Zentropa names Solmaz Azizi as German lead, Fabian Gasmia prepares to step down

Danish production company Zentropa has appointed producer Solmaz Azizi as the new MD of its German division, effective from September.

Solmaz Azizi

Ola Kjelbye

The move signals a strategic expansion for the production house as it seeks to strengthen its footprint in the German market.

Azizi will lead Zentropa’s local production slate while continuing to foster the company’s international coproductions with and beyond the Nordic territories.

Azizi joins Zentropa from Berlin’s Studio Zentral, where she served as a producer and member of the management team. Her recent credits include the Iranian coproduction Divine Comedy which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival.

A veteran of the industry, Azizi spent 12 years at the Berlin International Film Festival, where she not only managed the competition programme but was founder and curator of the Berlinale Series section. Her background also includes a tenure at YouTube Gaming as well as the prestigious EAVE Producers Workshop.

She will be taking over from Fabian Gasmia, who has been CEO of Zentropa Berlin since 2015. Over the past 10 years, Gasmia has also worked on international coproductions like Department Q-films Conspiracy of Faith and The Purity of Vengeance and Nikolaj Arcel’s award-winner The Promised Land. The collaboration with Gasmia will continue.

Azizi said: “Taking the lead in Germany is an incredible opportunity to build a home for local filmmakers who want to push boundaries. 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. I cannot think of a better home to do that and I am grateful to Louise Vesth and Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Zentropa’s management for entrusting me with this task.”

Producers Louise Vesth and Sisse Graum Jørgensen added: “In Solmaz Azizi we gain a producer who has sprung from the core of European cinema with a passion for coproduction and the significant storytelling on film. In recent years Germany has stood out internationally with a string of very strong cinematic tales, and spearheaded by Solmaz, we would like to be a part of inspiring and furthering that development focusing on strong German film alongside international coproductions.”