Sony Pacts With Qatar’s Film Committee To Co-Finance Arabic Language Films

Sony Pictures International Productions (SPIP) has signed a multi-year agreement with the Film Committee at Media City Qatar to co-finance Arabic-language films from the Middle East and North Africa. Qatar’s Film Committee announced the agreement during its three-day Industry Days event on the fringes of the Doha Film Festival, laying out its ambitions to transform the territory into a major film and TV hub. Sony said the agreement to develop a presence in Qatar, which includes a commitment to global distribution and the co-development and co-production of multiple Arabic-language feature films, underscored its commitment to the region. “The Middle East is one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing regions in entertainment. Sony Pictures has a long history of working in growing markets, and this new agreement in Qatar reflects our commitment to the region as we continue to bring impactful, locally resonant stories to audiences,” said Steven O’Dell, International Marketing & Distribution, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group. The projects can be original stories or adaptations from Sony’s library and will be managed by a jointly approved local producer, directly benefitting the production ecosystem in Qatar and the wider region. Sony will distribute globally, while the Film Committee and SPIP share approval on all key creative and financial decisions. The agreement also promises the development of a writers’ incubation lab designed to unearth a new generation of writers. “The commitment of Sony Pictures to co-develop and produce Arabic-language films in partnership with the Film Committee reflects the region’s growing prominence in the global film industry and the Global South’s emergence as a true creative force,” said H. E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Chairman of the Film Committee, said: “This partnership underscores our shared belief that exceptional stories can come from anywhere and reach everywhere. It will help elevate a new generation of talented Arabic filmmakers, giving them the platform, resources, and global exposure to share their voices with audiences around the world.”.
https://deadline.com/2025/11/sony-pacts-qatar-film-committee-cofinance-arabic-films-1236626446/