Santa Monica, CA — September 9, 2026
For independent filmmakers, producers, and distributors, November means one thing: the American Film Market. This year’s edition, AFM 2026, runs November 10–15 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles — a homecoming that industry insiders say couldn’t have come soon enough.
A Return to Form
AFM spent 2024 in Las Vegas, a relocation widely described across the industry as a misstep. The 2025 return to Los Angeles was greeted with enthusiasm, and the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), which organizes the event, is doubling down for 2026 by bringing the market back to the same venue: the Fairmont Century Plaza, with screenings at the nearby AMC Century City 15.
The location matters more than it might seem. The Fairmont sits next door to CAA and within reach of the broader Los Angeles production, financing, and talent ecosystem — the kind of proximity that turns hallway conversations into deals. This will also be the first AFM under new IFTA CEO Jackie Brenneman, who takes over as longtime chief Jean Prewitt steps down.
What AFM Actually Is
For readers less familiar with the trade side of the industry: AFM isn’t a festival in the traditional sense. There’s no red carpet, no awards ceremony. It’s a marketplace — a week where production companies, sales agents, distributors, and buyers from more than 85 countries gather to finance, package, and sell independent film and television projects. Deals made at AFM shape what gets made and where it ends up long before audiences ever hear a title announced.
Past editions have featured “National Umbrella Stands” — organized pavilions representing countries like China, France, Germany, Italy, and Thailand — giving the market real international weight alongside its domestic dealmaking.
Why It Matters for Independent Creators
For the readers of Indie Entertainment Magazine, AFM represents one of the clearest windows into how independent projects actually get funded and distributed. It’s less about glamour and more about access — the agencies, the financiers, the international buyers who decide which stories travel beyond festival circuits and into theaters, streaming platforms, and foreign markets.
Registration for returning exhibitors opens March 31, with new exhibitor registration following April 13. Buyer and general attendee registration opens in June.
What to Watch This Year
With new leadership at the helm and a second consecutive year back in its preferred Los Angeles home, AFM 2026 has an opportunity to build real momentum after a turbulent few years of venue changes. Whether that translates into a stronger slate of independent deals — and whether it continues to draw international pavilions at the same scale — we’ll be covering in November.
