34 The Fairmont Century Plaza hotel is the chosen venue for the upcoming 46th AFM edition. Presenting The American Film Market’s New L.A. Location A handful of years ago the American Film Market (AFM) was being written off by many entertainment executives. The city of Santa Monica had long outlived the “favorable” list as a venue, and the most recent alternate, Las Vegas, did not turn out to be a great gamble either. However, the Fairmont Century Plaza, in the Century City area of Los Angeles, as the chosen venue for the upcoming 46th AFM edition, running November 11-16, 2025, seems to have instilled a new enthusiasm in the industry. It appears to be a perfect choice — the two huge lower floors offer great meeting and/or exhibition spaces and those who attend screenings don’t have to get transportation or walk miles for screening rooms, as movie theaters are literally across the street. Also, Lise Romanoff, managing director/ CEO Worldwide Distribution, Vision Films and an AFM Board member, is, “pleased that there’s a bit more time between AFM and MIPCOM this year.” For many years the Century Plaza had been the venue of choice for the L.A. Screenings in May, first for just the LatAm contingent, and later for the whole international content distribution industry. However, it was ultimately found to be too expensive, and this May, the L.A. Screenings’ independent group exhibited at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Jean Prewitt, CEO of IFTA (which organizes the AFM), revealed: “These factors were a big part of the evaluation of potential sites when we selected the Fairmont Century Plaza. The goal was to establish a multidimensional campus that made it easy and fast for participants to move between meetings, meals, and screenings. The Fairmont provides those features. Its location is convenient for those based in Los Angeles [as it] provides close proximity to the studios, streamers, and agencies. This [also] gives our international participants the ability to interact with all of their L.A.-based partners while at AFM.” Any ouside-the-event free time is well served and made easier by the proximity of the Century City shopping mall, as well as the nearby town of Beverly Hills and its various facilities. In recent years, when attendees expressed a desire to move on from Santa Monica and then asked not to return to the experimental version in Las Vegas, “the major request of AFM stakeholders was that we bring the AFM back to Los Angeles,” revealed Prewitt. “So, while we had considered venues in six different cities for 2024, we did not repeat that survey in 2025 — we knew what our clients wanted and, therefore, only entertained L.A.-based possibilities.” Prewitt, who is stepping down from her CEO position at the end of this year, after serving in the post for 25 years, doesn’t shy away from the fact that many attendees complained about the price of attending and believes that the Fairmont fits not only the financial requests of room rates, but the desires of those wanting decent and sufficient parking, as well as easy access to screening facilities, restaurants, and stores. She acknowledged that “every market represents a significant investment for exhibitors, particularly with rising costs in recent years. The Fairmont offers the high-quality venue AFM participants expect, in a location that provides easy access to first class amenities — all with competitively priced rooms. We were also fortunate to be able to work with other nearby hotels to offer very favorable prices for sleeping rooms.” Prewitt believes the Fairmont fulfills all of those needs and anticipates “remaining at the Fairmont for the foreseeable future, provided the partnership continues to be mutually beneficial and the pricing remains right.” No matter the trials and tribulations of recent AFM events — that’s in the past. The present appears much brighter, as this edition of AFM, with a slew of individual attendees and companies, as well as industry support and enthusiasm, seems to have been the right move. As of press time (mid-September), the number of exhibitors had surpassed 2024, with individuals from 71 countries, including Ecuador, already signed up. The number of Location Expo attendees has also increased, and by the time doors open more than 80 different countries are expected to be represented across all sectors of the event. Exhibition space has already sold out and many production, sales, and buying companies, from more than 60 countries, have already registered to attend. All signs point to not only renewed interest in AFM but the dawning of a new era for the event. The number of participating exhibitors has already surpassed the 2024 total, with 201 committed and new ones being added each day. Entities such as Studio Canal, Multicom, Studio TF113 Films, Goodfellas/Wild Bunch International, Gaumont, Lionsgate, SND M6 Group, Embankment Films, Vision Films, Lakeshore, and Pathé Films were among the earliest sign-ups. China, France, Germany, Italy, and Thailand will be hosting national umbrella stands, showcasing sales and production companies from those respective countries. Screenings will take place just steps away from the Fairmont Century Plaza at the AMC Century City 15, meaning a premium theatrical setting for showcasing films and presentations to buyers and industry professionals. In tandem with the market, AFM’s Location Expo returns and has expanded this year. For the first time since pairing with AFM in 2017, Location Expo is expected to be nearly as well populated as it was when held as a stand-alone event at different venues around the L.A. area, and reflects the increased demand and desire for and from national and regional film commissions, production service companies, and attendees to attract film, television, and streaming production to their sights and facilities in seeking global production support, shooting locations, and incentives. Participants include representatives from Egypt Film Commission and Fiji Film. The AFM Sessions, the organization’s highly regarded conference series, is also on the docket, and will be spread out over four days. Subjects include financing AI, gaming, marketing, the horror format, and pitching. By Mike Reynolds VIDEOAGE October 2025 AFM Preview
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI4OTA5