Producer Solmaz Azizi is to succeed Fabian Gasmia as managing director of Zentropa Berlin from September 1 as part of the Danish company’s plans for a strategic expansion to strengthen its presence in the German market.
Azizi joins Zentropa from Studio Zentral, the production house behind Mascha Schilinski’s Sound Of Falling. Her credits there include the co-production of Iranian filmmaker Ali Asgari’s Divine Comedy and TV series Supermad and Made In Germany.
Before Studio Zentral, Azizi spent 12 years with the Berlinale, managing the Competition programme and founding the Berlinale Series section, and subsequently worked for YouTube Gaming.
In an official statement on her appointment, Azizi said: “My goal is to build a bridge between our vibrant German creative community and Zentropa’s international network, making sure we’re creating films and series that leave a mark.”
Gasmia had been managing director of Zentropa’s German operations since 2015, during which time he had served as co-producer on Christoffer Boe’s The Purity Of Vengeance and Hans Petter Molland’s A Conspiracy Of Faith.
He will now focus on his other role as a partner in Berlin-based production company Seven Elephants, which he co-founded in 2018 with directors Julia von Heinz, David Wnendt and Erik Schmitt.
Seven Elephants’ current production, the €19m sci-fi thriller Athos 2643, is currently in post-production and will be released by Constantin Film in 2027.
Zentropa’s leading producers Louise Vesth and Sisse Graum Jørgensen stressed that Gasmia will continue his engagement in ongoing Zentropa-related projects, including as the German co-producer on Nikolaj Arcel’s next feature My Fairytale Life, about Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.
“We hope to continue collaborating with him on more projects in the future,” they added.
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