What Cedars Art Production does

Cedars Art Production (CAP), also known as Sabbah Brothers, is a family-owned Arabic content production and distribution company founded in 1954 by Ali Hussein Sabbah and headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon. The company produces approximately 14 TV series and a small slate of feature films annually across drama, thriller, comedy, animation, and entertainment formats, with a heavy concentration of output around Ramadan tentpole programming. Content is distributed through long-standing relationships with regional broadcasters — primarily MBC Group (including Shahid VIP), MTV Lebanon, AlJadeed, Dubai/Abu Dhabi TV, and OSN — and internationally via Amazon Prime Video. Notable productions include Cannes Directors' Fortnight-selected 'Caramel' (Nadine Labaki) and 'Al Hayba'.

The business operates a horizontally segmented model serving regional TV broadcasters and SVOD/streaming platforms with Arabic-speaking MENA audiences as the end consumer. Cedars Art Production runs five wholly-owned regional offices in Beirut, Cairo (2010), Casablanca (2018), Dubai (2021), and Riyadh (2022), enabling simultaneous multi-country production runs. Revenue is generated through three streams: full-service content production fees (professional services), licensing and commissioning arrangements with broadcasters (licensing/royalties), and content distribution transaction fees. Pricing is non-public and negotiated per project based on scope, format, and distribution rights.

The underlying technology stack is conventional post-production infrastructure — in-house video editing, audio mixing, and subtitling services — rather than proprietary software or AI-driven tooling. Ownership and control remain concentrated within the Sabbah family (current leadership includes CEO Sadek Sabbah and co-leader Ali Sabbah), with no external institutional investors, public listing, or disclosed funding rounds. The company actively competes for commissioning slots and first-window SVOD rights against other regional production houses in a market increasingly shaped by Saudi entertainment spend and the rise of streaming-first commissioning.

Name

Cedars Art Production

Legal name

Cedars Art Production

Website

https://sabbah.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cedars Art Production (Sabbah Brothers) is a Beirut-based, family-owned Arabic content producer producing ~14 TV series and several films annually for regional broadcasters and SVOD platforms across MENA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Content Production Services: Full-service TV series, film, and entertainment program production from concept to final delivery. The company manages the entire production process for projects across Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.
2. Licensing and Commissioning: Developing original concepts, scripts, and program formats in collaboration with writers, creators, and broadcasters for regional and international audiences.
3. Content Distribution: Wide distribution network delivering Arabic films and series to TV stations and digital platforms across the Middle East and global markets.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cedars Art Production (Sabbah Brothers) is a full-service Arabic content production and distribution company that develops, produces, and licenses TV series, feature films, entertainment programs, and animated content for regional broadcasters and streaming platforms. The company manages end-to-end production across five regional hubs in Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, and distributes content through partnerships with MBC Group, Shahid VIP, MTV Lebanon, AlJadeed, OSN, and Amazon Prime Video.

Product overview

Cedars Art Production (Sabbah Brothers) is a leading Arabic content production and distribution company established in 1954, operating as a multi-platform entertainment provider. The portfolio includes TV series productions (drama, thriller, comedy genres), feature films, animated content, and entertainment programs. The company manages production across 5 regional centers (Beirut, Cairo, Casablanca, Dubai, Saudi Arabia) and distributes content through major platforms including MBC Shahid, Shahid VIP, Amazon Prime, and regional TV channels. The company also offers licensing, commissioning, and full-service production capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TV Series Productions Arabic TV series produced across drama, thriller, comedy, and religious genres for regional broadcasters and streaming platforms including MBC Group, Shahid VIP, and MTV Lebanon. The company produces approximately 14 series per year, with significant concentration around Ramadan season programming.
• Film/Movie Productions Feature films including theatrical releases and international co-productions such as 'Caramel' directed by Nadine Labaki (Cannes Directors' Fortnight selection) and 'Halal Love'. Distributed through regional TV networks and global streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video.
• Animation Content Animated series produced for family and religious educational audiences, including titles such as 'This Is Islam' (30 episodes). Animation is listed as a core product category in Cedars Art Production's portfolio.
• Entertainment Programs Game shows and entertainment programming such as 'Beat El Sakka', typically produced for Ramadan seasons on regional broadcasters. Entertainment programming is one of the company's core product categories.
• Content Licensing and Distribution Licensing and distribution services delivering Arabic content to TV channels and digital streaming platforms across MENA region and international markets. Includes content licensing, commissioning arrangements, and distribution to broadcasters and streaming platforms.
• Content Production Services Full-service production covering development, filming, and post-production for TV series, films, and programs. Includes technical services such as editing, audio mixing, subtitling, and text verification (proofreading). Services are delivered across production centers in Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and UAE.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Nadine Labaki / Rue 'Caramel' ProductionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCedars Art Production participated in the production of 'Caramel' (also known as 'Katrin' or 'Kathleen'), a film directed by Nadine Labaki that premiered at Cannes Directors' Fortnight - an internationally recognized achievement in the Arab film industry.
• Asadollah Fallah / 'Halal Love' ProductionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced 'Halal Love' film with director Asadollah Fallah in collaboration with European partners, reflecting commitment to both regional and international storytelling.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lumiere Group: Lumiere Group is a leading Egyptian and pan-Arab production house producing drama series and films for MBC and other regional broadcasters. It competes directly with CAP's Egyptian and Levant production operations for both talent and commissions.
• Eagle Films: Eagle Films is a major pan-Arab production and distribution company producing TV series and films for the same MENA broadcasters (MBC, LBC, etc.). It is directly comparable to CAP in content genres, customer base, and Ramadan-focused release strategy.
• Film Clinic: Film Clinic is a Cairo-rooted Arabic production company producing drama and films for the same MENA broadcaster and streamer ecosystem as Cedars Art Production. Comparable in scale, content genres, and customer base across the Egyptian and pan-Arab market.
• Rotana Studios: Rotana is one of the largest Arabic-content production and distribution groups in MENA, producing films and series for the same regional broadcasters. It is directly comparable to Cedars Art Production in scale, Arabic-language production focus, and multi-country footprint across the Gulf and Levant.
• Misr International Films: Misr International Films is a Cairo-based production house with deep Arabic and international co-production experience, producing films and series for regional and global audiences. Comparable to CAP in production scope, Egyptian operations, and Cannes-recognized output.
• Bee Studios (3Bees Media): Bee Studios (formerly 3Bees Media) is a Beirut-based production house producing Arabic drama and series for MBC and other regional broadcasters. Directly comparable to CAP in Levant production footprint, customer overlap, and Ramadan-focused content strategy.
• Image Production (S Productions): Image Production is a Beirut-based production house producing Arabic TV drama for the same broadcasters and streaming platforms as Cedars Art Production. Directly comparable as a Levant-rooted family of production companies competing in identical genres and on identical Ramadan cycles.

Broad incumbents

• Fremantle MENA: Fremantle is a major global production and distribution group with active Arabic and MENA operations, producing drama, entertainment, and reality formats. It is a broader incumbent comparable to CAP because it competes for the same Arabic commissions and distribution slots but with a much wider international portfolio.
• Endemol Shine Boomdog: Endemol Shine Boomdog is a major international format and production group operating in the Arabic market with entertainment and drama output. Comparable to CAP as a broad incumbent in Arabic content production with deeper resources and international IP access.
• Shahid Studios (MBC Group): Shahid Studios is the in-house production arm of MBC Group's Shahid streaming platform. It is a broad incumbent because it is also a buyer of CAP's output but increasingly produces original Arabic content directly, competing for the same production budgets and talent pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cedarsart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sabbah-media-corporation---cedars-art

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cedars Art Production