Fremantle forms alliance with Israeli investment firm for scripted project fund

European/UK production group Fremantle has teamed up with Israeli financier IBI Investment House to launch a €150 million (£128.5m) fund to finance a portfolio of scripted TV and film projects.

It will also operate as a financing model to fast-track the production of certain projects from Fremantle’s labels, and will work with its producers and directors to greenlight each project. The projects will be overseen by Fremantle’s Global Drama team, led by its CEO Christian Vesper. 

The deal was spearheaded by Andrea Scrosati (Group COO and CEO Continental Europe, Fremantle) and Guy Hameiri (co-founder of Fremantle company Abot Hameiri). Hameiri will become Chief Executive Officer of the new Fund and oversee the selected portfolio of projects.

Three Fremantle projects across both television and film have been targeted to form the first wave of projects for the Fund, including Steven Knight's film Maria starring Angelina Jolie. Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria will be produced by Juan de Dios Larraín for Fabula Pictures, Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment Pictures (a Fremantle company) and Jonas Dornbach for Komplizen Film. 

Two miniseries, Shelter and Generation Loss are also part of the first wave of projects. Shelter, a six-part revenge drama created and written by Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton has Abot Hameiri and Sarah Condon from Fair Harbor attached to produce, and Jeremy Webb directing.

Generation Loss is written by Sarah Dollard and produced by Hilary Martin for Fremantle, Sarah Condon from Fair Harbor and Euston Films.

Scrosati said: “Securing this deal with IBI not only enables us to be extremely competitive in the marketplace, but also offers our world-class creatives and talent an ability to accelerate their projects while maintaining control in an ever-changing industry.”