American Film Market 2021 Edition Will Be Held Online Again

For the second year in a row, the American Film Market will be held online, pivoting away from an in-person marketplace due to travel concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fully online AFM for 2021 will now be held November 1-5, shifting one day earlier than was previously announced.

“We wish we could welcome the global industry back to Santa Monica but travel regulations, increased concerns about coronavirus variants around the world, and government restrictions on the ground prevent us from moving forward,” Michael Ryan, chairperson, IFTA and partner, GFM Films, said in a statement. “However, IFTA is thrilled to host the market the industry expects – where no one will be excluded and all of our stakeholders can immerse themselves for five days dedicated to deal making, discovery, education, and reconnecting.”  

Registration for the online event is open now. AFM 2021 Online, now in its 42nd year, will feature industry offices, screenings, conferences, panels and workshops, the Networking Pavilion, LocationEXPO and more. Event updates will be announced regularly via email, social media and the AFM Website.   

Last year’s AFM was moved out of the way of both the 2020 election but also moved online as uncertainty abounded around the coronavirus, and now again as the Delta variant continues to raise fears, the shift to online comes as other festivals and live events are either canceling, postponing or going virtual.

More than $1 billion in production and distribution deals are closed at AFM every year on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production. The market attracts over 7,000 professionals from 70 countries each year. The AFM is produced by the IFTA, a global trade association for independent film and TV production, finance, distribution and sales companies.