TVNOW, VOX commission Stockholm from Keshet Tresor Fiction
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Editor
| 21 February 2020

In a German adaptation of the dark Israeli comedy series, Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s streaming platform TVNOW and its linear TV channel VOX have ordered a German adaptation of Stockholm, from Keshet Tresor Fiction (KTF).

Based on the bestselling book by Noa Yedlin and the series originally produced by Artza Productions for Keshet Broadcasting and KAN, Stockholm will star a group of actors in their late sixties who cover up their friend’s death so that he can achieve his lifelong ambition. If Hermann is to win a Nobel Prize, his four best friends have to keep his death a secret for five days, which strains their friendship to the limit and forces them to assess what they have achieved in their own lives.

Each episode will be devoted to one of the four friends, giving a unique perspective on their relationship with the deceased (Hermann), as well as their own personal lives and secret hidden agendas.

KTF’s 4x45’ adaptation of this comedy drama will be known locally as Unter Freunden Stirbt Man Nicht (You Don’t Die Among Friends) and written by Claudius Pläging (Der Vorname, Pastewka). Produced in cooperation with TVNOW and VOX and supported by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Felix Stienz (Merz gegen Merz, Kroymann) will direct the four part series, with KTF’s Tina Hechinger as producer.

It will be executive produced by Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s heads of fiction Hauke Bartel and Frauke Neeb, KTF’s director of fiction programme Christina Christ and Tresor’s CEO Axel Kühn. Filming is scheduled to begin in April 2020.

Commenting on the new series, Bartel and Neeb said: “Right from the outset, we were thrilled about how cheerfully, candidly and honestly the series is tackling the major topics of life. We're already proud to have such an outstanding crew and team both in front of and behind the camera.”

KTF’s Christ added: “In an age when people live longer and have better lives, Unter Freunden Stirbt Man Nicht offers a refreshing perspective on this fascinating age group. This dark comedy breaks stereotypes and conventional assumptions, as our silver surfers’ friendships, family, loyalty, professionalism, love and lust are all put to the test – and the results are not what we may imagine.”

The comedy is not only the first commission for Tresor’s new scripted division, it is also one of the first scripted orders for TVNOW. As international distributor for both the format and finished tape of Stockholm, Keshet International licensed the format for the comedy to Tresor, the German independent production company it acquired in 2017.