Canal+ Acquires ADD Content’s Documentary Series About Notorious Jewish-American Spy Jonathan Pollard (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy
·2 min read
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French pay TV group Canal+ has acquired “Pollard,” an investigative documentary series about Jonathan Pollard, the notorious Jewish-American spy. It marks the first sale scored by ADD Content, which represents the title internationally. The docu recently aired on Kan, the Israeli free-to-air TV network.

Pollard pleaded guilty to spying for and providing top-secret classified information to Israel and was sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. in 1987. He was released from prison in 2015 and now lives in Israel.

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“Pollard” was directed by Gilad Tocatly and Shani Haziza, based on an investigation by Omri Assenheim, who worked as a correspondent for Uvda, the top-rated current affairs program on Israeli television for 16 years.

Pollard was working as analyst for the U.S. Navy in the late 1970’s when he encountered an Israeli war hero, which set off a chain of events. He went on to steal over a million top-secret documents from the most sensitive coffers of the U.S. Navy Intelligence over the period of a year and a half – the largest theft of its kind. As his spying activities unraveled, Pollard was abandoned by his handlers, leaving him at the mercy of the FBI in the street outside the Israeli Embassy.

Tocatly is a well-respected figure in the Israeli TV industry who was Uvda’s chief director for 27 years, and Shani Haziza, a creator of acclaimed documentary films for Israel’s public broadcaster.

“Canal+ audiences will see a real-life spy story like no other,” said Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, founder and head of international at ADD Content.

“Pollard is a fascinating, oddball character, who raised suspicions earlier in his career but was not apprehended until he had become the most prolific thief of US security secrets,” added Lichtenstein.

The executive said the documentary told “the tale of one man’s greed and ideology, as well as a compellingly uncomfortable betrayal of both people and nations.”

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