BLOOMING LADY BLOSSOMS AROUND THE WORLD
Oct 23,2024
MADD is pleased to announce new sales for BLOOMING LADY, one of Türkiye’s top-rated series and the biggest hit of 2024.
BLOOMING LADY is launched in February on Show TV, where it airs under the title Bahar. Within just one month it became Türkiye’s most popular drama, and it soon found buyers in Spain, MENA, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia. Today BLOOMING LADY remains at the top of the ratings, and MADD has announced a dozen new licenses, including Argentina, Chile, Panama, USA and Puerto Rico as well as Bulgaria, Greece, Israel, Montenegro, Russia and CIS, and Uzbekistan.
MADD CELEBRATES MY WONDERFUL LIFE
Hit Series Sold to Fifteen New Territories
Oct 23,2024
MADD is pleased to announce fifteen new sales for MY WONDERFUL LIFE, Ay Yapim’s hit series about a relentless social climber who will do anything to stay on top.
The series, which aired in Turkey under the title Şahane Hayatım, was already licensed in Spain, Mena, Hungary, Macedonia, and Africa. Today MADD announced new deals covering Argentina, Chile, Panama, Peru, the USA and Puerto Rico as well as Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Montenegro, Russia and CIS countries and Uzbekistan.
MADD SHARES DIRTY LAUNDRY
Over a Dozen Territories Sold as Series Enters Second Season
Oct 23,2024
MADD is pleased to announce impressive new sales for DIRTY LAUNDRY, Medyapim’s hit drama about the cleaners, caregivers and household help who work behind the scenes to make a wealthy lifestyle possible and how they climb the stairs and become one of them.
The series, which is in its second season and airs Sunday nights on Turkey’s top-rated NOW network, features universal themes that connect with audiences around the world. DIRTY LAUNDRY had already been licensed to Spain, MENA, Kazakhstan and Romania. Today MADD announced it had concluded new deals in Argentina, Chile, Panama, Peru, as well as Albania, Israel, Russia and CIS.
MADD & VARIETY ANNOUNCE SUPER SERIES RU
An Exceptional Mediterranean Love Story from Medyapım
Oct 22,2024
MADD Entertainment today introduced RU, Medyapim’s premium drama about a young man and his much older lover which premiered this May. The series was introduced at a special panel on The Future of Turkish Storytelling held in conjunction with Variety at Mipcom, the world’s premiere television market.
RU is an eight-episode super series about a young boy and his romance with a married woman 20 years his senior. These very different series are part of a recent movement taking Turkish storytelling beyond melodrama to explore new genres, new formats, and new platforms. There to discuss the groundbreaking series were Medyapım President Fatih Aksoy and RU lead actress Meryem Uzerli as well as MADD Managing Director Ateş İnce.
RU is a drama outside the norm of Turkish primetime. The eight-part series, which debuted on Türkiye’s Gain platform, chronicles an extraordinary love affair. The boy’s mother is battling cancer when he falls in love with a married woman who runs a local restaurant. Despite the age difference and the social pressures in their small Aegean town, their love blossoms.
“This show is great for digital platforms,” said producer Fatih Aksoy. “The Turkish platform [Gain] is very happy with the first season. We are about to produce the second season for them, and we think it will work well abroad.”
“Meryem Uzerli is someone I loved before. Now I love her more!” Aksoy enthused. “You should see her performance.”
Uzerli, best known for her work on Magnificent Century, played RU’s older love interest. “When I read a script, what I look for the most is: how alive does the character make me feel! This is a good question: what are the things in our own lives that make us feel alive? When I was reading Reyan, her emotional ups and downs felt very real to me and I said okay, giving her life for a few months made me feel alive and alive too. So it wasn't the age difference that attracted me... It was Reyan who was different”
Looking ahead, MADD Entertainment’s Ateş İnce believes that these diverse projects will help change the perception of Turkish drama and build bridges to a wider audience. “I think Türkiye is very good at telling love stories at classical Turkish dramas. But RU is much more different than a classical love story. I believe it will open new markets for us, also with the help of Meryem’s distinguishing performance and presence in the series”.
MADD & VARIETY INTRODUCE EL TURCO TO THE WORLD
Ay Yapim’s Premium Series Unveiled
TIME TO MEET A LEGENDARY HERO: AN OTTOMAN JANISSARY
Oct 22,2024
MADD Entertainment hosted the world premiere of the trailer for EL TURCO, Ay Yapim’s latest premium series, at a special panel which was held at the Carlton during MIPCOM, the television industry’s premiere market.
MADD joined with Variety to discuss how new approaches to storytelling are extending Turkish Drama’s reach – particularly in the English-speaking world. Participants included Ay Yapım CEO Kerem Çatay and Can Yaman who played the title role in EL TURCO, an atypical historical drama featuring an English-speaking cast from nine different countries and an award-winning crew from across Europe and North America.
EL TURCO combines history, action-adventure and romance in a premium package that will seem very familiar but it also brings something brand new to western viewers: A new hero; An Ottoman Janissary.
“We were initially going to shoot in Turkish. Going forward in English was a big decision,” said producer Kerem Çatay, who went well beyond his comfort zone as EL TURCO grew into a passion project. “Everything was so right once we cast Can [Yaman]. He was the right guy for this project and that made it perfect. After he came in, and we assembled this incredible European crew, we just went bigger during preproduction.
Can Yaman, who plays the title role, is a popular actor known for his romantic dramas. “For me, this was something entirely different,” said Yaman. “For two months I was riding horses three hours a day, training so many hours a week. The conditions were challenging but the results are great.”
“It’s funny,” Yaman added, “I never had a chance to work with Ay Yapim in Türkiye. Then they came to me in Italy.” Yaman had relocated there several years prior. “The project matched my objectives because of the international cast,” he said.
As the world’s third-largest exporter of scripted content behind the United States and UK, Türkiye has had an enormous impact on the media landscapes of Latin America, the Middle East, Central Europe and even Southeast Asia. And today Turkish producers are experimenting with super-series in different genres that may help grow their English-speaking audience. EL TURCO is a case in point. Many things set it apart from the typical Turkish drama, making for a mix of action, adventure, and romance very much in line with western tastes. Shot entirely in Hungary’s famous Korda Studios, the six-episode super series is based on the legend of La Turchia, a festival which has been celebrated for over 300 years in the Italian village of Moena. According to tradition, an Ottoman janissary, wounded at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, ended up in Moena. He became a hero, leading the villagers in an uprising against the crushing taxes of their Habsburg lord. A statue of that janissary stands in the village center today.
“Everybody wants to have EL TURCO, but we have to have the right partner for each territory,” said Ateş İnce, Managing director of Madd. “Right now more than a dozen countries are in discussions for this show.” İnce added that a key challenge will come from coordinating the global release, which will take place simultaneously in early 2025.”
To bring EL TURCO to life, Ay Yapim paired Yaman with award-winning actors from across Europe, including Greta Ferro (Lo E Mio Fratello), Will Kemp (Reign), Sai Bennet (Mr. Selfridge), Kieran O’Reilly (Vikings), Nigel Pilkington (The King’s Man), Veronica Ferres (Die Frau vom Checkpoint Charlie), Magnus Samuelsson (The Witcher), Haluk Piyes (Malazgirt 1071), Slavko Sobin (Papillon), David Nykl (Supernatural), and Madalena Aragao (Quero Destino). The series is written by Kerem Deren (Kurşun, Ezel) and Çişil Hazal Tenim (Kurşun) and helmed by veteran director Uluç Bayraktar (The Choice, Crash).
Along with a star-studded cast, producer Çatay brought together a world-class team to elevate EL TURCO beyond any other Turkish historical drama, including Emmy Award-winning production designer Domenico Sica (Rome, Moon Knight), costume designer Carlo Poggioli (The New Pope, The Mists of Avalon), digital artist Onur Can Çaylı (Sol Invictus, Game of Thrones), make-up artist Diego Prestopino (L’Ombra del Giorno, Ben Hur), hair and wig designer Desiderria Corridoni (No Time to Die, Marie Antionette), and action director Levente Lezsàk (The Last Kingdom, The Witcher).
Series Description
The Battle of Vienna marked the end of the Ottoman Empire’s westward expansion – and, for one janissary, a whole new life. Before the battle was lost, Balaban Aga was condemned to death in a brutal act of betrayal. He manages to escape but is gravely injured. When Balaban comes to, it’s in the remote village of Moena, high in the Italian Alps. The woman who nurses him back to health is but the first of many villagers to show Balaban kindness, and before long he settles into his new home.
“El Turco” becomes a protector of the village, helping them resist their feudal lord’s brutal taxes. Things escalate until one of his old enemies, the ruthless knight Marco, turns up, and Balaban must assemble a team for the final showdown. A witch turns into a healer, a homeless girl becomes the first female janissary, and a one-armed blacksmith emerges as the village savior to help El Turco fight for Moena.
In the panel discussion, attendees were treated to the world premiere of the EL TURCO trailer, now available online https://madd.tv/contents/detail/129. EL TURCO will premiere worldwide on February 2025.
MADD BRINGS THE BIGGEST SERIES TO CANNES
A Great Slate of New Turkish Dramas Launched at Mipcom
Oct 21,2024
MADD Entertainment is pleased to announce an exciting new slate of the very best Turkish Dramas for this year’s Mipcom, including the forthcoming PORTRAIT OF A SCANDALOUS FAMILY and FAR AWAY as well as the ongoing series LAND OF LOVE, THE GOOD & THE BAD, LEYLA, HERE COMES THE SUN and last season’s hit BLOOMING LADY.
PORTRAIT OF A SCANDALOUS FAMILY is based on the true story of the Şakir Paşa dynasty, an illustrious Ottoman family shattered by scandal only to give rise to some of the 20th century’s greatest artists. In 1911, Şakir Paşa was a retired Ottoman commander and history writer living on an island called Büyükada, when his eldest son Cevat returned from Oxford with an Italian wife. But Cevat’s wife became infatuated with the older man, and he was unable to resist. So began a chain of events that tore the Şakir Paşa family apart – which is just the beginning of their remarkable story.
In the decades to follow, Cevat Şakir became “The Fisherman of Halicarnassus,” one of Turkey’s most beloved writers and the man who introduced Bodrum to the world. Meanwhile, his glamorous sisters developed into thoroughly modern women and fixtures of Istanbul’s art scene. Fahrunnisa became an internationally renowned painter, went on to marry a prince and Aliye was wildly famous as Turkey’s first female engraver, but a tragic love affair brought both of them a life of misery. Later generations brought many more important artists whose work is known throughout the world. The Şakir Paşa family has left an indelible mark on Turkish art history.
PORTRAIT OF A SCANDALOUS FAMILY features an all-star cast, including Vahide Gördüm (Bitterlands, Mother), Meryem Uzerli (Magnificent Century), Fırat Tanış (Farah, Evermore), and Devrim Yakut (Dirty Laundry, Chrysalis). The series is written by acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Hande Altaylı (Woman, Mercy) and helmed by Bahadır Karataş, who directed RU. The new Medyapim drama premieres this fall on Türkiye’s top-rated NOW network.
FAR AWAY is the story of Alya Albora, who arrives in the border town of Albora, a small village on Mardin’s Syrian border. She has come from Canada with her son, Deniz, to bury her husband, and that’s when she meets his family for the first time. She soon realizes it will not be so easy to leave. The Albora family, who gave their name to the village, is surrounded by various enemies driven by revenge and ambition. Alya’s brother-in-law, Cihan Albora, is dedicated to protecting his family. On the one hand, he faces a threat from his uncle Ecmel, who holds a long-simmering grudge. On the other hand, he needs to hold off the Baybars family, with whom the Alboras have been feuding for years.
His brother’s death has weakened the family, and Cihan has no intention of letting go of Alya’s son Deniz. As Alya’s awareness grows, she becomes more determined to escape. However, her mother-in-law, Sadakat, is determined to prevent her. Meanwhile, Cihan will find himself protecting Alya in a way he never expected after learning a certain truth about her.
FAR AWAY is an Ay Yapim production adapted from the international hit series Al Hayba by Cedars Art Production (Sabbah Brothers) and written by Gülizar Irmak (Ömer, Time Goes By). It features Ozan Akbaba (The Father, Kuzey Güney), Sinem Ünsal (A Miracle, My Little Girl), Gonca Cilasun (Street Birds), Müfit Kayacan (A Fairy Tale, Brave and Beautiful) and Alper Çankaya (The Family, Our Father). The series is in production and will launch soon on Kanal D under the title UZAK ŞEHİR.
LAND OF LOVE is the story of Deniz and Arhan, two young people from vastly different worlds, who fall in love despite their different backgrounds. Deniz, a vibrant doctor from Izmir, becomes hopelessly entangled with Arhan, a hotelier from the mystical land of Cappadocia. As their romance blossoms, Deniz is introduced to Arhan’s family, only to discover that their union is fraught with peril. Arhan’s powerful grandfather, Hakim, has already arranged his marriage to a woman from another prominent clan, and this clash of familial duty versus personal desire sets the stage for an explosive conflict.
Their impending wedding, meant to be a fairy tale celebration, turns into a nightmare when the evening ends in a shocking murder, leaving Deniz and Arhan’s love tainted by tragedy. With the city of Cappadocia in upheaval and Deniz branded as the source of their strife, Arhan vows to uncover the truth behind the murder, even as his own family’s opposition grows. As Deniz grapples with being an unwanted bride and Arhan fights to prove the purity of their love, they face a tumultuous road ahead. Can their love withstand the tests of betrayal and scandal, or will the shadows of Cappadocia forever alter their fate?
LAND OF LOVE has a top-flight cast including Halil Ergün (Leaf Cast), Özgü Kaya (Three Sisters) and Burak Berkay Akgül (Safir, Destan).The series is produced by Boyut Film and Medyapim and is broadcast in primetime on Kanal D.
THE GOOD & THE BAD is an ongoing series from Ay Yapim airing in primetime on Show TV, where it is broadcast under the Turkish title Deha. Devran's life takes a dramatic turn from poverty to prestige when his genius is discovered, and he solves a thousand-year-old math problem to earn a prestigious position at a top U.S. university. Raised in a ghetto with his mother, grandmother, siblings and his first love Esme. Devran’s success seems to be his ticket from hardship. At the same time, his estranged father, İskender, a notorious con artist, is on the brink of a lucrative investment that could secure his wealth and power.
The tension escalates when Devran’s brother sets out to find his father İskender, prompting the con artist to drag his son into a perilous scheme that threatens the whole family. Furious and determined to avenge his family's suffering, Devran turns his back on a new life in the U.S. to confront İskender. Armed with his brilliance and a deep-seated desire for justice, Devran faces his father in a high-stakes battle where his ruthless intelligence is pitted against İskender’s deceit and ambition.
THE GOOD & THE BAD is written by Damla Serim (The Bad Penny, The Pit) and directed by Umut Aral (Who Were We Running From, The Protector). It features a cast of international stars, including Aras Bulut İynemli (The Pit, Insider), Melis Sezen (Gülcemal, A Woman Scorned), Taner Ölmez (A Miracle, Medcezir), Ahsen Eroğlu (The Agency, Kuzgun), Onur Saylak (No Mercy, Crash, Kuzgun), Uğur Polat (Family Secrets), and Seda Akman (My Wonderful Life).
LEYLA is a new hit series that launched this season on Turkiye’s NOW network. Young Leyla's life spirals into disaster when her father, Hilmi, marries Nur, the beautiful young woman who once cared for Leyla’s late mother. Blinded by love, Hilmi doesn’t see the torment Leyla’s new stepmother inflicts on her, turning their home into a living nightmare. Tragically, Hilmi realizes too late that Nur is not who she seems, paying for his mistake with his life. Left homeless and alone, Leyla swears revenge on the woman who destroyed her family and stole her life.
Years later, Leyla returns under the guise of Ela, a talented chef hired by Nur, who is now living in luxury with her new partner, former football star Tufo. But things take a complicated turn when Leyla's childhood savior, Cino, reappears in her life as Civan, Nur's adopted son. As Leyla's thirst for revenge clashes with her rekindled feelings for Civan, long-buried family secrets come to light, forcing everyone to confront the wreckage of their past.
LEYLA, adapted from Brasil’s phenomenal series Avenida Brasil, is a ratings powerhouse driven by a wonderful cast including Cemre Baysel (Twist of Fate), Alperen Duymaz (Crash, Last Summer), Yiğit Kirazcı (All About Marriage), Halil İbrahim Ceyhan (Dirty Laundry, Legacy), Gonca Vuslateri (Mother), Cengiz Bozkurt (Black Board), and Zeyno Eracar (Family Secrets, Endless Love).
HERE COMES THE SUN is a premium daily drama series currently airing on Kanal D. Güneş has just graduated from university and is ready to start a new life in London, but those dreams are shattered when her brother is sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. To save her brother, Güneş sets a trap for Ayaz, the man who framed him. She infiltrates his life and eventually stirs feelings in Ayaz he thought were long past him. As Ayaz falls deeply, madly in love with Güneş, she finds it harder and harder to resist her own feelings. Caught between love and revenge, Ayaz and Güneş embark on an impossible affair fueled by secrets, lies and forbidden passion.
PORTRAIT OF A SCANDALOUS FAMILY, FAR AWAY, LAND OF LOVE, THE GOOD & THE BAD, LEYLA, and HERE COMES THE SUN are distributed to the international market exclusively by MADD Entertainment. For more information about these and other top Turkish titles, contact your MADD representative or visit www.madd.tv.
MADD ABOUT CEE, AFRICA & CIS
Madd Announces Strong Sales for NATPE Budapest
Jun 25,2024
MADD Entertainment, the world’s leading distributor of Turkish dramas, is pleased to announce strong sales across CEE, CIS and Africa for its summer slate, including international best sellers The Family, Wild Heart, My Wonderful Life, Dirty Laundry and the red-hot Blooming Lady and Remember. The distributor made the announcement at NATPE Budapest, the region’s number one television trade show.
MADD boasts the best slate in the business, with most of Türkiye’s top-rated series. “It has been a very successful season for us in Turkiye,” said CIS & Asia & Africa Senior Sales Manager Salmi Gambarova. “It is extremely rewarding to see our local success translate to international success!”
One of the top series of the year is The Family, featuring Türkiye’s most famous stars Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ (Crash, Brave & Beautiful, Forbidden Love) and Serenay Sarıkaya (Phi, Medcezir) in a romantic drama where love, crime, and therapy meet. The Ay Yapim drama has been a strong seller in CEE & CIS, with deals already set in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania and Moldova.
Another popular drama is Wild Heart, which tells the remarkable story of Ali, who was kidnapped as a boy but eventually finds his way to his wealthy birth family. Broadcast as Yabani in Turkiye, this NOW series has already found a home in Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia, as well as Africa. The series features many stars, including Halit Özgür Sarı (For My Family), Dolunay Soysert (One More Chance, Wings of Love), Simay Barlas (Ömer), Bertan Asllani (All About Marriage), Yurdaer Okur (Family Secrets), and Osman Alkaş (Heart of the City).
My Wonderful Life is the hit series from Ay Yapim known in Türkiye as Şahane Hayatım. The series stars Hilal Altınbilek (Bitterlands, Black Rose) as Şebnem—an anti-heroine born from adversity—who claws her way to the top of society’s ladder with a dash of plastic surgery and unwavering ambition along with Onur Tuna (Hidden Truth, A Miracle) as a mysterious homicide captain and her wealthy husband named Onur, played by Yiğit Özşener (Ezel). My Wonderful Life has seen wonderful sales, including Hungary, Macedonia, as well as Africa.
Another Top 10 hit is Dirty Laundry, a moving portrait of the cleaners, caregivers and household help who work behind the scenes to make a wealthy lifestyle possible. This Medyapim series, which airs in Türkiye as Kirli Sepeti, tells the story of one such group of resilient women whose lives are spent cleaning up the messes left by others. It has already found a home in Kazakhstan and Romania. Dirty Laundry features an all-star ensemble including Ayça Bingöl (As Time Goes By), Ceren Moray (The Teacheri That’s My Life), Devrim Yakut (Chrysalis, Brave & Beautiful), Melisa Döngel (Love Reason Get Even, Love is in the Air), Serkay Tütüncü (The Perfect Tenant) as well as newcomers Cansu Tosun (Lost City) and Halil İbrahim Ceylan (Legacy).
The most-watched drama in Türkiye today is Blooming Lady, the 2024 series that rocketed to #1 on Turkiye’s Show TV, where it airs as Bahar. This heartwarming drama focuses on a stay-at-home mom who goes back to complete the medical residency she gave up 20 years ago to start a family. Now she is a first-year doctor at the same hospital where her husband is Chief Surgeon, but life is hardly a bed of roses for this eager intern. International viewers seem to love Blooming Lady as much as Türkiye’s, and deals have already been concluded in Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Romania and Serbia. The series feature an all-star ensemble including Demet Evgar (Flames of Fate), Mehmet Yılmaz Ak (Family Secrets), Buğra Gülsoy (My Little Girl, Fatmagul) and Hatice Aslan (Farah, Phoenix, Kuzgun).
One recently-concluded deal is for Remember, the Medyapim series about a young man from a poor neighborhood with the unique ability to remember every detail from every moment of his life. His unique condition becomes an asset in his quest to clear his father’s name and take revenge on the men who framed him. The series will soon air in Macedonia, its first CEE sale. The series features many stars, including Ekin Koç (The Bad Penny, The Great Seljuks, Magnificent Century), Ozan Güven (The Choice, Phi, Magnificent Century), Bülent Seyran (Fatmagul), Hüseyin Avni Danyal (Family Secrets), Hande Ataizi (Chrysalis), Serra Arıtürk (The Club, Recipe of Love) and Burak Yörük (Love, Reason, Get Even, Nehir).
While NATPE Budapest offers the opportunity to celebrate MADD’s success in CEE, Spring has been a good season for Africa as well, with deals announced for My Wonderful Life and Wild Heart.
Senior Sales Manager for MENA & CEE Alaa Elabasy said, “It has been a pleasure to continue our strong relationships with our partners this season and continue to cater to the needs of broadcasters and audiences across the world.”
TURKISH DRAMA BLOSSOMS IN LATAM
MADD Brings Record-Setting Series Blooming Lady to Telemundo
May 16,2024
MADD Entertainment announced at LA Screenings Independents that Türkiye’s #1 drama would be coming to the United States on Telemundo, one of the leading media companies serving Hispanics in the US and around the world.
BLOOMING LADY, broadcast locally under the title Bahar, is one of Türkiye’s highest-rated drama series of the past five years. The female-led drama has become a true phenomenon and is #1 for both men and women across all demos. The series’ audience continues to grow, with the 11th episode achieving a whopping 35.44% share of primetime viewers in the competitive ABC+20 demo.
“Telemundo is one of MADD’s strongest broadcast partners, so it only makes sense that Türkiye’s hottest title in years will have a home there,” said Özlem Özsümbül, MADD’s Head of Sales. “We know that BLOOMING LADY is in good hands. With their help, it will reach millions more viewers across the Western Hemisphere. We are confident that the series will also perform very well around the world and will be appreciated by the international audiences just as well as in Türkiye”
MADD and Telemundo first teamed up in 2018 to bring My Little Girl to the US Hispanic market, where it dominated its timeslot under the title Todo Por Mi Hija. The appetite for Turkish drama has only grown since then, with many of Türkiye’s top titles appearing under the Telemundo banner, including A Woman Scorned, Abandoned, All About Marriage, Be My Sunshine, Family Secrets, Flames of Fate, Gülcemal, Hidden Truth, Love is in the Air, Love Storm, My Dad My Hero and The Family.
MADD LICENSED 4 NEW TITLES TO ITALY
A Big Future in Italy
May 15,2024
MADD Entertainment, the world’s leading distributor of Turkish dramas, is pleased to announce record sales in Italy, one of Europe’s hottest growth markets and licensed four new titles to Mediaset.
“Following Spain, Italy has become the major market for MADD in Western Europe,” according to Özlem Özsümbül, MADD’s Head of Sales. “The fact that we have four strong series set to debut there gives me great confidence. We see a big future in Italy. As MADD we are so happy to work with Mediaset in Italy again.”
Among the series soon to air on Mediaset are The Family (Featuring Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ, Serenay Sarıkaya), If You Love (Featuring Kerem Bürsin, Hafsanur Sancaktutan), Gülcemal (Featuring Murat Ünalmış, Melis Sezen) and the International Emmy-winning series Family Secrets (Featuring Kaan Urgancıoğlu, Pınar Deniz). There’s every reason to expect these new titles will perform well in Italy, as other top and most loved MADD title Love is in the Air did.
MADD LICENSED 6 FRESH TITLES OF THIS SEASON TO MENA
Quick Turnaround Brings Fresh Hit Series to Region
Apr 09,2024
MADD Entertainment is pleased to announce that 2024 has seen massive growth in the company’s business across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), making it one of MADD’s top sales regions.
Sales have increased across the board, including various free tv and digital platforms covering over 20 countries in the region. Today’s growth has been led by new series that only launched this season but are already airing in MENA, including hit dramas Wild Heart, My Wonderful Life, The Brave, Dirty Laundry, No Mercy and Blooming Lady which recently premiered in Turkey. Many of these series are broadcast right after their Turkish debut, a strategy that takes into account today’s interconnected audience and has helped drive ratings for both in linear and non-linear broadcasters across MENA.
“MENA has always been an important market for MADD,” said Managing Director Ateş İnce. “These countries have a long relationship with Turkish drama, and their viewers expect the very best. With our top-rated series and quick turnaround, MADD is uniquely suited to meet that demand.”
MADD LICENSED 5 FRESH TITLES OF THIS SEASON TO SPAIN
Strong Growth Leads to a Record-Setting Year in Spain
Apr 09,2024
MADD Entertainment is pleased to announce a record-setting year in Spain, with a most of its newest hit series already sold and set to debut in primetime.
Spain has been Europe’s strongest market for Turkish drama, but 2024 will reach new heights, thanks to MADD. Five of its newest ongoing series have already been sold to Spain and will soon be broadcast. Wild Heart, My Wonderful Life, The Brave, Dirty Laundry and Blooming Lady, all debuted to very good ratings in Türkiye and continue to rank among the country’s one of the most popular dramas.
The addition of these five series will give MADD an unprecedented footprint in Spain. “We’ve invested a lot of care in building our business there,” said Managing Director Ateş İnce. “We believe in the long-term future of Turkish drama in Spain, and we work closely with our broadcast partners to help grow the audience on a steady, sustainable basis.”
There’s every reason to expect these new titles will perform well in Spain, as have other MADD titles including A Miracle, A Woman Scorned, All About Marriage, Be My Sunshine, Flames of Fate, Hidden Truth, Love, Reason, Get Even, Love is in the Air, My Little Girl, Nehir, One More Chance, and The Family– not to mention the International Emmy-winning Family Secrets, which is performing so well.
MADD BRINGS THE HITS TO MIPTV
Impressive Drama Slate by Madd
Apr 08,2024
MADD Entertainment is pleased to present its strongest slate yet at this year’s MIPTV in Cannes. Along with primetime hits like WILD HEART, THE BRAVE, DIRTY LAUNDRY, and MY WONDERFUL LIFE are brand new sensations like NO MERCY, REMEMBER, and ratings sensation BLOOMING LADY – Türkiye’s #1 series across all demographic groups.
BLOOMING LADY is a fresh hit series and Türkiye’s most popular drama today. Over eight episodes, ratings grow impressively which makes the series a mid-season marvel for Show TV, where it airs as Bahar.
When stay-at-home mother Bahar faces a life-threatening illness, she decides to make some changes in her life. She goes back to complete the medical residency she had to give up 20 years ago, even though that means working under her husband, the Chief Surgeon, and with her son, another first-year resident. Neither they nor her teenage daughter are happy about it, but Bahar finds satisfaction in her new life. Unfortunately, returning to the hospital also means learning some hard truths about her husband and the life he’s been leading away from their family. Ultimately, Bahar rebuilds her life along new lines filled with hope, love, and self-reliance.
BLOOMING LADY is based on a 2023 Korean drama, Dr. Cha. MF Yapim’s version features Demet Evgar (Flames of Fate) in the title role along with an all-star cast including Buğra Gülsoy (My Little Girl), Mehmet Yılmaz Ak (Family Secrets), Hatice Aslan (Kuzgun), and Ecem Özkaya (Matter of Respect).
REMEMBER is another new hit drama making waves on Wednesday nights on Kanal D, where it’s known by the Turkish title Taş,Kağıt,Makas, adapted from the Korean drama, Remember: War of the Son. The series delves into the life of Umut Tanrikulu, a young man from a poor neighborhood with an extraordinary memory trait called hyperthymesia. His condition allows him to remember every detail from every moment of his life. Whether that’s a blessing or a curse is not yet clear when Umut's life takes a tragic turn. His father, Riza, is falsely accused of murder and cannot defend himself due to his struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Umut, alongside the supportive law student Alev and the enigmatic lawyer Harun, embarks on a relentless quest for justice. As Umut fights to prove his father's innocence, unexpected betrayals and shocking revelations test his resolve, leading to a heartbreaking betrayal during the trial.
Five years later, Umut has become a formidable lawyer, driven by the dual purpose of clearing his father's name and seeking revenge against those who framed him. He takes on any case where he can frustrate Fecir, a path that eventually leads him back to Alev. But time has passed, and many things have changed for both. Will they find the spark that first brought them together all those years ago? The intricate blend of legal drama, personal vendettas, and the overarching theme of memory and its role in the pursuit of truth have made REMEMBER a great drama.
REMEMBER features an all-star ensemble including Ekin Koç (Magnificent Century), Ozan Güven (The Choice, Phi), Bülent Seyran (Fatmagul), Hande Ataizi (Chrysalis), Serra Arıtürk (The Club, Recipe of Love) as well as Burak Yörük (Nehir, Love, Reason, Get Even) and Hüseyin Avni Danyal (Family Secrets)
NO MERCY is an exciting new drama from Ay Yapim airing Friday nights on the NOW network (formerly Fox) under the title Gaddar. The series blends action, romance, and high stakes in a thrilling drama that fans can’t stop talking about. When Aydan broke his heart, Dağhan thought his life was over. He abandoned his home, signed up for the army and ended up in a special unit fighting in the east. Now after two years of hard duty, Dağhan’s service is over. It’s time to come home.
But home is not as Dağhan remembers it. His family is shattered, and his old neighborhood has given way to a dark underworld. Aydan is gone, and even the old friends who remain all seem to be caught up in shady pursuits. When his loved ones come into danger, Dağhan reluctantly accepts an offer to become a professional hitman. But even a hitman needs a code, and sometimes extraordinary circumstances can turn an ordinary man into a hero – especially when Aydan suddenly reappears in Dağhan’s life.
NO MERCY is a rollercoaster of emotions, taking viewers on a thrilling journey through Dağhan’s desperate quest for redemption, his fight to bring his family together, and a rekindled romance that blossoms in the face of danger. Çağatay Ulusoy (Insider, A Girl Named Feriha) heads up an all-star cast, including Sümeyye Aydoğan (Little Big Heart, Hear Me) and Onur Saylak (Crash, Kuzgun).
MY WONDERFUL LIFE is a hit drama from Ay Yapim airing Wednesdays on Türkiye’s top-rated NOW network as Şahane Hayatım. The series stars Hilal Altınbilek (Bitterlands, Black Rose) as Şebnem—an anti-heroine born from adversity—who claws her way to the top of society’s ladder. A scholarship kid at an elite school for the super-rich, no one thought she would make it to their level. But with a dash of plastic surgery and unwavering ambition, Şebnem seizes the ultimate prize: a wealthy husband named Onur, played by Yiğit Özşener (The End, Ezel). Their union promises luxury, privilege, and the envy of all who bear witness. However, the illusion crumbles when the ghosts of Şebnem's past resurface, threatening her picture-perfect existence.
Amidst the glitz and glamour, Şebnem’s life takes a turn as her criminal history comes back to haunt her. Between protecting her family, preserving her status, and reconciling the darkness in her past, Şebnem’s life becomes a twisted dance. From her entanglement with the magnetic homicide captain, Mesut played by Onur Tuna (Hidden Truth, A Miracle), to her rivalry with Onur's haunting ex, Melisa, and the relentless hatred of Aysel, Onur's mother, Şebnem finds herself fighting battles on multiple fronts.
DIRTY LAUNDRY is a drama series from Medyapim airing Sunday nights on NOW under the title Kirli Sepeti. Fans have come out in force for this moving portrait of the cleaners, caregivers and household help who work behind the scenes to make a wealthy lifestyle possible. It is the story of one such group of resilient women whose lives are spent cleaning up the messes left by others.
DIRTY LAUNDRY is the story of one such group of resilient women whose lives are spent cleaning up the messes left by others. Our story begins when Meryem, one of these women, tragically falls to her death while working in a house, an event that goes unnoticed by the people she served. İlkgül, Meryem's friend, and Kahraman, a journalist, join forces to uncover the truth behind Meryem's untimely demise. As they seek justice for Meryem, they also begin to unravel the hidden complexities of the households Meryem and the other ladies serve, shining a light on the walls between "us" and "them" in society.
Meryem’s death is a wakeup call to her friends, each of whom faces their own private challenges. Songül has endured a demanding employer for years after a difficult divorce. For her children’s sake, Songül has endured a demanding employer for years after a difficult divorce. She is like an elder sister, finding jobs and giving advice to all the other ladies. Hayriye seems like a cheerful woman on the surface, taking on all the most challenging jobs and barging in to help everyone with their problems, but her impulsiveness masks a deep sensitivity to others which often brings her pain. Medine, on the other hand, is a moral, conservative woman who silently endures mistreatment to support her sister. But when Medine discovers wrongdoing at her employers’ home, she cannot expose it without destroying their family.
While they initially perceive Meryem's death as an unfortunate incident, the story takes a darker turn as they uncover unsettling secrets within the complex. As İlkgül and Kahraman work together to uncover the truth, they become entangled in a web of hidden realities. The houses these ladies clean may appear spotless, but behind closed doors are many secrets, hidden injustices and forbidden desires.
DIRTY LAUNDRY features an all-star ensemble including Ayça Bingöl (Time Goes By), Ceren Moray (The Teacher), Devrim Yakut (Chrysalis, Brave and Beautiful), Melisa Döngel (Love Reason Get Even, Love is in the Air), Serkay Tütüncü (The Perfect Tenant) as well as Cansu Tosun (Lost City) and Halil İbrahim Ceylan (Legacy).
THE BRAVE has been one of Türkiye’s Top 10 dramas since its fall premiere on NOW, where it airs as Hudutsuz Sevda, thanks to an exciting storyline and star turns from romantic leads Deniz Can Aktaş (The Agency, Love Makes You Cry) and Miray Daner (Wounded Love, One Litre of Tears). The story follows Halil İbrahim Karasu, who returns to the Black Sea village of his birth. Halil was forced to flee when he was just five years old, after his father was murdered by the local crime boss Rızvan Leto. Twenty years later, Halil came home to marry his childhood sweetheart, Yasemin. He is also an undercover agent of the gendarmerie assigned to infiltrate the Leto criminal empire. But when Yasemin is murdered by Rızvan’s son, his mission takes on a whole new direction: Halil becomes a one-man army with the sole purpose of destroying Rızvan Leto.
Halil gains some unexpected allies as he works his way through Rızvan’s criminal operations, including Rızvan’s daughter Zeynep. Zeynep wants to move on from the illegitimate life, and once she learned the truth about what her family did to Halil she had no choice but to help him. Zeynep’s schoolgirl crush on Halil is soon rekindled, and before long she falls madly in love with her father’s enemy – and there is nothing more dangerous than a Black Sea woman in love.
WILD HEART is one of the most popular new Turkish dramas this season, airing Tuesday nights under the title Yabani on NOW. The series follows the remarkable journey of Ali, who was abducted as a boy and ended up working for the gang who kidnapped him. After enduring years of hardship, Ali renames himself Yaman and escapes his captors to build a new, better life together with his three friends. Things are not easy for this new family, but they work hard and are able to leave their dark past behind. Through it all, Yaman somehow manages to keep his soul pure and never succumbs to the darkness that surrounds him.
Things get complicated when Yaman meets Rüya, a beautiful girl from the rich side of town. Her
boyfriend nearly overdosed, and it’s up to Yaman to save him. He delivers Rüya’s boyfriend to the same hospital where his father is a senior doctor. Later, after the boyfriend beats up Yaman’s best friend in retaliation for exposing his drug problem, Yaman goes to his home to take revenge. That is when Yaman realizes that Rüya’s boyfriend is his brother, and he is actually Ali Yücesoy, the boy who was kidnapped 15 years ago.
Caught between the family he made and the family that was stolen from him, the road ahead is uncertain. Is he Yaman or Ali? This exciting series from is produced by NTC Medya and features many stars, including Halit Özgür Sarı (For My Family), Dolunay Soysert (One More Chance, Wings of Love), Simay Barlas (Ömer), Bertan Asllani (All About Marriage), Yurdaer Okur (Family Secrets), and Osman Alkaş (Heart of the City, Time Goes By).
MADD ENTERTAINMENT RACKS UP OVER 40 INTERNATIONAL SALES FOR “WILD HEART”
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR MADD ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCED THAT THE ONGOING NEW SERIES “WILD HEART,” WHICH JUST BROADCAST ITS 18TH EPISODE IN TURKEY, HAS ALREADY RACKED UP OVER 40 INTERNATIONAL SALES.
Jan 24,2024
Global distributor Madd Entertainment announced that the ongoing new series “Wild Heart,” which just broadcast its 18th episode in Turkey, has already racked up over 40 international sales. Moreover, according to Madd, many more deals are set to be completed this week at Content Americas in Miami.
“Wild Heart” is one of the most popular new dramas in Turkey this year. The hit series dominates Tuesday nights for Fox, where it airs under the title “Yabani” and is number across ABC+1, AB, and even Total. Foreign sales have proceeded quickly for the hit series, including Spain, Spanish-speaking Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and 24 countries across MENA.
“Wild Heart” follows the journey of Ali, who was abducted as a boy and ended up working for the gang who kidnapped him. After enduring years of hardship, Ali renames himself Yaman and escapes his captors to build a new and better life together with his three friends. Things are not easy for this new family, but they work hard and are able to leave their dark past behind. Through it all, Yaman somehow manages to keep his soul pure and never succumbs to the darkness that surrounds him.
This exciting new series is produced by NTC Medya and features many stars, including Halit Özgür Sarı, Dolunay Soysert, Simay Barlas, Bertan Asllani, Yurdaer Okur, and Osman Alkaş. Readymade and format rights for the show are still available for many territories around the world.
FAMILY SECRETS WON THE 2023 INTERNATIONAL EMMY FOR “TELENOVELA” CATEGORY
Nov 20,2023
The International Emmy Awards, recognizing outstanding television productions created outside the U.S., took place in New York at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel.
The ceremony featured 56 productions from 20 different countries competing across 14 categories.
The standout of the evening was the Turkish series "Yargı," ("Family Secrets") produced by Ay Yapım, which clinched the coveted award in the "Best Telenovela" category.
The show, spearheaded by producer Kerem Çatay, director Ali Bilgin, screenwriter Sema Ergenekon, and starring actors Pınar Deniz and Kaan Urgancıoğlu, was hailed for its compelling storytelling and performances.
Previously, Turkish actor Haluk Bilginer, who has starred in various Hollywood productions along with his career in Turkish cinema and theater, was awarded the 2019 International Emmy Award for Best Performance for his role as Agah in "Şahsiyet" ("Persona").
FAMILY SECRETS’ LEAD ACTRESS PINAR DENIZ WON THE TITLE OF BEST NON-SPANISH SPEAKING ACTRESS AT PRODU AWARDS
Nov 03,2023
Family Secrets’ lead actress Pınar Deniz, playing Ceylin character, won the “Best Non-Spanish Speaking Actress” category in Produ Awards 2023.
The series distributed by MADD Entertainment has been sold worldwide both as readymade and adapted versions acrsso Europe, Asia, Latam, and the Middle East – not to mention its native Türkiye, where it airs on Kanal D under the title Yargı with season three, was also nominated for an International Emmy® in the category of “Telenovela.” last month.
The PRODU 2023 Awards are the largest awards event for Spanish-speaking audiovisual production. In two days of broadcast, distinctions are being awarded to the outstanding productions and artists of the year. The event is broadcast via streaming to the entire world on November 1 and 2 of this year, with audiences mainly in Latin America, and is then broadcast as a special program on television channels throughout the region.
Produced by Ay Yapim, the cast includes Kaan Urgancıoğlu (Endless Love, Love 101) and Pınar Deniz (Wounded Love, Love 101), who are an unlikely duo who find themselves in the middle of a conspiracy that could bring down both their families. Directed by Ali Bilgin (Brave and Beautiful, Medcezir) from an original story by Sema Ergenekon (Black Money Love, Karadayı, Gümüş).
MADD ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATED FIVE YEARS OF SUCCESS IN CANNES
TURKISH DISTRIBUTOR MADD ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATED ITS FIFTH-YEAR ANNIVERSARY TUESDAY NIGHT WITH A STAR-STUDDED GALA AT CANNES’ FAMOUS MAJESTIC HOTEL.
Oct 19,2023
Turkish distributor Madd Entertainment celebrated its fifth-year anniversary Tuesday night with a star-studded gala at Cannes’ famous Majestic Hotel. Some of Turkey’s finest actors, directors and producers joined the festivities along with broadcasters and media executives all around the world.
During the gala, many milestones were celebrated, including several important new developments. For example, the distributor announced a new three-year volume deal with Telefe and Chilevision, which is Madd’s third volume deal in Latin America. In detail, Telefe and Chilevision agreed on the acquisition of the Turkish titles that Ay Yapım and Med Yapım will produce over three years.
The company also announced that Ay Yapim is co-producing a Spanish version of its hit series “Brave and Beautiful” with Secuoya Studios. The adaptation will air in Spain through Atresmedia and Madd will distribute the title to the international market. This is the outcome of the alliance between the Spanish content studio and the Turkish production company launched a few months ago.
Furthermore, Medyapim and Mediapro are co-producing a Spanish version of the classic Turkish drama “A Girl Named Feriha,” which Madd will also distribute, as well as HBO Max’s forthcoming “Margarita,” the new youth drama from renowned Argentine producer Cris Morena.
Moreover, Ay Yapim acquired adaptation rights for Globo’s hit series “Brazil Avenue,” a hit that has aired in over 140 countries and will now have its first international adaptation. The agreement between Globo and Ay Yapım provides for the sale of the format, in which the Turkish company can promote adaptations while maintaining the telenovela’s successful premises. Madd will be distributing this drama globally as well.
At the same time, Madd Entertainment announced a new sales record for "The Family," which just started its second season and has already been sold to over 80 markets, including MENA, US Hispanic & Puerto Rico, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Israel, Romania, Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Honduras, Bulgaria, Hungary, Albania, CIS countries, and Latin America. It is Madd Entertainment’s fastest-selling drama series.
“This is an occasion to thank all the people who have made Madd Entertainment the number one distributor of Turkish drama. Five years ago, Ay Yapım and Medyapım, two of the companies that made Turkish drama so popular around the world, came together to create Madd. All the volume deals we did around the world, the co-productions, the digital platform deals – all of that was possible thanks to this creative partnership. Anyone who knows Turkish drama knows that these two companies are the best,” said Ates Ince, Managing Director of Madd.
Some of the country’s best-known stars were in Cannes to wish Madd well on its fifth anniversary, including Onur Tuna and Hilal Altınbilek from the upcoming new series “My Wonderful Life”; Halit Özgür Sarı and Simay Barlas from “Wild Heart”; Deniz Can Aktaş and Miray Daner from “The Brave”; and stars from the new hit drama “Dirty Laundry,” Ayça Bingöl, Ceren Moray, and Cansu Tosun. Together, they represent three of today’s Top 10 Turkish dramas and one of the most anticipated new series of the season.