Strong Films, More Buyers and Fewer Sellers Create Upbeat, Dynamic Market

The upbeat 2010 American Film Market wrapped today with overall attendance climbing 6% to 7,695, versus 7,246 the previous year. Buying companies rose 1% to 664 from 658 last year, while buying executives at the AFM remained nearly on par with last year at 1,417 (vs.1,419 in 2009).

“The positive feeling in the halls is a direct result of production levels that are now in balance with marketplace demand,” said AFM Managing Director Jonathan Wolf, who also serves as executive vice president of the Independent Film & Television Alliance. “Buyers are pre-buying, assuring they will have a steady flow of films, which in turn assures producers that their films have been pre-accepted by the marketplace.”

Attendance among Exhibitor-affiliated participants (including their executives, producers, talent and guests) finished at 3,321, down 1% from last year. Industry Attendees, a category that includes all non-buyers/sellers, jumped 23% to a record 1,988. Rounding out the other categories are Guests (government officials, NGOs, AFI FEST filmmakers, etc.), up 11% to 753, and Press, also 11% higher to 216.

Countries with more buyers at the AFM this year included Italy (+23%; 53 in 2010 vs. 43 in 2009), Sweden (+133%, 14 vs. 6), Russia (+31%, 42 vs. 32), China (+64%, 23 vs. 14) and Singapore (+32%, 25 vs. 19). Fewer buyers came from Netherlands (-18%, 27 vs. 33), Spain (-18%, 33 vs. 40), Argentina (-25%, 18 vs. 24) and Brazil, (-19%, 26 vs. 32).

A full analysis of the 2010 AFM buyers is attached.

Sellers, meanwhile, decreased 7% to 343, an across-the-board decline with no major shifts among countries.

Others AFM highlights included:

• 427 films
• 43 world premieres
• 306 market premieres
• 21 films screened in 3D
• Films from 36 countries
• More than 700 total screenings