HBO green lights new Israeli adaptation

HBO executive said sometimes the Israeli series are "so good that we don't even want to adapt."

By AMY SPIRO
Updated: MARCH 14, 2018 05:35
Actors appear in ‘Euphoria.’ ‘It’s about what life looks like for teens when parents don’t exist.’ (photo credit: YOUTUBE)
Actors appear in ‘Euphoria.’ ‘It’s about what life looks like for teens when parents don’t exist.’
(photo credit: YOUTUBE)
HBO has green-lit the adaptation of an Israeli series called Euphoria.
Casey Bloys, the president of HBO’s programming, announced Tuesday that the network is going forward with its version of the 2012 HOT series.
Bloys was speaking in Jerusalem at the Keshet INTV conference, which has brought together a range of influential TV executives from around the world.
Bloys – speaking on a panel alongside colleagues Francesca Orsi and David Levine – said the decision was made on Friday.
“It’s about teenagers – it’s a look at Kids meets Trainspotting,” said Orsi, an executive vice president for drama at HBO, referencing the 1995 and 1996 films. “It’s about what life looks like for teens when parents don’t exist.”
Bloys also hinted at a co-production with Keshet that HBO is working on, but wouldn’t reveal further details: “maybe next year.”
Euphoria was written by Ron Leshem and directed by Dafna Levin. Orsi said the script adaptation was written by Sam Levinson, who also wrote Wizard of Lies – the HBO film about Bernie Madoff.
The 10-episode HOT series was produced by Tedy productions, which said the show “portrays a sexy, troubling, and bold profile of the teens of the ’90s, within a raging drama going on behind teenagers’ closed doors.”
Orsi said when HBO picked up In Treatment in 2008 – adapted from the HOT series BeTipul – it was a real turning point.
“In Treatment was the first – people still point to that moment,” said Orsi. “Noa Tishby had said there’s this great Israeli show – you should take it to the States and have them considering it.”
Orsi said that decision was easy, “knowing right away how special it was, and how daring it was, and how bold it was in its simplicity.”
Levine said that since the success of In Treatment, “we’re always watching, and particularly here [in Israel], because the television is so bold, the innovation in how stuff is filmed” is unique.
Orsi added that sometimes the Israeli series are “so good that we don’t even want to adapt” them.