Innovative producer Nils Hartmann has stepped down as executive vice president of Sky Studios Italia after 23 years at the Comcast-owned pay-TV service, where he directed many Italian television series that made their mark around the world.
As Director of Original Productions for Sky Italia, Nils Hartmann spearheaded the production of shows that took Italian television to the next level. The painstaking “Gomorrah” series occupies the all-time top spot in Italy’s TV exports. Paolo Sorrentino’s ridiculously funny “Young Pope.” Stefano Sollima’s cocaine trafficking drama “Zero Zero Zero.” Devils is a financial thriller starring Patrick Dempsey and Alessandro Borghi. Drama series “Mussolini: Son of the Century” directed by Joe Wright.
The latest Sky Italia project to be greenlit under Hartmann’s direction is Gabriele Muccino’s six-episode series Gucci: Game Over, which is currently filming. Director Hartman described the film as Italy’s response to Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci, but the film was not well-received by a large segment of the Italian film community, who felt it was full of negative Italian stereotypes and lamented the lack of local talent in leading roles.
Emanuele Marchesi, previously head of development at Sky Studios Italia, will assume Hartmann’s role on August 1st. Marchesi will report to Giuseppe De Bellis, Sky Italia’s EVP of Sports, News and Entertainment. Marchesi will also work closely with Cecile Flew-Coutas, who heads Sky Studios at group level.
In a statement, Sky Italia and Sky Group thanked Nils Hartmann for his “creative contribution, dedication and professionalism throughout his long career” and wished him the best of luck in the unspecified new challenges “that await him.”
