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MIPCOM: Israeli drama Prisoners of War, the inspiration behind Emmy-winning US series Homeland, is clocking up further international sales.
A Russian version of the show is on the cards, after Endemol-backed Weit Media landed a commission based on the Prisoners of War format from a local broadcaster. The Tel Aviv company distributing the show, Keshet International, declined to name the Russian broadcaster, however.
The original show, which airs on Channel 2 in Israel, has also picked up more sales. Australian channel SBS has licensed seasons 1 and 2 and will broadcast the series in Hebrew with English subtitles. Franco-German network Arte also licensed broadcast rights for Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland, while Finland’s YLE will air the series in 2013 with Finnish subtitles.
The show is currently on-air on Sky Arts in the UK and is carried by US-based video-on-demand service Hulu. The second season of the show will debut on Channel 2 on October 15.
Keshet, which is one of the two franchises of Channel 2, is here in Cannes plugging not only Prisoners of War but also its slate of new unscripted formats. They include Marathon, a reality show about people preparing to run a marathon; consumer series Fair & Square, now in its third season on Channel 2; and gameshow Checkout.
Several of Keshet’s other formats have travelled in recent times, such as gameshow Three, which went to CBS in the US, and sitcom Traffic Light, which was piloted by NBC in 2011. Most recently, drama The Gordin Cell has been picked up for a pilot by NBC via Universal TV.
“Israeli formats have become a hot property over recent years and the continued success and critical acclaim of hits including Prisoners of War, The Vault, Master Class and Traffic Light is testament to the innovation and creativity coming out of Keshet and out of the country,” said Keshet International MD Alon Shtruzman.
