The Biggest Film Markets in the World: From Cannes To AFM
If you’re a film producer, then you know that the film distribution process is a complicated one. There are many different film markets around the world, and it can be difficult to figure out which ones are the most important. In this article, we will take a look at the biggest film markets in the world: From The Cannes Film Festival to The American Film Market.
The United States: The American Film Market (AFM)
The American Film Market is one of the most important film markets in the world. It is held every year in Santa Monica, California, and it is where many of the biggest deals in the film industry are made. AFM is a great place to find a sales agent for your film, as there are many companies that attend the market looking for new projects to represent Beyond that, there is a lot of film industry talent from all over the world that comes to AFM, so it’s also an amazing place to network with the right individuals.
The American Film Market is the most efficient film acquisition, development and networking event in the world. Unlike a festival, AFM is a marketplace where production and distribution deals are closed. More than US$1 billion in deals are sealed every year — on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production.
France: The Cannes Film Festival | Marché du Film
The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, and it is also one of the biggest markets for films. Every year, hundreds of films from all over the world are screened at the festival, and many deals are made between distributors and sales agents. If you’re looking to distribute your film internationally, then Cannes is a great place to start, though it is highly competitive. it is also a major market for films. Many deals are made between distributors and sales agents at the festival, and it is a great place to network with the right folks from the film industry at large. Also, the story of the origins is quite beautiful as well!
The very first Marché du Film took place in 1959 in a tiny canvas screening room perched on the roof of the old Palais Croisette. It was the 13th edition of the Festival de Cannes, the very first international cultural event to launch in the post-war period that soon became an unmissable event for film industry professionals.
In that little canvas screening room, a few dozen Festival attendees saw the growing influence of the Festival and wanted to help film industry professionals meet and do business against the backdrop of the buzzing atmosphere of the Festival.
The Marché du Film was born.
Germany: The Berlin International Film Festival | The European Film Market
The Berlin International Film Festival is one of the most important film festivals in Europe, and it is also a major market for films from across the world. This market is called The European Film Market. The event is held every year in February, and it is a great market for films that are looking for worldwide distribution, as it’s a real worldwide film industry staple. In addition to being a great place to network, The Berlin International Film Festival / EFM has some of the most impressive panels and events of any film festival, which makes it a great place to learn about the business side of things as a whole.
The European Film Market is one of the top three meeting places of the international film and media industries. Its close links with the Berlinale as a public film festival, and its position at the heart of Berlin’s vivid creative economy, are defining characteristics of the Berlinale’s film market. Yet the EFM is more than just an agile marketplace for trading film and audiovisual content – it has also positioned itself as a platform for innovation and change.
Asia (Singapore): Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF)
The Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) is one of the most important film markets in the world, and absolutely the largest film market in Asia. The amount of deals that are made at ATF each year is absolutely staggering, and it’s a great place to find a sales agent or distributor for your film. In addition, ATF is also an amazing place to network with film industry professionals from all over Asia, which is an increasingly important market for films. China happens to be the largest market for films in the world, so it’s definitely worth your while to attend ATF if you’re looking to get your film distributed there and in Asia as a whole.
Estonia: The Baltic Event
The Baltic Event is a film market that is held every year in Tallinn, Estonia. The event is a summit and trade fair for audiovisual industry professionals held annually in November during the Black Nights Film Festival – one of the largest and the only FIAPF-certified competitive feature film festival in Northern Europe. The Baltic Event has evolved into a key meeting point for Asian and American film industry, linking them with top regional players.
Canada: Banff World Media Festival
With a 43-year legacy, and set in one of the most inspiring locations on the planet, BANFF is where partnerships are forged and new films and series are pitched, developed and greenlit across scripted, unscripted, and kids content. With more than 58 countries participating at the Festival and Rockie Awards each year, it is an unparalleled marketplace: one of the world’s largest gatherings bringing co-production and co-venture partners together.
The curated content program, thought leadership and professional development are unrivaled. In addition to high-end keynotes, topical panel discussions, celebrity Master Classes and more, BANFF offers exclusive facilitated networking and pre-set meeting opportunities to connect and do business with senior executives.
What’s the future of film markets?
As the film industry continues to grow and change, so too will the film markets. It’s difficult to say exactly what the future holds, but one thing is for sure: The biggest film markets in the world will continue to be a vital part of the film industry landscape. If you’re looking to get your film distributed or sold, then attending one of the major film markets is a great way to make that happen. With so many films being made each year, it’s more important than ever to get your film in front of the right people, and attending a film market is one of the best ways to do that.
The Virtual Film Market
At Film Fest Network, we’re always working to build powerful relationships to bring value to filmmakers across the world. We’ve recently partnered with Vuulr to bring the power of the global film market to filmmakers everywhere with more efficiency than ever. This virtual film market is the first of its kind and it’s absolutely free to use. With thousands of films and series represented, it’s never been easier to get your film in front of the right people. We really believe this model is going to change everything for film distribution: So be sure to check it out and explore this opportunity!
