‘Too Much Love,’ ‘Cuba Libre’ Among Raft of Central and Eastern Europe Deals From Keshet International (EXCLUSIVE) — Global Bulletin

Keshet International (KI) has racked up several deals for scripted formats and finished tape in the Central and Eastern Europe region.

KI has sold the format rights for Duo Productions’ 8 x 60’ relationship thriller “Too Much Love” (“L’homme qui aimait trop”) to Slovakian free-to-air broadcaster TV JOJ. Originally created by Canadian writing duo Michel d’Astous and Anne Boyer (“Taboo”) for Bell Media’s Quebecois streamer Noovo, the Slovakian adaptation will be produced by Piknik Pictures (“Traffic Light”). Currently in pre-production, with casting in progress, shooting will commence later this year ahead of a 2024 premiere on TV JOJ.

Kelly Wright, KI’s MD of distribution, described the show as “something of a conversation starter because of the anti-hero’s controversial lifestyle choices,” with Marcel Grega, CEO of TV JOJ adding that the show “is the perfect example of a modern drama that opens subjects that are considered taboo.”

KI’s sales manager Malgorzata Gudel has also completed a multi-territory deal with Canal+ to license dramas, including “You Don’t Die Among Friends” (“Unter Freunden Stirbt Man Nicht”), Keshet Tresor Fiction’s German 4 x 60’ adaptation of the Israeli format “Stockholm” for VOX, which 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; and Cuba Libre, Hop! Films’ 6 x 60’ true story of a young Portuguese woman who gave everything to the Cuban revolution and Che Guevara for Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, will stream on Canal+ VOD in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

In addition, KI has licensed season one of Koda Communications’ 8 x 60’ Israeli crime drama series “Line in the Sand” in Poland to Canal+ Polska for its Ale kino+ channel and Canal+ online. A further tape sale has been closed for “The Brave” – Universal Television and Keshet Studios’ 13 x 60’ thriller produced for NBC – in Latvia to TV3 Group for their free TV channel TV3

DISTRIBUTION

Fledgling theatrical distributor Black Bear U.K. has set out its leadership team. Led by president John Friedberg and managing director Llewellyn Radley, the new Black Bear U.K. team includes Eugene O’Connor, who joins as VP publicity; Nick Smith, who is VP digital; and Bosco Tench, who is marketing director. They join existing senior U.K. distribution executives, including Vicky Hine, senior VP marketing; Scott Sargeant, VP distribution; and Frank Ayaoge, VP technical.

O’Connor joins from Premier PR, where he led the film team. He will also work across PR for Black Bear’s international sales and distribution business. Meanwhile, Smith most recently worked at Apple, where he managed the U.K. Video Business. Prior to that, he held senior roles at eOne and Momentum Pictures, where he led the digital transactional business and established lucrative television deals. Tench joins Black Bear from eOne, where he served as senior marketing manager.

Black Bear U.K. is distributing 10-15 wide release theatrical films a year, including commercial, genre and prestige titles. The company’s first release will be the Black Bear-produced “Dumb Money,” starring Paul Dano, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, Pete Davidson and Seth Rogen. The film opens Sept. 22.