AFM welcomes 88 first timers

All exhibition space has been sold out for the 24th Annual American Film Market (AFM), being held February 25 through March 3 at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, it was announced by Jean M. Prewitt, President and Chief Executive Officer, AFMA, and Jonathan Wolf, Executive Vice President, AFMA and Managing Director, AFM.

It was also announced that 291 film and television companies, including a record 88 first timers, will be exhibiting at the world’s largest motion picture trade event. This marks an increase of 14 percent over last year’s exhibitor total of 261. In addition to exhibitors, 15 banks and 21 sponsors and affiliate companies will be housed at the Loews. Total attendance is projected to be approximately 7,000.

“We are delighted with the strong response to this year’s AFM,” commented Ms. Prewitt. “This affirms that the resourceful, innovative and creative entrepreneur represented by our membership has a commanding position in the worldwide entertainment industry.”

Mr. Wolf added, “AFM exhibitors are the industry’s true independents. Every key player involved in independent film will be here.”

379 films in 28 languages are slated for screening, including 246 market premieres.

Notable titles include Fortissimo Film Sales’ “Coffee and Cigarettes” with Roberto Benigni and Iggy Pop; The Works’ “Country of My Skull” with Samuel L. Jackson and Juliette Binoche; Syndicate Film’s “Employee of the Month” with Matt Dillon and Christina Applegate; Myriad Pictures’ “Eulogy” with Ray Romano, Zooey Deschanel and Hank Azaria; Lions Gate Films’ “Godsend” with Robert DeNiro and Greg Kinnear; Fortissimo Film Sales’ “Last Life in the Universe” with Asano Tadanobu and Sinitta Boonyasak, Beta Cinema’s “Love in Thoughts” with Daniel Bruehl and August Diehl; Filmmax International’s “The Machinist” with Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh; HBO Films London’s “Maria Full of Grace” with Catalina Sandio Moreno and Yenny Paola Vega; Lakeshore International’s documentary “Mayor of the Sunset Strip” with
Rodney Bingenheimer, Cher and David Bowie; Lions Gate Films “Prince and Me” with Julia Stiles and Luke Mably; Mainline Releasing’s “This Girl’s Life” with James Woods and Juliette Marquis; Myriad Pictures’ “Trauma” with Colin Firth and Mena Suvari;

Fortissimo Film Sales’ “The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part II Vaux to the Sea” with Isabella Rosselini and Franka Potente; Blueberry, from UGC International with Vincent Cassel and Michael Madsen; and Lee Daniels Productions' "The Woodsman" with Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick and Benjamin Bratt.

The full list of films being screened along with production and cast information as well as synopses appears on the AFM web site (www.americanfilmmarket.com).

While the AFM screenings are limited to acquisition and distribution executives, AFM will again offer The AFM Premiere Screenings of more than 35 independent films – most world or U.S. premieres – to industry professionals and Santa Monica residents at no charge. Free registration is available on the AFM website (www.americanfilmmarket.com).

The popular, annual AFM Finance Conference & Seminars, sponsored by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, feature a diverse cross section of prominent entertainment executives from around the world. Major industry organizations will program panels including the Directors Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America, the SAGIndie/Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild of America, west, IFP/LA, Women in Film International, as well as the entertainment industry trade paper The Hollywood Reporter.