Banijay acquires majority stake in Israel's MoviePlus Productions

Banijay is expanding its operations in Israel with the majority acquisition (51% share) of Israeli's independent production company MoviePlus Productions, specialized in drama series, documentaries, and feature-length films. In its new home, as part of Banijay, MoviePlus Productions will retain its identity and DNA, and will continue to be operated by founding CEO, David Mandil. The scripted division of Endemol Shine Israel also continues to operate separately under the guidance of Head of Drama, Gal Zaid.

David Mandil, CEO, MoviePlus: "Movieplus has been producing for 20 years. The team and I are very proud of the path we have chosen, which led us to this great endeavor. We are very honoured to be joining hands with Banijay and Endemol Shine Israel and are determined to grasp this opportunity and together create high-end content. Along the years, we had the chance to collaborate with many talented creators, writers and directors, and are looking forward to many more challenging and fascinating projects."

Marco Bassetti, CEO at Banijay: “David is an impressive storymaker, who has honed a business built on creativity, originality and above all, quality. As we continue to build our position as the number one home for content artists, he is a welcome addition, and we look forward to further expanding our premium scripted offering in the Israeli market via the combined strength of Endemol Shine Israel and MoviePlus Productions.”

MoviePlus Productions has a track record in international-spanning local drama series, which was built on the likes of critically-acclaimed "Our Boys" for HBO and "KI, Miguel" (Canal+); "Deus and Jerusalem Brew", and multi-award-winning "Embezzlement" for YES Studios. Beyond drama series, MoviePlus Productions is behind the Academy Award-nominated films, "Footnote and Beaufort"; "A Tale of Love and Darkness", in which Natalie Portman made her directorial debut; "Norman" by Joseph Cedar, starring Richard Gere, Steve Buscemi, and Charlotte Gainsbourg; and many more.

In joining the Banijay family and its global portfolio of labels, MoviePlus Productions will have the opportunity to strike co-production ventures with fellow scripted outfits across the world. Additionally, as part of the deal, its forthcoming titles will now be distributed by Banijay Rights.