Cosmic Adventure.