Amid a wider call for the film industry to recommit to its hometown following the devastating wildfires earlier this month, the American Film Market is returning to Los Angeles, just one year after ditching Southern California for Las Vegas.
AFM 2025 will take place at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City from November 11 through 16.
In a joint letter, first published by Deadline, Jean M. Prewitt, president and CEO of the Independent Film & Television Alliance, which organizes the event, and chairperson Clay Epstein, said, in part, “Our return to LA holds special significance in the aftermath of the recent devastating fires. It will be heartening to gather as colleagues here once again, where AFM started, and in doing so to take part in the rebuilding of the city that is a vital hub of our industry.”
But in addition to the context of the wildfires, there’s also the fact that the Vegas event pretty much flopped with attendees, something Prewitt and Epstein alluded to in their letter.
“Over the decades, AFM has evolved from solely a transactional space into an essential event where industry leaders come together to launch the latest films and projects, assess the marketplace, share insights, and stay abreast of the rapid changes shaping our business. Your feedback has underscored the importance of AFM as a gathering space and of Los Angeles as the optimal location,” they wrote.
AFM, perhaps the largest US-based marketplace for production/acquisition, financing, distribution and sales in the independent motion picture and television industries, was previously held in Santa Monica, starting with its inception in 1981.
Source link
