Keshet International has acquired worldwide distribution rights for hostage drama “Conflict.”
Produced by Backmann & Hoderhoff and XZY Films, “Conflict” is a six-part political thriller about an enemy force trying to incite a global conflict with a surprise attack.
The series was created and produced by Andrei Alén and Aku Louhimies (“Rebellion”). Louhimies will also direct. Keshet International will launch “Conflict” at London Screenings next week, kicking off with a Q&A with Alén and Louhimies at its scripted event on Feb. 28.
“As a military unit of conscripts completes its training on Midsummer’s Eve, an unidentified enemy invades the picturesque Finnish peninsula,” reads the logline “With foreign nationals amongst the 10,000 people now held hostage in the occupied area, the U.S. President and other allies urge Finland’s newly elected President to take decisive action. Faced with the very real threat of a proxy war, President Saaristo must follow her instincts and moral compass to not only secure the safety of her own people, but also to prevent escalation into Europe and a global conflict.”
It stars Peter Franzén (“Vikings”), Dylan Smith (“Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Nadia Forde (“once Upon a Time in London”), Sara Soulié (“The Man Who Died”) and Larry Lamb (“Superman”).
Nick Spicer, Aram Tertzakian, Maxime Cottay and Marci Wiseman exec produce for XYZ.
“’Conflict’ immediately stood out from the crowd because of the way it builds tension and suspense throughout to immerse the audience in the personal dramas unfolding on screen,” said Anke Stoll, KI’s SVP for acquisitions and co-productions. “It has a cinematic scale and quality that will impress international audiences.”
Alén said: “With this series, Aku and I were interested in exploring the human side of a potentially world-changing event like this – ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances as the conflict escalates from hour to hour.”
Louhimies added: “We’ve created two contrasting visual narratives and styles, setting the bright, colorful beauty of the Scandinavian midsummer against the darker, sinister events and harsh new reality of a surprise proxy war depicted on screen. Our goal was authenticity, so everything shot, including the combat scenes, was done practically with very little CGI. It feels frighteningly real because it is.”
Business Finland and the City of Hanko backed the project.
