Streamer Izzy takes Shtisel spin-off Kugel global

Israeli content-focused streamer Izzy has taken global rights to Kugel, the upcoming spin-off to hit drama Shtisel. 

Kugel is produced by Fremantle’s Abot Hameiri for Israeli network Yes and is a prequel to the original Shtisel series, which tracks the lives of a father and daughter - Nuchem (Sasson Gabai) and Libi Shtisel’s (Hadas Yaron) - who are part of a Jewish orthodox family. 

The new show takes viewer back in time to Belgium and will explore how Libi’s life with her father Nuchem changes when his wife demands a divorce. 

The story tracks Nuchem as he tries to save his marriage, while also juggling his jewellery business and attempting to court recently widowed Pnina Baumbach, who inherited a restaurant that specialises in Jerusalem-style noodle kugels.  

Libi, meanwhile, finds her plan to become an author turned upside down following a chance encounter with an orthodox man on the Antwerp tram. 

The 8x60 show is written by Shtisel’s co-creator and writer Yehonatan Indursky, with Erez Kavel directing. Fremantle, Abot Hameiri and Menuetto Film are attached producers. 

The deal was brokered by Fremantle’s Lisa Honig, senior exec vice president of distribution in North America and Jamie Lynn, exec vice president of co-production and distribution for EMEA, and Nati Dinnar, CEO at Israel Media Group.  

Nati Dinnar, co-founder and chief exec at Izzy, said: “As a streaming platform, we understand the transformative power of an original, exclusive drama, and we’ve been dreaming of this moment for a long time.  

“But even in my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have imagined partnering with such an incredible team on the most beloved TV brand to come out of Israel - Shtisel.” 

The series was commissioned by Yes, which also commissioned Shtisel ahead of its 2013 debut. Izzy already carries the original show’s first three seasons on its service,  with Prime Video holding rights in the US. Netflix had previously held rights internationally. 

Kugel is supported by Screen Flanders and the Belgian tax shelter, in collaboration with BNP Paribas Fortis Film Finance. Fremantle handles global sales. 

Jens Richter, chief executive of commercial and international at Fremantle, said: “Kugel follows a rich, warm, and compelling sequence of love triangles, broken promises and misunderstandings, told with humour, compassion and uncompromising humanity. I couldn’t be more thrilled to share another chapter of Nuchem and Libi’s story.”