Santa Monica, California – The 2012 American Film Market has concluded its five-day run on November 7, with an increase in buyers by 6% to 1,616 versus 1,523 a year ago and 35 more buying companies than 2011. A total of 753 buying companies from more than 60 countries were present this year.

The AFM Conferences were highly attended, with audiences of more than 700 in attendance each day.

“The healthy growth in new buying companies is the most important metric for us,” says AFM Managing Director Jonathan Wolf. “It shows that the global marketplace for independent film is continuing to expand.”

Regions with more buyers at the market included Asia (up 14%) and Latin/South America (up 17%). Among individual countries, Japan and Korea had the largest increase for buying companies, with Korea (up 26%) and Japan up (23%).

Attendance among exhibitor-affiliated participants including their executives, producers, talent and guests concluded at 3,069.

The AFM Conference Series showcased sessions on financing, production, marketing, distribution and pitching, featuring global industry leaders including Nigel Sinclair, Bahman Naraghi, Alison Thompson, Michael Werner, Roger Corman, Lloyd Kaufman, Tatiana Kelly, Ry Russo-Young and many others.  

Moreover, the Industry Conversations Series — intimate, interactive and informative discussions with visionaries, trendsetters and experts in the film industry — delivered many prominent speakers, including Directors Sacha Gervasi, Victor Levin and Josh Stolberg; Producer Bonnie Curtis, Jonathan Silverman, Pamela Adlon, “Harry Potter” franchise Executive Producer Michael Barnathan, Participant Media’s Courtney Sexton and Filmmaker Eddie Schmidt.