For our NEM Dubrovnik 2026 issue, we spoke with Elif Tatoğlu, Distribution Strategy and Sales Director at Kanal D International.
Following a stellar performance at Content Americas and a rapid succession of major deals across Latin America and Europe, Kanal D International arrives at NEM Dubrovnik with immense momentum. Driven by the phenomenal global success of its flagship title Sins and Roses and a rich library of timeless classics, the distribution giant continues to redefine how powerful Turkish stories travel the world.
We sat down with Elif Tatoğlu, Distribution Strategy and Sales Director at Kanal D International, to discuss their strategic focus on the CEE region, the evolving preferences of international audiences, and the highly anticipated upcoming titles set to dominate the second half of 2026.
The CEE region continues to be one of the most strategic and stable markets for Kanal D International. In many ways, it has been one of the key territories that contributed to the global rise of Turkish drama over the past decade. Audiences across the region have developed a very strong emotional connection with Turkish storytelling, and that connection continues to evolve.”
We last spoke with you at Content Americas. How has the first half of the year been for Kanal D International, especially considering the rapid cluster of deals we’ve seen across Latin America and Europe recently?
The first half of the year has been very dynamic and encouraging for us. We have seen strong momentum across both Latin America and Europe, with a particularly active period of deal-making over the past months.
Sins and Roses has been our flagship title this season. We have already secured deals with over 120 countries, including key territories such as Chile, Panama, Spain, Romania, CIS, and MENA, and the feedback from partners who have already launched the series has been extremely positive in terms of performance and audience engagement. Even at this stage, we are already in discussions for potential remake adaptations, which once again demonstrates the universal appeal and adaptability of strong Turkish storytelling.
At the same time, we continue to see sustained interest not only in our premium first-run titles, but also in evergreen dramas such as Fatmagul, Forbidden Love, For My Son and Kuzey Guney, which still performs remarkably well years after their original launch. This once again demonstrates the long-lasting global appeal of Turkish storytelling.
Overall, despite the challenges the industry continues to face globally, we are very pleased with the first half of the year. The strong response to our catalogue, the continued demand for Turkish drama, and the growing interest in format adaptations give us great confidence for the months ahead.
Sins and Roses has already been sold to more than 120 countries including the CEE territory, and the performance so far has been extremely successful. This has even encouraged several partners to move toward simulcast strategies aligned closely with the Turkish broadcasting schedule in order to respond faster to audience demand and maintain engagement. On social media, we are also witnessing a real “boom” around the series, with fan pages, clips, and online discussions helping the title reach younger audiences as well.”
NEM Dubrovnik is widely considered the heartbeat of the Central and Eastern European market. Given Kanal D International’s strategic focus on transforming powerful stories into global successes, how does the CEE region currently rank in your global expansion strategy?
The CEE region continues to be one of the most strategic and stable markets for Kanal D International. In many ways, it has been one of the key territories that contributed to the global rise of Turkish drama over the past decade. Audiences across the region have developed a very strong emotional connection with Turkish storytelling, and that connection continues to evolve.
Events like NEM Dubrovnik are therefore extremely valuable for us, not only because they allow us to strengthen existing relationships, but also because they provide an important platform to better understand how the region is evolving and where new opportunities are emerging.
The industry is closely following the global momentum of Sins and Roses and Three Sisters, the latter of which has seen a massive rollout across the Americas. How are these specific titles performing within the NEM region, and what has been the initial feedback from local broadcasters during your meetings here?
We are very happy with the interest around both Sins and Roses and Three Sisters in the NEM region so far. Broadcasters in the region particularly highlight elements such as class conflict, family secrets, love triangles, betrayal, revenge, and the premium visual quality of the productions. These themes continue to resonate deeply with viewers across the region.
Sins and Roses has already been sold to more than 120 countries including the CEE territory, and the performance so far has been extremely successful. This has even encouraged several partners to move toward simulcast strategies aligned closely with the Turkish broadcasting schedule in order to respond faster to audience demand and maintain engagement. On social media, we are also witnessing a real “boom” around the series, with fan pages, clips, and online discussions helping the title reach younger audiences as well.
Meanwhile, Three Sisters continues to attract strong interest as a proven international success with broad audience appeal. Following its sales to more than 100 countries, we have also recently started moving into format licensing discussions for the title. As we always say, the most important element is the story itself and truly strong stories can travel successfully both as finished content and as local adaptations.
Successfully entering highly competitive markets like Brazil with War of the Roses is a significant milestone for any distributor. How do you plan to leverage this international momentum to further penetrate the CEE and Baltic regions? Can you share any updates on the journey of this title in these territories?
Entering a competitive market like Brazil with War of the Roses was definitely a very important deal for us and it also helped strengthen the title’s international visibility in other regions, including CEE and the Baltics.
Due to the rich evergreen library that KD has, for us it is important to pitch and deliver the best options to our partners, because they help to create advantageous packages and bring back audiences with a nostalgic and “feel-good” feeling.
The title already has a strong history in the region, with previous sales in countries such as Romania, Lithuania, Croatia, Hungary, and North Macedonia. The themes of ambition, class differences, love, betrayal, and emotional rivalry are highly universal and align very well with the viewing preferences of CEE audiences. The premium production quality and strong female characters have also been key discussion points during our meetings in the region.
Kanal D International is a pioneer in format adaptability, most notably with Alba (the Spanish adaptation of the legendary Fatmagul) recently heading to Kazakhstan. Furthermore, the original Fatmagul continues to secure new deals in Portugal and the US, while Forbidden Love remains a staple in Peru. To what do you attribute this “undying passion” that CEE audiences have for these classic Turkish dramas?
I think the biggest reason is that these classic Turkish dramas tell very universal and emotional stories that can connect with audiences everywhere, regardless of their culture. Themes such as love, family, betrayal, justice and resilience are very timeless and viewers in the CEE region especially build a very deep emotional connection with these characters and their journeys.
At the same time, titles like Fatmagul and Forbidden Love became much more than just TV series over the years, they turned into iconic brands for many audiences. Even today, broadcasters continue to trust these stories because they still bring strong emotional engagement and very loyal viewership.
Another important factor is that these dramas were among the titles that originally introduced Turkish storytelling to many international markets. In a way, they created habits and emotional memories for audiences. Viewers grew up with these stories, discussed them within families, and continued to rediscover them across new platforms and repeat broadcasts.
In many ways, these classics continue to open doors for newer Turkish dramas internationally. They create trust in the genre and remind broadcasters that emotionally powerful storytelling never truly goes out of fashion.
Your catalogue offers a sophisticated mix of genres, from the romantic comedy vibes of Love Trap (now in Portugal) to the intense narrative of The Family Burden. In the CIS, CEE, and Baltic regions specifically, which genres are currently generating the most interest, and do you see a shift toward newer storytelling styles or a continued loyalty to traditional drama?
In the CIS, CEE, and Baltic regions, traditional Turkish drama still remains the strongest and most stable genre overall. Audiences continue to show great loyalty toward emotionally intense stories centered around family relations, love, betrayal, revenge, and social conflicts. These themes remain at the core of Turkish drama’s international success.
At the same time, we are clearly seeing growing interest in romantic comedies and shorter dramas, particularly among younger audiences and digital platforms. Lighter, faster-paced storytelling is becoming increasingly attractive for broadcasters looking to diversify their schedules and reach different viewer segments. So overall, we would say the market is becoming more open to fresh storytelling styles, while still maintaining strong loyalty to classical Turkish drama.
Broadcasters can successfully lead prime time with powerful premium dramas while strengthening access-prime or daytime slots with lighter romantic comedies such as Twist of Fate, Love Trap or Sweet Revenge.
With new launches occurring at a high volume and speed across diverse geographies, what is the “market signal” you want to send to your partners at NEM this year? What can we expect from Kanal D International in the second half of 2026?
Alongside the continued international expansion of premium titles such as Sins and Roses, we are also preparing exciting new launches that reflect both the evolution of Turkish drama and changing audience expectations.
One of the most anticipated projects in our upcoming line-up is Torn Apart (Daha 17), a powerful family drama set in Bodrum, which combines emotional storytelling with mystery, family secrets, and coming-of-age elements. While it speaks strongly to younger audiences through its younger cast and relationships, it also carries the deeper emotional layers and darker adult conflicts that international buyers increasingly look for today. We believe the series has strong potential especially for broadcasters and digital platforms looking for fresher and more contemporary storytelling styles.
We are also very excited about another upcoming title of ours by Süreç Film. The project name is Haysiyet, the details are being worked on. The title already stands out with its strong emotional identity and powerful dramatic atmosphere. As audiences globally continue to look for emotionally authentic and character-driven stories, projects like Haysiyet represent the kind of premium Turkish drama that can travel internationally while still maintaining a very local emotional core.
