FIC teams with Keshet for Israeli drama False Flag

Fox International Channels has come on board the US adaptation of Shkufim (False Flag), an Israeli drama about the assassination of a Palestinian radical in Dubai.

FIC is joining forces with Keshet International on the project, which will be written by feature film writer and director Peter Landesman.

The original show was made for Keshet (Channel 2) in Israel. It was created by Amit Cohen-Raab and Maria Feldman and made by Tender Productions. The US version will follow eight US citizens implicated in the assassination.

Landesman said: “The pedigree and passion of FIC and Keshet make them the perfect creative partners. The espionage thriller is a genre we all know, love and are excited to take to a level we hope audiences will not have experienced before.”

Sharon Tal Yguado, executive VP, original development and scripted programming at FIC added: “Peter with his background in investigative journalism understands the complexity of the story and has come up with a version that will connect deeply with audiences both in the U.S. and globally.”

The series will bow internationally on FIC’s network of global channels. “Fox International Channels, with their innovative production models and global footprint, is the perfect partner and a natural home for this project,” said Alon Shtruzman, managing director of Keshet International.”

Separately, FIC said today that its Fox Entertainment channel now reaches 200 million homes internationally.

Two thirds of the total comes from outside the US, FIC added.The company has been aggressively rolling out the Fox channel internationally either with new launches or by rebranding existing services in its portfolio. It has, the company said, reached an additional 60 million TV homes in the past year.

“Fox is one of the best recognised, most highly valued brand names in the entire media world. Channel brands really do have meaning to worldwide audiences,” said FIC CEO Hernan Lopez. “Not only did we increase our total number of homes beyond 200 million in the past year, but our ratings increased on every FOX channel FIC operates.”

Earlier this year Lopez told TBI that FIC is on track to hit its stated financial goal of generating operating income of US$1 billion by 2015. FIC had an estimated operating income of US$600 million in fiscal 2012.