American Film Market

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Founded in 1981,The American Film Market (AFM) is an annual event which attracts over 8,000 industry attendees to Santa Monica, California for eight days in early November. Participants from over 70 countries converge to buy and sell distribution rights for completed films or to gain financing for projects in various stages of production.

Unlike a film festival, the AFM operates more like a tradeshow by creating a marketplace where production and distribution deals are closed. During its eight days, more than $800 million in deals will be sealed. Attendees generally include: acquisition and development executives, agents, attorneys, directors, distributors, festival directors, financiers, film commissioners, producers, writers, press and all those who provide services to the motion picture industry. According to Variety, AFM's global reach is unusual in the sector and makes it particularly important to sales and distribution specialists.^[1]

The AFM is held in Santa Monica at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and the Le Merigot Beach Hotel which are both converted into a busy marketplace of offices. In addition to the deal-making that occurs at the AFM there are screenings, seminars, red carpet premieres, networking events and parties.

The American Film Market takes over all the movie theatres on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade (and in the surrounding community) to show 900 screenings of over 500 films (often world or U.S. premieres). Additional digital and video screening rooms are also created just for the event. The films shown range from big budget blockbusters that will be released by the major studios in the U.S., to lower budget art and genre films recognized at international film festivals, all seeking theatrical and television distribution throughout the world.

The American Film Market is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance.