Before working at the Swedish Film Institute, Horst was Senior Executive Swedish Co-Productions at Film i Väst. She has also worked as independent producer, script consultant, writer and actress.

As new Head of Acquisitions and Co-Productions at SF Studios, she will play a key role in the Scandinavian major’s ambition to up its volume of film and TV dramas in the Nordic market. She will report to Jenny Stjernströmer Björk, Chief Content Officer at SF Studios. 

Holst said: “It is a great honour and responsibility to become part of a company with such a long legacy, and that has the ambition to remain a vital part of the coming hundred years of storytelling! I am very much looking forward to working with SF Studios’ professional and strong team and partners, and to facilitate for Nordic talents to make more films and TV series that reach their audiences. The soul, culture and film industry in the Nordic countries, lies close to my heart.”

Michael Porseryd, CEO of SF Studios added: “I am very excited and happy that Yaba has decided to join our team. In addition to her long experience from the Nordic film and TV industry, we have also been particularly impressed by her skills in content. She will contribute a lot in our work to evaluate more ideas, screenplays and stories and our ambition to be involved in even more films and TV series in the Nordic countries.”

In a recent interview with nordicfilmandtvnews.com, Porseryd outlined his strategy which is to be involved in 17 to 25 films a year -including 3-6 in-house productions and 1-2 English language films- as well 3 to 6 TV series a year.

SF Studios distribution is enjoying the smashing success of the Finnish film The Unknown Soldier, biggest film of the year in Finland after only 10 days on screens and first Finnish film ever to pass 100,000 admissions during the second weekend. In Denmark, the local drama While We live by Mehdi Avaz opened at number 2 at the Danish Top 10 on October 26 after Thor Ragnarok, and in Norway the children franchise film Casper & Emma at the Theatre passed 72,000 admissions in its second weekend.  

On the TV front, the in-house thriller series Alex starring Dragomir Mrsic, is currently playing across the Nordics on Viaplay.