With the American Film Market gearing up for its first in-person event since 2019, organizers have announced the first group of exhibitors and speakers set to descend upon Santa Monica in early November.
The Independent Film & Television Alliance has confirmed that 225 companies across sales, production and distribution have registered, alongside international trade organizations, film commissions and production service companies. Exhibitors so far include the likes of A24, Altitude Film Entertainment, FilmNation, Gaumont, HanWay Films, Lionsgate, MGM Studios, Millennium Media, Pathé Films, Protagonist Pictures, Sierra/Affinity, Studiocanal, Voltage, WME Independent and XYZ Films.
Meanwhile speakers at the AFM Sessions’ opening finance conference, dubbed “The Risk Takers,” include Jason Cloth (Founder/CEO, Creative Wealth Media), Milan Popelka (COO, FilmNation), Laura Lewis (Founder, Rebelle Media) and Basil Iwanyk (Founder, Thunder Road Pictures).
“The early commitments and excitement by companies around the world to be in Santa Monica, along with the projects coming together, say that the industry is back to business,” said IFTA’s president and CEO Jean Prewitt. “While business models have clearly shifted, independent film will forever be built on discovery, collaboration, innovation and serendipity, making the need for annual face-to-face gatherings like AFM essential to our industry.”
Alongside the event updates, the IFTA has announced two new hires in Matthew Thompson and Catherine Girard-Cobb to the newly-created roles of co-managing directors, AFM, reporting to Prewitt.
“Matthew and Catherine bring a wealth of combined event experience in line with the AFM” said Prewitt. “Their skills and insights complement our established and talented team and strengthen our ability to meet the changing needs of our industry as we look to our in-person return this year and the future.”
The 2022 edition of AFM is due to take place from Nov. 1 through Nov. 5.
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