Global Streamer Izzy Sets Launch Date for Highly Anticipated ‘Shtisel’ Prequel ‘Kugel’ (EXCLUSIVE)

As a passionate admirer of Israeli entertainment, I’m thrilled to share that the global streaming platform I adore, Izzy, is all set to exclusively debut “Kugel,” the long-awaited prequel to the Netflix sensation “Shtisel,” on February 28 for its subscribers in over 60 countries. Recently, I had the privilege of conversing with Nati Dinnar, one of Izzy’s visionary co-founders and CEO, about this remarkable show and the reasons behind his eagerness to bring it to our screens.

Since its debut in 2013 on the Israeli network Yes, “Shtisel” has been broadcasted for three seasons, both domestically and internationally on Netflix. It quickly gained popularity worldwide, with critics hailing it as a global phenomenon. On Rotten Tomatoes, it scored a perfect 100%. The New York Times even labeled it as “groundbreaking television.” In 2013, it won an impressive 11 awards at the Israeli Television Academy Awards and added another 6 awards to its collection in 2015.

Izzy plans to introduce “Kugel” in a dozen languages, including English, Hebrew, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Similar to Izzy’s offerings, “Shtisel” portrays the lives of the Shtisel clan – an affectionate, tightly-knit, and contentious ultra-Orthodox family living in Jerusalem.

In the series “Kugel,” penned by Yehonatan Indursky who also collaborated on “Shtisel,” we witness the reappearance of characters Nuchem, played by Sasson Gabay, and his daughter Libi Shtisel, portrayed by Hadas Yaron.

Prior to her eventual union with Akiva Shtisel, Libi resided in Antwerp, Belgium, under the roof of her father, Nuchem, who was a charismatic jeweler not shy about bending rules for a sale. However, when his wife Yides (Mili Avital) could no longer endure his deceitful practices and sought a divorce, their household was plunged into turmoil. Nuchem devoted his days to preserving his marriage and realizing his aspiration of becoming an influential figure, while his nights were spent wooing Pnina Baumbach, a widow who had inherited a restaurant known for its Jerusalem-style noodle kugels. Throughout the series, Nuchem grappled with reconciling his business ambitions with the demands of the three women in his life.

Due to the strained relationship between her parents, and though she is 22 years old, Libi hasn’t found a fitting partner yet. Instead, she channels all her efforts and resources into making a name for herself as a writer. However, an unexpected encounter with an orthodox man on a tram in Antwerp complicates things. Now, Libi faces the question of whether achieving success is more important through marriage, love, or by chasing her dream of becoming an author.

The eighth installment of “Kugel” is helmed by Erez Kav-El and jointly produced by Fremantle, Abot Hameiri, and Menuetto Film. Notably, Dikla Barkai, Guy Hameiri, and Eitan Abot from Abot Hameiri, Hattie Burles, Olivia Sleiter, and Hilary Martin from Fremantle, Jay Ruderman from Boston Rose, and Dganit Atias Gigi and Uzi Karin from Yes serve as executive producers.

The show “Kugel” was funded by Yes, who had also originally commissioned the Israeli series “Shtisel.” This production is additionally backed by Screen Flanders and the Belgian tax shelter in partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis Film Finance. Global distribution is managed by Fremantle.

In conversation with EbMaster, Dinnar shares that upon learning Netflix wasn’t going to carry on with ‘Shtisel’, he felt the narrative couldn’t end. He discussed this with the show’s producer, a friend from his TV days, and expressed their need to continue the story. Surprisingly, the producer agreed and managed to create a spin-off. Once Dinnar learned of its production, he knew he wouldn’t find a more fitting original drama for their platform that already had an audience and a recognized brand. So, in his view, ‘Kugel’ is significant because it brings the ‘Shtisel’ story back to our screens, even though it’s a prequel.

Izzy network, established in 2020, offers a variety of programs, one of which is “Unsilenced,” a drama inspired by real events involving an Israeli president accused of sexual harassment. This miniseries received four awards at the Israeli Television Academy. Another series airing on Izzy is “Dismissed,” a comedic drama centering around women serving in the Israeli military. The network’s lineup also features older Israeli shows like “Kathmandu,” starring Gal Gadot, giving viewers an opportunity to see the renowned actress perform in Hebrew. This series tells the story of a young couple establishing a Chabad House – a center promoting Hasidic Judaism – in Nepal.

Previously, as an executive for Channel 10 in Israel, I was immersed in the realm of commercial free-to-air television. Later, I transitioned into producing, a role that granted me insights into the perspectives of both broadcasters and content creators. This unique vantage point has shaped my philosophy towards licensing. “What used to irk me,” I often reflect, “was that despite the success of Israeli shows here at home and their distribution by reputable companies, they didn’t always reach global audiences.” As a storyteller, what matters most isn’t financial gain but the opportunity for people to experience and be touched by my stories. This sentiment drives my work, so I made a conscious decision early on: our licensing approach eschews exclusivity. Exclusivity, in my view, only serves to restrict audiences from accessing content. Consequently, most of our licensing agreements are non-exclusive in nature.

He notes: “We aim for our shows to be accessible globally since we’re accessible globally. Our subscribers are spread across more than 110 countries. Therefore, if we were to restrict content in a region where we have significant influence, like North America, we would not acquire the rights, but the geographical restrictions on most of our licensed content are quite minimal.

Interestingly enough, the country where most of its content remains inaccessible is Israel, but this situation might soon be altered. The primary motivation for launching it here, as he points out, stems from the fact that we have a significant number of individuals who immigrated to Israel from other nations and are not fluent in the language. Consequently, they prefer content with subtitles.

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2025-01-15 17:47