Maria Koepf, co-managingdirector of X-Filme creative poolsince 2000, is leaving the Berlinproduction house to set up shop with herownoutfit MagnetFilmproduktion.

Koepf started at X-Filme asa line producer in 1995, working with Tom Tykwer as line producer on Wintersleepers, as executive producer onRunLolaRun, and producer on The PrincessAnd The Warrior, Heaven and the shortfilm True.

Her other producer creditsincludes Hendrik Handloegten's Paul Is Dead andLearning To Lie, Ayse Polat's Silver Leopard winner En Garde, the firstGerman-Iraqi co-production Underexposure by Oday Rasheed, and Sebastian Schipper'sAFriend Of Mine, which will be releasedby X Verleih this autumn.

The last X-Filme project tobe handled by Koepf will be Anna Justice's youthcomedy PrinceWilliam, Max Minsky and Me, based on Holly-Jane Rahlens'best-sellingnovel, which will be shot in Berlin this summer.

The first project to berealised by Koepf under the Magnet label is set tobe the next, as-yet-untitledfeature project by Hans Steinbichler to shoot in2007.

Steinbichler's latest film WinterJourney is being given itsinternationalmarket premiere by Beta Cinema at the market in Cannes andwill be releasedbyX Verleih later in the year.