Deals inked in Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, & Slovakia, including the first format license for Too Much Love (Quebec), alongside tape sales for Stockholm (Germany), Cuba Libre (Portugal), Line in the Sand (Israel), and The Brave (US).
Keshet International (KI) has inked multiple deals for scripted formats and finished tape in the CEE region, including its first format license for Duo Productions’ stylish 8×60’ relationship thriller, Too Much Love (L’homme qui aimait trop).
The global content producer and distributor has sold the format rights to TV JOJ, one of the leading free-to-air broadcasters in Slovakia. Originally created by prolific Canadian writing duo Michel d’Astous and Anne Boyer (Taboo, Two Brothers, My Son) for Bell Media’s Quebecois streamer Noovo, the Slovakian 8×60’ adaptation of Too Much Love will be produced by Piknik Pictures (Traffic Light, Jenni). Currently in pre-production, with casting in already progress, shooting is slated to begin later this year ahead of a 2024 premiere on TV JOJ.
In Too Much Love (L’homme qui aimait trop), as Marc-Alexander lies unconscious in a hospital bed following a near-fatal car accident, his two spouses, their kids, and his mistress meet for the first time, leaving all of them facing a new reality: their life with Marc-Alexander was a lie. How could this sales representative have juggled life in three different cities with three different women, while truly loving them all? How did his perfectly compartmentalized life spin so crazily out of control? And was it really an accident that brought all of them together by his bedside?
Kelly Wright, KI’s MD of Distribution, says: “It’s wonderful that Piknik Pictures is producing another Slovakian adaptation following the success of Traffic Light (Semafor), this time of Too Much Love for TV JOJ. Too Much Love is a stylish relationship thriller that is something of a conversation starter because of the anti-hero’s controversial lifestyle choices. It’s such a well-written, captivating and surprising format that we think will cut through and connect with viewers not only in Slovakia, but in many other territories right now.”
Marcel Grega, CEO of TV JOJ comments: “This 8-episode miniseries Too Much Love is the perfect example of a modern drama that opens subjects that are considered taboo. With its thrilling premise, it keeps the audience in suspense from the very start, right up until the finale. I’m convinced that this very current story with an A-list cast attached will be a must-see TV event for viewers.”
KI’s sales manager Malgorzata Gudel has also completed a multi-territory deal with Canal+ to license two foreign-language dramas. You Don’t Die Among Friends (Unter Freunden Stirbt Man Nicht), Keshet Tresor Fiction’s German 4×60’ adaptation of the Israeli format Stockholm for VOX, will stream in four key CEE territories – Hungary on the Direct One platform, Romania on Focus Sat, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, both on Canal+ VOD. While Cuba Libre, Hop! Films’ 6×60’ true story of a young Portuguese woman who gave everything to the Cuban revolution and Che Guevara for RTP, will the stream on Canal+ VOD in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
KI has also licensed season one of Koda Communications’ Line in the Sand, the intense 8×60’ Israeli crime drama series described by the Sydney Morning Herald as “a compelling, hard-boiled crime drama based on a shocking true story”, in Poland to Canal+ Polska for its Ale kino+ channel and OTT service Canal+ online. Still Israel’s highest-rating drama of recent years, this first season has already been sold by KI in Germany (RTL), Belgium (BeTV), Australia (Paramount+), Globoplay in Brazil, Mola in Italy and Indonesia, as well as Filmin in Spain.
Finally, KI has closed a further tape sale for The Brave – Universal Television and Keshet Studios’ 13×60’ thriller originally produced for NBC which stars Anne Heche and Mike Vogel – in Latvia to TV3 Group for their flagship free TV channel TV3.
Other scripted highlights in KI’s diverse catalogue include the Series Mania-winning relationship drama A Body That Works, currently being adapted for the UK market by Keshet UK; the taut, action-packed, star-studded thriller Secret Bridesmaids’ Business; Telemundo Studios’ Mexican super series based on an Israeli paper format Prisoner Number One; the 2018 Cannes Series’ winning When Heroes Fly, picked up by Netflix and recently adapted by Keshet Studios for Apple TV+ as Echo 3; gripping espionage thrillers False Flag (recently adapted by Keshet UK for Apple TV+ as Suspicion) and Prisoners of War, upon which the primetime Emmy® winner Homeland was based; and international Emmy® Award-winning ‘buddy comedy’ Traffic Light.
