Global Agency’s Red Roses Brings Stories of Conflict & Hope

Global Agency is no stranger to being ahead of trends. The distributor, led by CEO Izzet Pinto, was among the first in Türkiye to tout an international vision, bringing dramas and unscripted concepts to broadcasters across the globe long before the start of the Turkish wave. In a crowded Turkish drama sector, Global Agency is making an impact with Red Roses.

“Red Roses is the most daring drama ever broadcast in Turkey,” says Pinto. “Although it begins as a story of conflicting religious and modern values, it ultimately reveals a deep and meaningful drama about the struggle between social norms and individual freedom. The producer was drawn to the emotional core of the story: a young girl’s fight to study, torn between the chains of love and spreading her wings toward freedom; women’s struggle for freedom; and, ultimately, a human being’s right to question and grow.”

Produced by Gold Film for NOW, Red Roses follows the story of Meryem, married off at 14 in an Islamic sect, battling to prevent her gifted and talented daughter from suffering the same fate as the wife of a sheik’s grandson.

“At its heart, it is a universal story that transcends religion to follow one woman’s battle against cultural oppression, exploring global themes of conflict between individual freedom and social norms and the rights of girls to education,” Pinto says. “The story shines a light on the conflict between faith and modernity, evident in many cultures across the world: the blossoming of individual identity; resistance among women; and the awakening of children, especially girls, to the oppression they face.”

The series, nominated at the Seoul International Drama Awards and a winner at the Golden Butterfly Awards, “has attracted a lot of attention with its impressive script, strong acting performances and stunning production quality,” Pinto adds.

At its core, the series is a story of dilemmas, Pinto says; “deeply human and tragically universal ones. Around the world, we continue to witness girls being denied education, women being silenced and entire generations shaped by fear, tradition and oppression. What makes this drama powerful is its emotional honesty. It doesn’t lecture or take a didactic approach—it simply shows the reality fairly. We see how change begins quietly within. We witness women waking up to their own voices, discovering strength in one another and challenging the systems that bind them. This transformation doesn’t happen all at once. It doesn’t begin with a big rebellion or some dramatic turning point. On the contrary, it’s a quiet, deeply personal and sometimes painful process. But it’s real. The characters slowly begin to open their eyes, reach out to one another and grow stronger together.”

Watching these characters discover their own potential “and seeing how they change as they support each other is truly powerful,” Pinto says. “And as a viewer, you can’t help but be drawn into that journey. It’s not just their story—it reflects an awakening happening in many parts of the world. Feelings like solidarity, resilience and hope are universal. That’s why Red Roses resonates with people everywhere.”

Red Roses is one of many series with universal values on the Global Agency slate. Although best known for its scripted offerings, formats remain key to the company, Pinto says.

“We always continue to invest in our brand and maintain a strong position in the industry,” Pinto says. “Each year, we actively participate in around 20 major content markets, presenting bold, visually branded booths and holding tailored one-on-one pitch meetings. Marketing is a key part of our strategy; we are well known for creative and bold campaigns that generate strong interest and visibility for our titles.”

At the heart of the company’s continued success, Pinto says, is a strategy based on “strong relationships, solid work ethics, professional management and a flexible approach. We have trusted, good relationships with our clients and producers because we’re flexible and known for being fair, honest and easy to work with. We focus on being quick and solution-oriented. While professionally structured, we stay flexible—a combination that helps us move fast in a fast-changing industry. Our financial strength lets us invest in great content and grow globally. We also create our own formats, adding something unique to our catalog and strengthening our market position.”