Israel's Keshet International landed worldwide distribution rights to the political thriller "Conflict" from producers Backmann & Hoderhoff and XYZ Films. Keshet International will officially launch "Conflict" to market at the London TV Screenings with a Q&A screening featuring co-creators and producers Andrei Alén and Aku Louhimies as part of its Scripted Event on 28 February.
The show is a 6x60' military and political thriller set inside a surprise attack on a neutral country by an unidentified enemy force trying to provoke a wider conflict. This one has an international cast that includes Peter Franzén ("Vikings," "The Gunman," "Purge"), Dylan Smith ("Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," "Mazerunner: The Death Cure2), Nadia Forde ("Once Upon a Time in London"), Sara Soulié ("The Man Who Died") and Larry Lamb ("Eastenders," "Superman").
Anke Stoll, KI's SVP of Acquisitions and Co-productions, referred to the series' captivating elements: "'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. It has a cinematic scale and quality that will impress international audiences."
Co-creator and series director Aku Louhimies provided details about some production decisions: "We've created two contrasting visual narratives and styles, setting the bright, colorful beauty of the Scandinavian midsummer against the darker, sinister events and a 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."
Andrei Alén, the other co-creator, added: "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."