MIPTV Spotlight: Keshet International

CANNES: The cross-media format Touch, which is being launched by Keshet International, enables audiences to play against contestants in the studio while the show is on air and against each other offline whenever they’d like.

The series is based on a simple and visual concept of, What is wrong with this picture? “It’s highly addictive and has already created a loyal following in Israel,” says Keren Shahar, the company’s managing director of distribution.

The cooking format Battle of the Chefs features an international culinary competition at its core, while The A Word is a scripted drama centered on the interplay of parenthood and childhood and what it is like to have a child who fails to fit the mold. The A Word is a BBC One drama that was adapted from an award-winning Israeli series.

“This is an exciting year for Keshet International, as we continue to expand our digital and drama offerings and bring more original formats to buyers,” says Shahar.

MIPTV will also be a time to showcase The Writer, which was one of six series selected to premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. “Its brutal honesty and realness have made it hugely impactful in Israel,” says Shahar. “It has potential to replicate the same success worldwide.”

The company is also taking out its Korean drama Spy to buyers as a finished series. The show is based on Keshet’s original drama MICE.

“Our drama slate for MIPTV is one of our strongest yet and we can’t wait to see how it is received internationally,” adds Shahar.