American Film Market
The American Film Market is a film industry event held each year at the beginning of November in Santa Monica, California. The 2019 AFM took place November 6 - 13. More than 7,000 people attend the eight-day annual event to network and to sell, finance and acquire films. Participants come from more than 70 countries and include acquisition and development executives, agents, attorneys, directors, distributors, festival directors, financiers, film commissioners, producers, writers, etc. Founded in 1981, the AFM is a marketplace for the film business, where unlike a film festival, production and distribution deals are the main focus of the participants. It was founded by the American Film Marketing Association, headed by film producer Andy Vajna.
The AFM is held at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, the Le Merigot Beach Hotel and the Casa Del Mar Hotel.
The American Film Market uses all 15 movie theatres on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade and builds nine high definition screening rooms to accommodate 700 screenings of over 400 films. The films shown are ones seeking theatrical and television distribution.
The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance, the trade association representing the world's producers and distributors of independent motion pictures and television programs.