Pressemeddelelse -
Zentropa appoints Solmaz Azizi as new CEO in Germany
BERLIN, Germany — Zentropa today announced producer Solmaz Azizi as the new Managing Director of its German division, effective September 1st.
The move signals a strategic expansion for the iconic 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 signature international co-productions with and beyond the Nordic territories.
Azizi joins Zentropa from Studio Zentral, where she served as a producer and member of the management team. Her recent credits include the Iranian co-production Divine Comedy (dir. Ali Asgari), which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival as well as several critically acclaimed and award-winning series.
A veteran of the industry, Azizi spent 12 years at the Berlin International Film Festival, where she was not only managing the Competition Programme but the founder and curator of the renowned Berlinale Series section, the first standalone platform within an A-festival dedicated to episodic content. Her background also includes a tenure at YouTube Gaming as well as the prestigious EAVE Producers Workshop.
Solmaz Azizi is excited to get started and says:
"I have always admired Zentropa’s bold, uncompromising spirit—it’s a company that isn't afraid to take risks to tell a great story. 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 / Zentropa’s management for entrusting me with this task.”
Zentropa’s management is equally delighted with the addition of Solmaz Azizi. Producers Louise Vesth and Sisse Graum Jørgensen state:
”In Solmaz Azizi we gain a producer who has sprung from the core of European cinema with a passion for co-production 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. Zentropa’s signature has always been revolving around the voices of prominent directors, and we are certain that Solmaz will bring both brilliance and meaning to future German Zentropa films.”
Solmaz Azizi will be taking over from Fabian Gasmia, who has been CEO of Zentropa Berlin since 2015. Over the past 10 years, Gasmia has among other worked on international co-productions like: the successful 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 both short and long term:
“We wish to thank our wonderful colleague and close collaborator of many years, Fabian Gasmia, who will be stepping down as CEO and dedicating himself to his thriving production company, Seven Elephants, whilst continuing his engagement in ongoing Zentropa-related projects. Fabian Gasmia is among others the German co-producer of Nikolaj Arcel’s upcoming feature, My Fairytale Life, and we hope to continue collaborating with him on more projects in the future," says Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Louise Vesth.
September 1st Fabian Gasmia will pass on the role as Managing Director to Solmaz Azizi and states:
“I am deeply grateful for more than a decade of trust as CEO of Zentropa Berlin and for everything I was able to learn from Louise Vesth and Sisse Graum Jørgensen, lessons that continue to guide me every day as a producer, and while I now look forward to focusing fully on my own producing path, including our upcoming film with Nikolaj Arcel, I am convinced that many exciting collaborations between Zentropa and myself still lie ahead, and I warmly wish Solmaz Azizi all the best, as there could be no better person to take over this precious company”.
With Regards,
HAVE Kommunikation
Contact:
Michael Feder // Cell Phone: +45 2243 4942 // mail: michael@have.dk
About Zentropa:
Zentropa is a multiple OSCAR®- and Palme d’Or (CANNES) nominated and winning company and the home of European star directors such as Thomas Vinterberg, Lars von Trier, Anders Thomas Jensen and Nikolaj Arcel. Zentropa’s filmography also includes multiple films by Susanne Bier, Lone Scherfig and Pernille Fischer Christensen.
With a catalog of over 275 titles, Zentropa is today one of the most productive, notorious, and acclaimed production companies in Scandinavia and Europe. In addition to producing feature films, Zentropa has now also substantially engaged in the production of TV series.
The company that launched the DOGMA 95 movement boasts a portfolio thatincludes an extensive list of awards and honors, including: 2 Academy Awards (Oscar), 6 Academy Award nominations (Oscar), 1 Golden Globe, 5 Golden Globe nominations, 5 Palmes from the Cannes Film Festival, 3 Bears from the Berlin International Film Festival, 1 BAFTA, 1 César, and 22 European Film Awards.
