ATV’s Group Head of Sales and Distribution highlighted the international reach of its youth-oriented drama at Mipcom, following its ratings success in Turkey on October 12. The company also promoted Land of the Sun, starring Burak Özçivit, at an exclusive dinner for international buyers in Cannes.
*with reporting by Carolina Mussio and Ana Paula Carreira from Cannes, France.
Different Lives is emerging as one of ATV Distribution’s key international titles, with sales spanning 32 countries and strong ratings in Turkey. Produced by NTC Medya, the drama is being showcased alongside TIMSBI Productions’ Land of the Sun as part of ATV’s promotional activities at Mipcom 2026.
On Monday, October 12, ATV brought together international buyers, business partners and industry representatives for an exclusive dinner in Cannes, attended by Land of the Sun star Burak Özçivit and Different Lives actors Rahimcan Kapkap and Elçin Zehra İrem. The cast also participated in promotional activities at ATV’s stand.
“It was a huge event. We hosted three actors from our series in Cannes. Burak Özçivit, the leading actor of Land of the Sun, came and met with everyone. We also had Rahimcan Kapkap and Elçin Zehra İrem from Different Lives. I think everyone had a great time,” Müge Akar, Group Head of Sales and Distribution at ATV Distribution, told ttv during the market.
Land of the Sun (Güneşin Doğduğu Yer) is a TIMSBI Productions drama starring Burak Özçivit as Kenan Kozan. The story follows the son of a powerful family in Adana whose life changes when he falls in love with Leyla Breger, setting the stage for a conflict involving family loyalties, secrets and cultural differences.
“Land of the Sun is produced by TIMSBI Productions, one of the leading producers in Turkey. They previously produced series such as Bitter Lands, Deception and The Trusted, which also aired on ATV. Now they’re back with Land of the Sun,” Akar explained.
“The story, the setting and the overall production are all very well done. It’s a classic telenovela story, combining love, family betrayal and secrets. It has the perfect combination of all those elements,” she added.
ATV’s other major title, Different Lives (Altı Üstü İstanbul), follows Emir, a talented young footballer from a poor Istanbul neighborhood who dreams of lifting his family out of poverty. Joining the club of a powerful businessman brings him into a world of privilege, rivalries and secrets surrounding his brother’s death.
“Different Lives is produced by NTC Medya, which previously made series such as Orphan Flowers, which was very popular in Latin America, and Love and Hate, another successful title. Now they’re producing Different Lives, a very warm neighborhood story that definitely appeals to younger audiences,” Akar said.
“That’s particularly important today. I speak with broadcasters and digital platforms around the world, and everyone wants to attract younger audiences. This is exactly the kind of content that can help them do that.”
“Having well-known actors and actresses always helps. It’s much easier to market a series when you have recognizable names,” she explained.
Different Lives Leads Ratings and Expands International Sales
On Monday, October 12, coinciding with the opening of Mipcom, Different Lives topped Turkey’s television ratings across all three major audience categories: Total, with a 7.51 rating; AB, with 4.80; and ABC1, with 7.05, according to TİAK figures reported by Turkish media.
Meanwhile, Land of the Sun, which premiered on September 17, recorded ratings of 4.27 in Total, 3.49 in AB and 4.43 in ABC1 for its fourth episode, broadcast on October 8.
“Interest has been really high. We’re very happy with these three days at Mipcom, and I think we’ll be announcing many deals for both series after the market,” Akar said.
“In fact, Different Lives is already available in 32 countries. Since it started during the summer, we have more episodes available and we’ve had more time to pitch it to buyers. It’s already available in the Middle East, North Africa and the CIS region, which is a significant success for us,” she said. “I think we’ll be adding many more countries, including for Land of the Sun. I’m expecting a lot of new deals,” Akar concluded.
