The American Film Market (AFM) opened today for its 39th year. Thousands of global film industry players, including finance, production, sales and distribution executives are in attendance for screenings, meetings, networking, panels, and to solidify deals on both completed films and thousands of projects destined to reach the audiences around the world. This marks the AFM’s 28th year in the city of Santa Monica.
The AFM has welcomed at least 70 companies from 28 countries attending for the first time as buyers with the largest number coming from the United States, followed by China, Italy and South Korea, as well as Canada, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Buyers from the world’s leading digital platforms are also confirmed.
In addition, AFM has at least 60 new exhibiting companies from 15 countries in the market. Of the 400 exhibitors, the United States has the biggest presence with 160, followed by the United Kingdom (34), France (29), South Korea (22), China (17), Japan (13), Russia (12) and Germany (11).
Total attendance is projected to be more than 7,000. Final attendance figures will be announced later in the market.
For 2018, the AFM is placing an increased emphasis on industry intelligence and education, expanding its programming lineup of Conferences, Roundtables, Workshops and Spotlight Events, and adding a third venue – the AFM Gallery at Le Merigot Hotel. More than 150 speakers will take the stage for 40 sessions featuring a diverse array of topics to support virtually every facet of the business.
The Conferences and Roundtables Series begins Friday, Nov. 2 with many notable speakers including Caryn Capotosto (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), producer Cassian Elwes (Mudbound), Jeffrey Greenstein, Millennium Media, producer Basil Iwayk (Sicario), Eric Smith, Facebook, Ryan Turek, Blumhouse Productions, Farhaad Virani, Amazon Studios, and Gary Michael Walters, Bold Films.
Market Screenings are running strong this year with more than 400 screenings of 326 films showing across 26 screens. Of these, 64 films will be World Premieres including Beautiful Darkness starring Matthew Broderick and Chloe Sevigny (Octane Entertainment); Killers Anonymous starring Gary Oldman and Jessica Alba (Fabrication Films); Killerman starring Liam Hemsworth (The Solution Entertainment Group), and Stano starring Sophia Vergara and Joe Manganiello (Kathy Morgan International).
Among the slate of films to screen are candidates for the Academy Awards® Foreign Language Nomination including Switzerland’s submission Eldorado (Playtime) and Germany’s Never Look Away (Beta Cinema).
LocationEXPO, in its second year, will take place over the course of four days of AFM – November 3-6 – in a dedicated exhibit space in the Loews Hotel. More than 60 Film Commissions, Government Agencies, Production Facilities and Services with a combined offering of billions of dollars in production incentives and resources will be represented.
The American Film Market is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance.
For more visit AmericanFilmMarket.com. For AFM’s Programming Lineup: AmericanFilmMarket.com/programs-events; For the Exhibitor List: AmericanFilmMarket.com/exhibitor-list; For AFM Screenings: TheFilmCatalogue.com/afm/screening-schedule.
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