Outgoing Disney manager to become Kinowelt’s new distribution partner in Austria.

Veteran distributor Ferdinand Morawetz has replaced Filmladen with immediate effect as Kinowelt’s theatrical distribution partner in Austria.

Morawetz, who also owns the Elmo Kinobetriebe cinemas in Salzburg und the Movieplexx in Braunau am Inn, is the Walt Disney Company’s General Manager for Austria until the end of this year and will remain a consultant to the US major until August 2011. He has headed up Disney’s Austrian operations since 1992.

Disney will assume the task of marketing and sales for the Kinowelt films until Morawetz’s new distribution company EMW Film Elmo Movieworld Filmverleih is up and running.

The first Kinowelt title to be released by the new Austrian partner will be Lasse Hallström’s Dear John on May 6, to be followed in the coming months by Alexandre Aja’s Piranha 3D, Ben Stassen’s Around The World In 50 Years 3D, Saw 7 3D, and Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The Tourist, starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp.