Israeli Spy Thriller Tehran Wins International Emmy Award

Israeli spy thriller Tehran has won the award for best drama series at the 49th International Emmy Awards on Tuesday.

The International Emmy Awards recognize non-English-language television programs and programs originally aired outside the United States. The Israeli series was nominated along with the Indian series “Aarya,” Chilean show “El Presidente” and British program “There She Goes” in the best drama category.

In her acceptance speech, executive producer Dana Eden said the show is not only an espionage series but is also about understanding the human behind your enemy and that the cast and crew is doing this every day on set. The cast and crew include Israelis and Iranians.

“I think it gives a lot of hope for the future, and I hope that we can walk together, the Iranians and Israelis, in Jerusalem and in Tehran, as friends and not as enemies,” she said.

The Israeli drama produced by Israeli public broadcaster Kan was picked up by Apple TV in September 2020. The show, co-created by “Fauda” writer Moshe Zonder, tells the story of a young Mossad agent, Tamar Rabinyan, who is sent on a mission to the Iranian capital and needs to escape safely with an Iranian counter-espionage agent on her heels. She also unexpectedly falls in love with an Iranian man.

The show stars Israeli actors Niv Sultan, Navid Negahban, Menashe Noy, and Shaun Toub and features dialogue in Persian, Hebrew, and some English.

The show is now filming its second season in Athens, Greece, and acclaimed actress Glenn Close has joined the cast.

Israeli actor Roy Nik was also nominated for best actor in a separate category for his role in the Israeli TV series “Normali” but lost to actor David Tennant from the British program “Des.” The show, which premiered on the HOT tv network last year, features Nik as the lead character Noam, a 24-year-old columnist struggling to establish himself as a writer.

Programs and performances from a record 24 countries were nominated for the 2021 International Emmy Awards, The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences said. There were 44 across 11 categories. Nominees come from Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, India, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom & the United States.