German producer-distributor Senator Entertainment has given executive Juergen Fabritius orders to leave his managerial post at the group's German theatrical arm Senator Film Verleih just days before the Christmas celebrations.

Fabritius joined Senator in January 2002 to serve as one of the managing directors with responsibility for marketing and distribution for releases in the German language area. This was after he had exited his managing director job at Kinowelt's distribution outfit Arthaus Filmverleih when the theatrical operation was closed down in August 2001 as part of Kinowelt's radical streamlining programme.

Before that 48-year-old Fabritius had run cinemas in Berlin (1986-1991) and Hamburg (1992-1997) before going to Munich in 1998 to head up theatrical distribution at Prokino where he stayed only a few months before moving on to the newly created Arthaus.

Senator offered no comment on the reasons behind Fabritius' sudden departure.