Showcase: GoQuest Media

November 14, 2024 Kristin Brzoznowski

Asia is an important market for GoQuest Media from both a sales and acquisitions perspective. “In addition to distributing and securing deals for a wide range of Indian, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean titles and representing them at key markets, we have optioned several titles from our catalog for remakes this year,” says Vivek Lath, managing director. The Estonian drama Divorce in Peace and the Lithuanian series Troll Farm have been optioned in India, for example.

“This year, we have also signed significant distribution partnerships to expand our offerings within the region and bring premium titles produced locally to global platforms,” Lath adds.

Earlier this year, GoQuest inked a partnership deal to distribute Amuz Distribution’s titles across various territories, including Asia. “We saw a strong synergy in our shared commitment to quality narratives and are excited to expand the reach of both our catalogs to our respective networks,” Lath says.

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GoQuest has also partnered with Vidio, one of Indonesia’s largest VOD service providers, to distribute its titles globally. The catalog includes popular shows such as Ratu Adil. The series stars Dian Sastrowardoyo, known for her role in Netflix’s global hit Cigarette Girl. It tells the story of a housewife, Lasja Seoryo (played by Sastrowardoyo), as she fights to protect her family from Jakarta’s 9 Dragons mafia.

“Over the past decade of doing business in the region, we have collaborated with nearly all major players,” Lath says. “Viewership demands here are highly diverse, with programming ranging from long-running melodramas to short, premium series.”

The company’s catalog for Asia TV Forum (ATF) has been curated with this variety in mind. GoQuest is bringing a mix of long-running dramas, limited series and its co-production Kuma (The Other Wife) to ATF next month. Kuma has recently been licensed in several territories, including India, Romania and Hungary. “We look forward to presenting the series to our AsiaPac buyers at the market,” Lath says.

Additional popular titles from Vidio include the mafia thriller Serigala Terakhir (The Last Wolf) and the romantic drama The Perfect Strangers.

Joining its lineup is Telekom Srbija’s Absolute 100, about a young female shooting athlete, as well as TVP’s crime thriller Crusade, recently licensed to Walter Presents. The company also has a new season of Secrets of the Grapevine, along with other long-running dramas such as Valmont and Happiness Guaranteed.

“We’re seeing significant interest in Kuma across the region,” Lath says. “Beyond the immense popularity of Turkish series among South Asian viewers, we believe the timeless themes of love, family, tradition and societal issues woven throughout the story will resonate strongly with the cultural and emotional sensibilities of the audience here. Enhanced by the picturesque backdrops of Cappadocia and Istanbul, an appealing lead pair with great chemistry and intriguing subplots, Kuma offers a highly engaging experience.”

The core story of Kuma follows the journey of a young woman striving to find her own voice and agency in the face of formidable challenges. “Her struggle against tradition, patriarchy, prejudice and the vendetta of her true love will resonate deeply with audiences who yearn for stories of resilience, empowerment and self-discovery,” says Lath.

GoQuest is now expanding its make-to-sell model from producing Turkish series to exploring Korean content as part of its commitment to backing stories that can appeal across multiple regions. “Although we’re still in the early stages, we want to announce our interest in connecting with local writers and production companies who would like to leverage our expertise to bring their stories to global audiences,” says Lath.

The company is eager to expand its portfolio of premium distribution partnerships as well, building on successful collaborations with Disney Star, Amuz Distribution and Vidio. “Our focus remains on nurturing strong relationships with key industry players and finding the best platforms for our catalog in this region,” says Lath.