AFM 2022 Wraps First Live Event in Three Years

AFM 2022 Wraps First Live Event in Three Years with Attendees from Record 87 Countries

LOS ANGELES, CA – November 10, 2022 – The American Film Market (AFM®) concluded its 43th edition on Sunday, November 6, marking its first in-person return to Santa Monica since 2019. The shortened six-day market drew together sales and production companies, buyers, financiers, and representatives from every sector of the independent film industry from a record 87 countries for a dynamic week of deal-making, screenings, conferences, networking and parties.

“AFM 2022 was an important milestone in our 43-year history,” said Jean Prewitt, President/CEO of the Independent Film & Television Alliance. “Our mission is to give the independent industry a strong platform for sales, education, and networking.  After three years away, new energy filled Santa Monica throughout the week, with a steady drumbeat of business being done and participants from 87 countries enthusiastically engaged in sharing the industry knowledge that makes face-to-face markets so vital.”

The total number of attendees that visited the AFM was 5,866. Exhibitors included 305 registered companies from 38 countries, with the largest number of exhibitors after the United States coming from the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany and Canada. From Asia, the Republic of South Korea and Thailand each had a strong presence with 17 and 8 exhibition companies respectively and two countries with significant increases in participation were Italy with 29 exhibitors and Malaysia with 10.

The AFM re-introduced two new exhibitor programs this year — Reserved Meeting Tables, which were in high-demand selling out quickly, as well an Offsite Exhibition program affording all companies, big and small, the options they needed at the right size and price point to fit their company’s market needs.

Buyers from nearly 500 companies representing 68 countries were present at the market with the highest number of buyers coming from the United States followed by Germany, the UK, Japan, the Republic of South Korea, Italy, Spain, France, Canada, Brazil, and the Netherlands.

From Asia, the largest showing of individual buyers were with companies from Japan (49) and the Republic of South Korea (48) followed by Singapore (8), Hong Kong (7), Taiwan (6), Thailand (6), and China (2). Buyers from the Russian Federation totaled 14.

AFM screenings were highly attended with 352 screenings taking place across 15 commercial theatre screens over the course of four days and the AFM On Demand platform.

Continuing its renowned conference program, The AFM Sessions presented by Cast & Crew and Spcine took place alongside the market at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and featured a lineup of 32 sessions and over 100 speakers across two stages.

The sessions provided attendees a wealth of timely film production, financing, and sales topics and information and the opportunity to hear from thought-leaders including: Jeff Annison, Legion M, Miranda Bailey, Cold Iron Pictures, Brian Beckmann, Arclight Films, Kyle Bowser, NAACP, Margaret Boykin, Ubisoft Film & Television, Cedric the Entertainer, A Bird and A Bear Entertainment, Jason Cloth, Creative Wealth Media, Howard Cohen, Roadside Attractions, Maxime Cottray, XYZ Films, Cassian Elwes, Elevated Film Sales, Clay Epstein, Film Mode Entertainment, David Fannon, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment / Screen Media Ventures, Danny Gabai, VICE Studios US,  Peter Graham, 120 dB Films, Jeffrey Greenstein, Millennium Media, Elizabeth Haggard, Participant, George Hamilton, Protagonist Pictures, Charles Hopkins, Concord Originals, James Huntsman, Blue Fox Entertainment, Nick Isaak, Gravitas Ventures, Peter Jarowey, Vertical Entertainment, Erica Lee, Thunder Road Pictures, Laura Lewis, Rebelle Media, Nick LoPiccolo, Paradigm Agency, Glendon Palmer, AGC Studios, Ross Putnam, Verve Ventures, Pip Ngo, XYZ Films, Delphine Perrier, Highland Film Group,  Jason Pfardrescher, Well Go USA, Milan Popelka, FilmNation, Jonathan Prince, Philmco Media, Lindsey Ramey, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, Jason Richman, United Talent Agency, Michael Ryan, GFM Animation,  Kent Sanderson, Bleecker Street/ DECAL, Sanjay Sharma, Marginal MediaWorks, Scott Shooman, IFC Entertainment, Mary Jane Skalski, Echo Lake Entertainment, Mimi Steinbaur, Radiant Films International, Ashley Stern, Picture Perfect Federation, David Steward II, Lion Forge Animation, James Vanderbilt, Project X Entertainment, and many others. Organizations such as NAACP, Outfest, REFRAME and SAG-AFTRA also provided sessions focusing on emerging efforts to build the industry through a stronger and more diverse talent base.

About the American Film Market® (AFM®)

The AFM is where the business of film comes to life every November. One of the world’s preeminent film events and the only independently produced international sales market, hundreds of production, sales and distribution companies and thousands of buyers and professionals from every segment of the industry, convene at AFM in Santa Monica for six days of discovery, development, deal making, networking, marketplace discussions and world-class conferences.  More than US$1 billion in finance, production and distribution deals are closed each year on completed films and projects in every stage of development and spanning every genre, budget and language.  The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®) and serves as the annual fundraiser for the association.

About the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®)

IFTA is the global trade association for independent film and television production, finance, distribution, and sales companies. The organization represents the independent sector before governments and international bodies and provides significant entertainment industry services to independent companies from 22 countries.

Source：AFM