Yom Kippur War drama touted as Israel’s biggest-budget TV series ever

Valley of Tears has been purchased by HBO Max, and the 10-part series is inspired by true events through the eyes of young soldiers

HBO Max has bought the rights to Valley of Tears, a gripping drama about the 1973 Yom Kippur War that is being touted as Israel’s biggest-budget TV series to date.

Inspired by true events, the 10-part series depicts the war through the eyes of young soldiers using three parallel plot lines intertwined into one climactic battle. No premiere date has yet been announced.

The drama is named after the tank battleground in the Golan Heights, where Israeli troops held back Syrian forces – despite being greatly outnumbered – until the arrival of reinforcements.

Leading the cast is Israeli actor Lior Ashkenazi, who starred in the acclaimed Foxtrot and opposite Richard Gere in Norman: The Moderate Rise And Tragic Fall Of A New York Fixer alongside Shtisel star Maor Schwitzer.

There is heavy talent behind the scenes as well: the series is created and written by Ron Leshem (Euphoria) and Amit Cohen, the writer behind hit series False Flag.

The pair are also already at work on another Israeli series called Traitor, a thriller currently in post-production.