Editor

AFM ANNOUNCES INITIAL PLANS FOR NEW STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP WITH AFI FEST

AFM today revealed initial plans for the new relationship between the American Film Market (AFM) and the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival (AFI FEST). The announcement was made jointly by Michael Ryan, Chairman, AFMA, Jean Prewitt, AFMA President and CEO, and Jonathan Wolf, AFMA Executive Vice President and Managing Director of AFM.

The current AFM concludes on Wednesday and has set a new record with the highest number of exhibitors and a significant increase in buyers.

The first fall AFM will be held November 3-10, 2004 at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica. AFI FEST 2004 will be held November 4-14 at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood.

“With the move to the fall, the AFM has created a strategic alliance with the AFI FEST that will benefit both organizations,” commented Ms. Prewitt. “This combination of a festival and a market will merge cultural and commercial activities and provide a broad and rich experience for all participants.”

“We are confident that the November AFM, alongside AFI FEST, will result in a record level of industry attendees,” added Mr. Ryan.

A number of program elements are already in place with more to be announced.

AFI FEST ACCESS FOR AFM PARTICIPANTS

· Every AFM Exhibitor will receive an AFI FEST badge so that an acquisitions executive may screen films at AFI FEST with all rights available.

· All AFM badges will permit access to AFI FEST Cinema Lounge.

AFM ACCESS FOR AFI FEST PARTICIPANTS

· AFI FEST filmmakers, those whose films are in the festival, will receive an all-access AFM badge.

· All AFI FEST badges will permit access to AFM Premiere (public) screenings.

FILMMAKER/INDUSTRY PROGRAM

· AFI FEST will identify festival films with all rights available and will promote them to AFM Exhibitors.

STRUCTURED MEETING PROGRAM

· AFI FEST will conduct a two to three day structured meeting program at AFM for AFI FEST Kodak CONNECT participants.

TRANSPORTATION

· Shuttles will move festival and market participants between Hollywood and Santa Monica.


AFI is the preeminent organization dedicated to advancing and preserving the art of film, television and other forms of the moving image. AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned Conservatory, provides film preservation leadership and explores new digital technologies in moviemaking. AFI's New Media Ventures programs bring together the creative and digital communities, as the department seeks to develop a literacy program for the 21st century, helping young people learn to read and write screens of all sizes-cinema, television, computer and the Internet.

With AFI ON SCREEN, the institute is the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the US, with programs at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival (AFI FEST); the AFI National Film Theater at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.

A 49,000 square foot complex with three theatres—one historic, two new state-of-the-art stadium-style theatres—the AFI Silver exhibits film and video generally unavailable elsewhere in the region. AFI's annual almanac for the 21st century, AFI AWARDS, honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year. AFI's 100 Years . . . 100 Movies, 100 Stars, 100 Laughs, 100 Thrills, 100 Passions and 100 Heroes & Villains have ignited extraordinary public interest in classic American movies. During the past 31 years, AFI's Life Achievement Award has become the highest honor for a career in film. More information about AFI can be found by visiting its Web site, located at www.AFI.com.

Now in its 18th year, AFI FEST is the longest-running film festival in Los Angeles and one of the most influential film festivals in North America. A program of the American Film Institute, AFI FEST is a ten-day film festival that screens feature length, documentary and short films from every continent for audiences consisting of entertainment professionals, filmmakers, civic and corporate leaders and a large, diverse population of film enthusiasts.

Films like MONSTER; HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG; OSAMA; CITY OF GOD; DARK WATER; TALK TO HER; NOWHERE IN AFRICA; THE QUIET AMERICAN; NO MAN'S LAND; MONSTER'S BALL; LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL; THE CIDER HOUSE RULES; BEFORE NIGHT FALLS; O BROTHER; WHERE ART THOU? and AMORES PERROS have all premiered at AFI FEST.