Turkish TV series and film exports draw interest from global studios

Türkiye’s growing influence in the international film and television market is drawing attention from major global studios, as the country positions itself as a prime production location with diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

Sait Yardimci, chairman of the Turkish Film Commission, told Anadolu that the commission has been working since its establishment in 2012 to elevate Türkiye’s global standing in film production.

“Nearly 60 TV series and films are produced in Türkiye each year, and they are exported across Asia, Europe, the Balkans and South America,” Yardimci said, highlighting the growing international demand for Turkish content.

This surge in popularity has caught the eye of major industry players, with Hollywood, Bollywood and prominent streaming platforms not only purchasing Turkish content but also increasingly producing projects within the country.

“In recent months, studios such as Paramount, Universal, Sony, and Warner Bros have reached out to us,” Yardimci said. “They ask about film incentives, VAT refunds, and the process for obtaining location permits.”

Film tourism emerges as economic driver

The chairman noted that film tourism has become an “indispensable part” of Türkiye’s broader tourism industry, joining established segments like convention, cultural and sports tourism.

“We know places like Las Vegas, Paris, and London through TV series and films. The leading countries along these lines are France, the U.K., and Italy,” he said, adding that Türkiye has experienced similar growing interest in recent years.

Filming locations in Türkiye often become tourist attractions for international audiences who develop an interest in visiting places they’ve seen in Turkish productions.

Natural landscapes give Türkiye competitive edge in film industry

Yardimci emphasized that Türkiye’s diverse geography provides exceptional filming locations that appeal to major studios from the United States, China and India.

“Türkiye is rich in terms of natural film vistas,” Yardimci said. “From the Aegean to the Black Sea, from Southeastern Anatolia to the Marmara region, Türkiye has an abundance of cultural heritage. This is an invaluable, unique, and unrivaled situation.”

He suggested that increased support from local governments for filming in historically significant locations like Cappadocia could further attract international production teams to choose Türkiye for future projects.

With this momentum, Yardimci expressed confidence about the sector’s future: “I believe that in the coming years, both film production in Türkiye and exports will multiply.”