AFM® OPENS WITH 77 NEW EXHIBITORS AND BUYERS FROM 70+ COUNTRIES

BIGGEST PROGRAMMING LINEUP TO DATE

MORE THAN 400 SCREENINGS, INCLUDING 80 WORLD PREMIERES

Los Angeles, CA – November 5, 2019 — The 40th American Film Market® (AFM®) will open its doors tomorrow, November 6.  An estimated 7,000 attendees, including finance, production, sales and distribution executives will be in attendance for screenings, meetings, networking, and panels, and to solidify deals on both completed films and thousands of projects destined to reach the audiences around the world.

The AFM will welcome 375 exhibiting companies, including 77 new exhibitors from 22 countries, who combined are representing thousands of films and projects in every stage of production.  The United States will have the biggest exhibitor presence with 160, followed by the United Kingdom (31), France (26), Russia (19) South Korea (17), Germany (12), Italy (8), Romania (8), and Thailand (8).

The world’s leading buyers will also be in attendance with companies from more than 70 countries confirmed to date, the largest number coming from the United States, followed by Japan, South Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and China.  Buyers from the world’s leading digital platforms are also confirmed.

AFM continues its programming expansion this year with the addition of dedicated AVOD, Television, and XR conversations on its main stage at the Fairmont Hotel.  Over six days and 52 sessions, the topics, opportunities, and practical information most relevant to global filmmakers will be presented across three stages providing attendees the chance to hear from more than 150 thought leaders, decision makers and experts.

The Conference Series begins Friday, Nov. 8 with Breaking the Mold: The Innovators bringing together industry visionaries Erik Feig, CEO, Picturestart, Tim League, Founder, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, and Aron Levitz, Head of Wattpad Studios, and Christian Parkes, Chief Marketing Officer of NEON to discuss what differentiates their business models and what the future holds.

The new half-day Immersive Summit presented by Winston Baker on Saturday, Nov. 9, will offer opportunities for bringing content, such as virtual and augmented reality, to market with creators and experts.  Ted Schilowitz, XR expert and Futurist at Paramount Pictures, will present the opening keynote followed by panels featuring Rick Hack, Intel Studios, Laura Hertzfeld, Verizon Media’s Yahoo! News, Randal Kleiser, Film Director, and Lauren Xandra, National Research Group, among others.

The new half-day Television Conference on Monday, Nov. 11 will look at long form programming for the small screen moderated by Variety’s Michael Schneider and featuring producers Paul Bales, The Asylum, Pierre David, ReelOne/Lance Entertainment, Brad Krevoy, Motion Picture Corporation of America, Chevonne O’Shaughnessy, American Cinema International and Tony Vassiliadis, MarVista Entertainment.  Presentations by network executives including Disney’s Lauren Kisilevsky, the History Channel’s Mike Stiller, and Lifetime Original Movie’s Tia Maggini on their feature-length programming needs and priorities will follow.

AFM’s The Rise of AVOD panel on Tuesday, Nov. 12 will explore this rapidly expanding model and the opportunities for independent film with panelists Floris Bauer, Gunpowder & Sky, Jeff Shultz, Pluto TV, Adam Lewinson, Tubi TV, Julian Franco, Vudu, Anthony Layser, Xumo, and moderator Bruce Eisen, Digital Advisors.

AFM’s Palisades and Venice Stages at the Loews will host Roundtables and Presentations, including:

• Audiences Want More: Bringing Diverse Projects to the Marketplace

In partnership with ReFrame on Saturday, Nov. 9, with Glen Basner, FilmNation, Producers Zanne Devine and Cassian Elwes, and Monica Levinson, ShivHans Pictures, and Jane Fleming, Court Five Productions.

• Seizing the Moment: Producing LGBTQ Content in a Time of Unprecedented Visibility

In partnership with Outfest on Sunday, Nov. 10 with River Gallo, Ponyboi, Stephen Kelliher, Bankside Films, Keya Khayatian, United Talent Agency, LaShawn McGhee, Revry, and Valerie Stadler Big Swing Productions & Outfest.

• Animals in Film: From Script to Screen on Saturday, Nov. 9 with Animals for Hollywood Senior Trainer Mark Harden and K9 dog actor Benny.

Other notable speakers include producer Roxanne Benjamin (V/H/S),  producer Effie Brown (Dear White People), Sherryl Clark, The H Collective, Mark Gooder, Cornerstone Films, Katherine MacDonald, Paramount Pictures, Nat McCormick, The Exchange, producer Alysa Nahmias (Unrest), Vanessa Saal, Protagonist Pictures, Nick Spicer, XYZ Films, and Carrie Wong, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

AFM will also host more than 400 screenings of 313 films from 114 exhibiting companies.  A record 80 films will make their World Premiere.  In addition, more than 25 of the Academy Award® entries submitted for consideration for the “Best International Film” category are among the films being represented at this year’s market.

LocationEXPO®, in its third year, will take place over the course of four days of AFM – November 9-12 and feature more than 50 Film Commissions, Government Agencies, Production Facilities and Services from around the globe.

In order to best serve the needs of its diverse sales companies, AFM launched a new program this year for companies who prefer to set up their sales office outside of the Loews.

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

For more information 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.

Source:AFM