Sonja Heinen

Head of Berlinale Co-Production Market
Programme Manager, World Cinema Fund

Sonja HeinenAfter studying languages and economics at the Euro Academy in Cologne, Sonja Heinen started her career in the film business in 1991 at Filmstiftung NRW in Duesseldorf.

Until 2001 she was Assistant to Executive Director Dieter Kosslick, responsible for international contacts. During this time she organized co-production meetings with almost all European countries, as well as international producers’ delegations, and developed the International Co-Production Market Cologne, which took place in 2000 for the first time.

From March 2001 until July 2003, she has been working as Producer and Project Coordinator for Gemini Film and International West in Cologne. Since 2003, she has been working at the Berlin International Film Festival as Head of the Berlinale Co-Production Market. Since August 2004, she is additionally Programme Manager of the World Cinema Fund.