Executives From Amazon, Facebook, Filmnation, Paramount, Participant Media, STX and More Join American Film Market^® Speaker Lineup

Over 60 Exhibiting Companies from 15 Countries New for 2018

 
Los Angeles, CA – October 23, 2018 – The American Film Market® announced today additional speakers confirmed for its expanded programming of Conferences, Roundtables, Workshops, and Spotlight Events. This year’s market is taking place October 31 – November 7 in Santa Monica.
 
Joining The Global Perspective Conference are Milan Popelka, COO, FilmNation, John Friedberg, President of International Sales, STX, Sasha Buhler, Head of Acquisitions, Constantin Film, Victoria Hadida, President, Metropolitan Filmexport, Syrinthia Studer, EVP, Worldwide Acquisitions, Paramount and Jeremy Kay, U.S. Editor, Screen International. The Wall Street Journal’s Erich Schwartzel will moderate the opening discussion with film industry leaders Jean Prewitt President/CEO, Independent Film & Television Alliance® and Charles Rivkin Chairman/CEO, Motion Picture Association of America®.
 
Farhaad Virani, Amazon Studios, Eric Smith, Facebook, and Jonathan King, Participant Media have joined AFM® Roundtables. Ashok Amritraj, Hyde Park Entertainment, Miranda Bailey, Cold Iron Pictures, Scott Edel, Loeb & Loeb, and Casting Director/Producer Heidi Levitt have been added to AFM Conference sessions. See the full schedule and speaker list at americanfilmmarket.com/programs-events/.
 
AFM also announced today that at least 60 companies from 15 countries will be making their AFM debut as market exhibitors. These companies come from all corners of the globe, including Australia, Canada, China, Finland, France, Hungary, Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Korea, the United Kingdom and United States. The market is set to welcome over 400 exhibitors from more than 40 countries and overall participants from more than 80 counties.
 
A sampling of new exhibiting companies for this year includes; Bona Film Group, Digital Content LLC, GloriaFX, Gravitas Ventures, Loco Films, Locus Corporation, Mandarin Motion Pictures Distribution Limited, Match Point, North of Two, Pink Parrot Media, Riki Group, Tangren Cultural Film Group, Vedado Communications, Viva Communications Inc., and Youku.
 

70+ Buying Companies From 28 Countries New To 2018 American Film Market^®

Official Artwork for 39th AFM Revealed
 

Los Angeles, CA – October 16, 2018 – The 39th American Film Market® (AFM®), set for October 31-November 7 in Santa Monica, announced today that more than 70 companies from 28 countries will be attending AFM for the first time as buyers. These companies hail from 28 countries, with the largest numbers coming from the United States with 19 companies; nine from China; four from both Italy and South Korea; three from countries that include Canada, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, and Vietnam; and two apiece from Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
 
A sampling of the new buying companies for this year includes: Blue Finch Film Releasing, DREAMAX MEDIA, Eagle Communication Co., Ltd., DYNIT, Elevation Pictures, High Octane Pictures, Indie Rights, Mango Films Vietnam, Sun Film Group, Tangren Cultural Film Group, Times Film Group, LLC, Vudu, Weltkino Filmverleih GmbH, and Youplanet Pictures.
 
Jonathan Wolf, AFM Managing Director commented, “Every year new distribution companies and platforms are launched, connecting independent films with audiences throughout the world. We look forward to welcoming all to their first AFM.”
 
In addition, the AFM today unveiled its official artwork for 2018 which will be used throughout the run of the market (see attached).
 
# # #
About the American Film Market®
The American Film Market (AFM®) is the world’s largest motion picture business event. Over 7,000 industry leaders from more than 80 countries converge in Santa Monica for eight days of deal-making, screenings, conferences, networking and parties. Participants include acquisition and development executives, agents, attorneys, directors, distributors, festival directors, financiers, film commissioners, producers, writers, the world’s press and all those who provide services to the motion picture industry.
 
Unlike a film festival, the AFM is a marketplace – with over 200,000 square feet of exhibition space – where production and distribution deals are closed. In just eight days, more than US$1 billion in deals will be sealed – on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production.
 
Participants may view more than 500 screenings of 300+ films – 29 new films every two hours – the majority world or U.S. premieres. Titles range from big budget blockbusters that will be released by the major studios to lower budget art and genre films recognized at international film festivals.
 
About the Independent Film & Television Alliance®
The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA®) is the global trade association of the independent motion picture and television programming industry. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IFTA represents and provides significant entertainment industry services to more than 140 Member companies in 21 countries, consisting of independent production and distribution companies, sales agents, and financial institutions engaged in production finance. Collectively, IFTA Members produce more than 400 independent films and countless hours of television programming each year, generating more than $4.5 billion in distribution revenues annually. For more information on IFTA, please visit www.IFTA-online.org.

 
Media Contact
Jennifer Garnick
VP, Communications
jgarnick@ifta-online.org
+310.446.1006

Entering the Loews Hotel Now Requires an AFM Badge

Los Angeles, CA – July 19, 2018 – Entering the Loews Hotel will now require an AFM Badge. “We are making this change to accommodate AFM’s growing attendance and to provide improved access and resources for all of our global participants,” said AFM Managing Director Jonathan Wolf. “The lobby will now be a proper venue for casual meetings or a drink at the bar.”
 
The 39th American Film Market, happening October 31 – November 7 in Santa Monica, anticipates approximately 7,000 participants from 80 countries.
 

2018 American Film Market^® to Welcome 150+ Speakers to its Stages

Los Angeles, CA – October 3, 2018 – The American Film Market (AFM®) has announced today initial speakers confirmed for its expanded programming of Conferences, Roundtables, Workshops, and Spotlight Events which run alongside the AFM’s marketplace and industry screenings. This year’s market is taking place October 31 – November 7 in Santa Monica.
 
More than 150 speakers will take the AFM stages to participate in 40+ sessions across three venues. An initial list of highlights includes:
 
Producers: Caryn Capotosto, Cassian Elwes, Basil Iwanyk, Khaliah Neal, Ben Stillman, Gary Michael Walters, and Janet Yang.
 
Industry Executives: Lisa Gutberlet, EVP, International Sales & Acquisitions, Blue Fox Entertainment; Alison Thompson, Co-President, Cornerstone Films; Janet Brown, EVP, Distribution, Gunpowder & Sky; Jeffrey Greenstein, Co-President, Millennium Media; Krista Wegener, SVP, Sales and Distribution, Participant Media; John Orlando, Head of Content, Sony Crackle; Ryan Suffern, Head of Documentary Division, The Kennedy/Marshall Company; Paul Broucek, President, Music, Warner Bros. Pictures; and Kirsten Schaffer, Executive Director, Women In Film, Los Angeles.
 
As previously announced, President/CEO of the Independent Film & Television Alliance^®, Jean Prewitt, and Chairman/CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America^®, Charles Rivkin, will kick off the Conference series with The Global Perspective, on Friday, November 2.
 
The 2018 speakers announced to date are:
 
Alan R. Milligan, White Rabbit
Marguerite Pigott, CMPA (Canadian Media Producers Association)
Alison Thompson, Cornerstone Films
Andrea Iervolino, AMBI Media Group and TaTaTu
Anthony Beaudoin, Union Bank
Barry Landis, Ribbow Media Group
Basil Iwanyk, Thunder Road Pictures
Ben Stillman, Black Bear Pictures
Billy Mernit, UCLA and Universal Pictures
Bradley M. Gallo, Amasia Entertainment
Bruce Eisen, Digital Advisors
Caryn Capotosto, Tremolo Productions
Cassian Elwes, Producer (Mudbound)
Chris Bueno, Ocean Avenue Entertainment
Clay Epstein, Film Mode Entertainment
Cody Zwieg, Gunpowder & Sky
Cynthia Tollett, Directors Guild of America
Dana Nachman, KTF Films
Darrien Michele Gipson, SAGindie
Dave McIntosh, Shout! Factory
David Kennedy, Saboteur Media
David Offenberg, Loyola Marymount
David White, SHIFT72
Dennis Dreith, Transparence Entertainment Group
Derek Doneen, Filmmaker, Kailash
Florian Glatz, Cinemarket
Gary Michael Walters, Bold Films
Germaine Franco, Composer and Music Producer
Irina Albita, Big Couch UK and FilmChain
Janet Brown, Gunpowder & Sky
Janet Yang, Producer
Jeffrey Greenstein, Millennium Media
John Orlando, Sony Crackle
John Sloss, Sloss Eckhouse LawCo and Cinetic Media
Jonathan Barkan, DreadCentral.com
JP Sarni, Stampede Ventures
Juliana Da Cunha Jacobsen, BF Distribution
Karl Hur, Mofac Creative Works
Kay S. Wolf, Writers Guild of America West
Khaliah Neal, Independent Producer, The Rachel Divide
Kim Roberts Hedgpeth, Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund
Kirsten Schaffer, Women In Film, Los Angeles
Ko Eun Jung, Digitalidea VFX
Krista Wegener, Participant Media
Lisa Gutberlet, Blue Fox Entertainment
Lucy Mukerjee, Outfest & Newfest
Mathew Joubert, SHIFT72
Matt Holzman, KCRW’s “The Document”
Michael Berman, iN Demand
Min Sun Hye, WYSIWYG Studios
Dr. Nelson Granados, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School and Forbes Contributor
Paul Bales, The Asylum
Paul Broucek, Warner Bros. Pictures
Paul Hertzberg, CineTel Films, Inc.
Peter Baxter, Slamdance Film Festival and Producer
Peter Broderick, Paradigm Consulting
Pilar Alessandra, On the Page
Raymond C. Nutt, Fathom Events
Richard Botto, Stage 32
Robert Binning, StreamSpace
Robert Menzies, Zed Filmworks
Ruzanna Kegeyan, Arclight Films
Ryan Broussard, Media Services
Ryan Suffern, The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Ryan Turek, Blumhouse Productions
Sam Klebanov, Cinezen Blockchained Entertainment AB
Shaked Berenson, Producer
Shawn Williamson, Brightlight Pictures
Stephen Hwang, Studio Macrograph
Steven Wolfson, UCLA
Sunwoo Nam, W2 Studios
Tamara Birkemoe, Foresight Unlimited
Tobin Ambrust, Virgin Produced
 
View the full programming lineup for AFM 2018. For badge and ticket information, please visit the AFM website.
 

300+ Feature Films Including 64 World Premieres Set For Screenings At 39th American Film Market^®

Films Include Onscreen and Behind-the-Camera Talent such as Anna Paquin, Ben Kingsley, Chloe Sevigny, Cuba Gooding Jr., Diane Kruger, Gary Oldman, Joe Manganiello, Kit Harrington, Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Liam Hemsworth, Matthew Broderick, Natalie Portman, Nicolas Cage, Sofia Vergara, Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon, and Xavier Dolan
 
Academy Award Foreign Language Submissions Eldorado (Switzerland) and Never Look Away (Germany) Confirmed to Screen
 
Los Angeles, CA – October 8 – The 2018 American Film Market® (AFM®), set for October 31-November 7 in Santa Monica, announced today its initial lineup of screenings set for 2018. More than 300 films including 64 world premieres will screen over the week for thousands of film buyers and industry professionals from more than 80 countries.
 
Films making their World Premieres include: Asterix® The Secret Of The Magic Potion, from directors Louis Clichy and Alexandre Astier and starring Christian Clavier, Guillaume Briat, and Elie Semoun (SND Groupe M6); Balloon, from director Michael Herbig and starring Friedrich Mücke and Karoline Schuch (STUDIOCANAL); Beautiful Darkness, from directors Monty Whitebloom and Andy Delaney and starring Matthew Broderick and Chloe Sevigny (Octane Entertainment); Fidel Up Close, a documentary from directors Gabriel Beristain, Roberto Chile, and Eduardo ‘Tato’ Flores (Vedado Films); Killerman, from writer/director Malik Bader and starring Liam Hemsworth (The Solution Entertainment Group); Killers Anonymous, from writer/director Martin Owen and starring Gary Oldman and Jessica Alba (Fabrication Films); Running With the Devil, from writer/director Jason Cabell and starring Nicolas Cage and Laurence Fishburne (Moonstone Entertainment); and Stano from director Raymond De Felitta and starring Joe Manganiello, and Sofia Vergara (Kathy Morgan International (KMI)).
 
Other films of note to screen include: A Man in a Hurry, from director Hervé Mimran and starring Fabrice Luchini and Leila Bekhti (Gaumont); Bayou Caviar, which marks Cuba Gooding Jr.’s writer-director debut and stars Famke Janssen; Celebration, a documentary on Yves Saint Laurent from director Oliver Meyrou (Playtime); Holy Lands, from writer/director Amanda Sthers and starring James Caan and Tom Hollander (STUDIOCANAL); Hot Air, from director Frank Coraci and starring Steve Coogan and Neve Campbell (Great Point Media); JT, from writer/director Justin Kelly and starring Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, and Diane Kruger (Fortitude International); Loro, from director Paolo Sorrentino and starring Toni Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci, and Riccardo Scamarcio (Pathé International); Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy, from director Yuen Woo-Ping and starring Michelle Yeoh and Jin Zhang (Mandarin Motion Pictures); My Masterpiece, from director Gaston Duprat and starring Guillermo Francella and Luis Brandoni (Latido Films); Nomis, from writer/director David Raymond and starring Ben Kingsley and Stanley Tucci (Fortitude International); Rosie, from director Paddy Breathnach and starring Sarah Greene and Moe Dunford (Protagonist Pictures); Saint Judy, from director Sean Hanish and starring Michelle Monaghan and Common (Blue Fox Entertainment); Tell It To The Bees, from director Annabel Jankel and starring Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger (Film Constellation); The Death & Life of John F. Donovan, from director Xavier Dolan and starring Kit Harrington and Natalie Portman (Seville International); and The Panama Papers, from director Alex Winter and narrated by Elijah Wood (Great Point Media) and The Purity of Vengeance, from director Christoffer Boe and starring Nikolaj Lie Kaas (TrustNordisk).
 
Among the slate of international films to screen are two candidates for the Academy Awards Foreign Language Nomination: Switzerland’s submission Eldorado, from documentary filmmaker Markus Imhoof (Playtime); and Germany’s submission Never Look Away, from writer/director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and starring Tom Schilling, Paula Beer, and Sebastian Koch (Beta Cinema).
 
For a complete list of the films and the screening schedule, visit: The Film Catalogue.
 

American Film Market^® Announces Expanded Programming For 39th Edition

IFTA’s Jean Prewitt and MPAA’s Charles Rivkin to Open the Global Perspective Conference
 
Panels and Partners include Gender Diversity with ReFrame, Horror with Dread Central, Micro-Budget with Slamdance, Distribution in China with UCFTI, and a new Blockchain Conference
 
Los Angeles, CA – September 12, 2018 – The American Film Market (AFM®) has announced today the expansive programming lineup for its Conferences, Roundtables, Workshops, and Spotlight Events which will feature international industry experts, decision makers, and academics, and run alongside the AFM’s industry screenings and marketplace. This year’s market is taking place October 31- November 7 in Santa Monica.
 
AFM’s panel programming is anchored by its renowned five-day Conference Series which this year launches with The Global Perspective Conference. The half-day event taking place on Friday, Nov. 2 will open with a discussion between film industry leaders President/CEO of the Independent Film & Television Alliance®, Jean Prewitt, and Chairman/CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America®, Charles Rivkin, on the major challenges and opportunities facing the film industry and how their organizations are addressing them. The opening dialogue will be followed by two panel sessions that will bring together high-level producers, financiers, buyers and distributors to discuss business strategies and how the marketplace is evolving.
 
Also new to the lineup is a half-day Conference dedicated to Blockchain set for Saturday, Nov. 3. The event will be moderated by Pepperdine professor and Forbes writer Nelson Granados, with presentations and discussions with companies that are transforming independent film financing, production, and distribution with this groundbreaking technology.
 
In addition, this year’s AFM Roundtables, which explore specialized and timely issues, will take place in a larger venue, the AFM Gallery at Le Merigot Hotel, and feature sessions and programming partners including:

• International Awakening: Investing in Gender Diversity for Expanding Audiences Around the Globe – Presented in partnership with ReFrame
• Using Intellectual Property to Boost the Visibility of LGBTQ Characters – Presented in partnership with Outfest
• Boosting Your Micro-Budget – Presented in partnership with Slamdance
• Why Do Some Horror Films Work While Others Don’t? – Presented in partnership with Dread Central
• Producing Passion Documentaries – Moderated by KCRW’s Matt Holzman

AFM Managing Director Jonathan Wolf commented, “AFM is the perfect environment for international experts, leaders and visionaries to engage in discussions and debates. Our expanded programming of more than 40 sessions will address the topics most important to AFM’s global participants.”
 
After a highly successful launch in 2017, the Writer’s Workshops will return to AFM. Helmed by UCLA and other academic instructors, these four workshops cover screenwriting and storytelling tips and techniques.
 
To round out the market’s panel programming, an array of Spotlight Events with topics ranging from Understanding Distribution in China to Working with the U.S. Guilds will join the AFM’s popular returning Conferences including Pitch, Finance, Production, and Distribution.
 
View the full lineup of sessions for AFM 2018. For badge and ticket information, please visit the AFM website.
 

2017 American Film Market Wraps With an Increase in Attendance

Overall attendances exceed 2016 while the Chinese market shows increased presence

LOS ANGELES, CA – November 9, 2017: The 38th American Film Market (AFM®) wrapped yesterday with exhibitor and attendee numbers up, in addition to a significant increase in films screening.

In total, 7,415 participants visited the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, as attendance rose by 6%. The market also saw 1,476 buyers arrive from 71 countries with China and Taiwan each seeing growth of 35% more buyers.

Overall exhibitor participation was up 18% with 445 registered exhibiting companies, with the largest number of exhibitors arriving from the United Kingdom, France, South Korea, and China, after the USA.

LocationEXPO’s first year drew 61 film commissions and agencies from around the world including Chile, Spain, Norway, New Zealand, Thailand and Russia. Together the organizations presented more than US1 billion in production incentives.

AFM Conferences drew an international audience of more than 700 each day listening closely to advice and insights from the likes of Cassian Elwes (Producer/Agent), Jesse Sisgold, (Skydance Media), Adrian Alperovich (OddLot Entertainment), Tobin Armbrust (Virgin Produced), Rebecca Cammarata (Stay Gold Features), Brian O’Shea (The Exchange), Alison Thompson (Cornerstone Films) and Sam Brown (STXfilms).

AFM Roundtables featured Geena Davis (Actress/Producer/Activist) and Wendy Calhoun (Writer/Producer) on the popular ‘The Future is Female.” Roundtables focusing on Documentaries, Faith & Family films and LGBTQ representation in cinema included Anna Godas (Dogwoof), Ian Bricke (Netflix) and Clare Crean (The Works International).

The newly introduced Writer’s Workshop also proved to be a highly popular addition to the AFM experience with instructors from USC and UCLA teaching an audience of 400.

The AFM Campus was busier than ever as attendees took in screenings of 337 films – 40 more than last year – including 264 Market Premieres and 61 World Premieres. An additional 78 films screened on demand.

The American Film Market is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance, www.IFTA-online.org.

More information on the AFM can be found at: AmericanFilmMarket.com.

About the American Film Market

The American Film Market is the world’s largest motion picture business event. Over 7,000 industry leaders converge in Santa Monica for eight days of deal-making, screenings, conferences, networking and parties. Participants come from more than 80 countries and include acquisition and development executives, agents, attorneys, directors, distributors, festival directors, financiers, film commissioners, producers, writers, the world’s press and all those who provide services to the motion picture industry.

Unlike a film festival, the AFM is a marketplace – with over 200,000 square feet of exhibition space – where production and distribution deals are closed. In just eight days, more than US$1 billion in deals will be sealed – on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production.

Participants may view more than 500 screenings of 300+ films – 29 new films every two hours – the majority world or U.S. premieres. Titles range from big budget blockbusters that will be released by the major studios to lower budget art and genre films recognized at international film festivals.

With 7,000 attendees, 500 screenings, 300 exhibiting distributors, and the industry’s largest Conference series, AFM is the pivotal destination for independent filmmakers and business people from all over the world.

Media Contacts

The DDA Group
AFMInquiries@ddapr.com
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London: +44 2079 329 800