Sonja Heinen is to become a development executive

<< A photo available for free download for media coverage can be found here. (Credits: MOIN Film Fund/Alexandra Polina)

A perfect fit for NEST: with over 25 years’ experience in the international film industry, Sonja Heinen brings extensive expertise in film funding, production and festival work.

Most recently, the Schleswig-Holstein native served as CEO of European Film Promotion (EFP), where she was responsible for the strategic and operational management of the organisation. In this role, she worked closely with Executive Producers, Directors, international sales agents, distributors, festivals and funding bodies, coordinated collaboration between member organisations across Europe and brought together diverse interests within the network. Prior to that, from 2003 to 2015, she headed the Berlinale Co-Production Market and was co-director of the World Cinema Fund. Her career began with roles at the Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen and Cologne Gemini Film/International West Pictures.

In her new role as Development Executive, Sonja Heinen is responsible for the further development of NEST and supports the funded ideas for new films, series and immersive formats throughout the entire development process. This includes allocating tailored funding measures (NEST Tools), expanding the NEST Community and connecting NEST projects with the market – so that promising ideas can develop into strong projects for cinema, TV and streaming platforms and find their audience.

Sonja Heinen: “I’m really looking forward to joining the MOIN team and helping to shape NEST as an innovative support programme. What I particularly like about NEST is the opportunity to support projects at an early stage and work with Script Writers, Creators and Executive Producers to identify what they need for their further development.”

Helge Albers, CEO of the MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein: “With her many years of international experience, Sonja Heinen is a real coup for the industry here in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Particularly in our development division, NEST, it is crucial to match projects with the right partners at an early stage in order to ultimately get the very best out of the films and series. And who could do that better than someone with Sonja’s track record?”

More information about NEST is available here.