Veteran German film executive Kalle Friz will join Universal Pictures International as managing director for Germany and Austria in July.
He will report to Paul Higginson, executive vp, EMEA, and oversee day-to-day operations in the territory, one of UPI’s largest theatrical markets. His remit will include sales, distribution, acquisitions, marketing, publicity, and finance.
Friz joins UPI from Studiocanal, where he served for the past 16 years, most recently as EVP International Operations & CEO Germany. During his tenure, he was closely involved in the theatrical and marketing campaigns for English-language releases such as the Paddington trilogy, The Hunger Games and Saw franchises, La La Land and Back To Black, along with local titles including Heidi, The Little Witch, Woodwalkers and Balloon.
Before his time at Studiocanal, Friz led Fox Searchlight and local acquisitions from 2002 to 2009, overseeing the German releases of Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, 28 Days Later, and Black Swan.
“Kalle is a seasoned talent in the industry who has a long-standing reputation for innovative distribution strategies, a strong fluency in the German marketplace, and is a committed leader who empowers his teams,” said Higginson in a statement. “With over 20 years of experience, we are thrilled to have Kalle shepherd new growth strategies in the local market and build upon the strong positioning we have in the region.”
Hooman Afshari and Lutz Rippe will succeed Friz as co-CEOs of Studiocanal Germany, the company announced Wednesday. Afshari and Rippe were named co-managing directors of the group in 2023.
(from left): Hooman Afshari, Lutz Rippe, co-CEOs Studiocanal Germany
Studiocanal
