Israel’s Kneller Agency signs int’l ‘first-look’ deal
The entertainment website Deadline reported this week that leading US/UK-based production management company Anonymous Content has signed a first-look deal with The Kneller Agency, a prominent Israeli talent and artist agency that represents some of Israel’s leading content producers.
A first-look deal means that Anonymous Content, which has created such hits as Mr. Robot and True Detective, will get the first opportunity to consider whether they would like to produce, develop and/or distribute any new film or television project by a client of Kneller.
Based in Tel Aviv and founded in 1996 by Arik Kneller, the agency represents more than 250 clients in TV, film, theater, literature, music and advertising. These include two-time Oscar nominee and co-creator and director of HBO series Our Boys, Joseph Cedar; Keren Margalit – creator, writer, and director of Yellow Peppers, which was remade by the BBC in the UK as The A Word; Tomer Kappon, the star of Amazon’s The Boys, Fauda and When Heroes Fly; Ori Elon and Yehonatan Indursky, who wrote and created the hit Israeli show Shtisel; Noah Stollman, co-creator of Our Boys and head writer on the third and fourth season of Fauda; and Ron Leshem and Amit Cohen, co-creators of Valley of Tears and No
Man’s Land. Leshem also co-created the original Israeli series Euphoria, which inspired the HBO series starring Zendaya, and he wrote the screenplays for the features Beaufort and Incitement. Cohen co-created the Israeli series False Flag, which was remade for Apple TV+.
The Sapir Prize-winning author and screenwriter Etgar Keret is also among Kneller’s clients and he created a portrait of the colorful agent in his novel, Kneller’s Happy Campers (adapted for the movies as Wristcutters: A Love Story). The character called Kneller (played by Tom Waits in the movie) is an eccentric commune leader who welcomes those who live in a desolate underworld for people who have committed suicide.
Kneller represents several authors’ estates, including Hanoch Levin, Ephraim Kishon and Yoram Kaniuk (whose novel Adam Resurrected was adapted into the film directed by Paul Schrader starring Jeff Goldblum).
“We’re seeing such incredible material from Israeli filmmakers, showrunners, and creators break through with global audiences and The Kneller Agency is helping drive the charge,” said Anonymous Content chief creative officer David Levine.
He continued, “We are thrilled to work with Arik and his team to create groundbreaking film and television that rises to the forefront of the increasingly competitive international industry.”