Kalle Friz Takes the Helm at Universal Pictures International in Germany!

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Kalle Friz, a seasoned film executive from Germany, is set to join Universal Pictures International in the roles of Managing Director for both Germany and Austria starting in July.

He’ll be responsible for reporting to Paul Higginson, who holds the position of executive vice president for EMEA, and managing the day-to-day operations within one of UPI’s major theatrical markets. His responsibilities will encompass sales, distribution, acquisitions, marketing, public relations, and finance matters.

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Friz is moving from Studiocanal to UPI, where he had worked for the last 16 years, most recently holding the positions of Executive Vice President of International Operations and CEO of Germany. Throughout his time there, he was an integral part of the theatrical and promotional efforts for various English-language films like the Paddington, Hunger Games, Saw, La La Land, and Back To Black series, as well as local productions such as Heidi, The Little Witch, Woodwalkers, and Balloon.

Prior to his tenure at Studiocanal, Friz had been in charge of Fox Searchlight and local acquisitions from the years 2002 to 2009. During this period, he was responsible for the distribution of several notable films in Germany, including “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Juno,” “28 Days Later,” and “Black Swan.

Higginson stated that Kalle is an experienced professional with a well-earned reputation for creative distribution methods, deep understanding of the German market, and a dedicated team leader. With more than two decades of expertise, we’re excited to have Kalle guide our new growth initiatives locally and bolster our already strong standing in this region.

Starting from next year, Human Afshari and Lutz Rippe are set to take over as joint CEOs of Studiocanal Germany, following Friz’s departure. Their new roles were announced earlier this week; they had been appointed co-managing directors of the company in 2023.

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2025-04-30 12:56