Salma Abdalla will become the new Managing Director of the Vienna Film Fund on 1 November 2026. She succeeds Christine Dollhofer, whose term of office expires at the end of October 2026.

The appointment was made by the City of Vienna following a multi-stage selection process. City Councillor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler praised Dollhofer's work and described Abdalla as a professionally strong successor with international experience.

Abdalla has worked in the international film industry for over two decades, including as a partner and managing director of the global distributor Autlook Filmsales. She has been Head of Communications and International Relations at the Austrian Film Institute since 2024 and is a member of both the European Film Academy and the Executive Branch of the US Academy.

In her new role, Abdalla wants to further develop the Vienna Film Fund as a funding institution, strengthen creative diversity and expand the international positioning of the location.