The annual American Film Market, run by the IFTA Alliance, is exploring a move 

from Santa Monica to the L.A. Live complex downtown. And we, the buyers and 

participants of the AFM Market, want to show our disagreement with this move.

For more than 15 years, Santa Monica has been the ideal location for buyers around 

the world to meet. Its facilities and the beach have been praised around the world and they embody the prestige of the event, 

much like The Cannes Film Festival and MIP-TV which boast a beautiful beach location.

We, the participants, have become accustomed to come to Santa Monica for the AFM and it has become

 a yearly tradition. We are happy to perpetuate this tradition because we love the place 

and because it took us years to work out the functional details of attending the market 

in Santa Monica.

Furthermore, the sales suites and screening rooms in the L.A. Live complex will be 

split between hotels and the adjacent convention center. This will divide participants 

who will have to run all day long in order to attend to their meetings. This will simply 

be exhausting, not to mention creating a more stressful environment generally. And, 

as a consequence, participants may choose to shorten their stay which will deeply affect 

the business of the market. A less competitive market will lead to less attendance and, 

ultimately, to the extinction of the market.

The Independent Spirit Awards tried one year to move their event from their traditional

Santa Monica beach location to downtown, but they moved back to the beach right after.

This is not anectodal. This shows that location is everything. 

It is everything because it attracts foreign buyers and because it keeps a market alive.

There are many film markets around the world and the successful ones are the ones 

that take in consideration their participants.

We do not want to be parked in soulless spaces in the middle of a crowded downtown L.A. 

We want to meet and do our business serenely if possible.

Comfort and Prestige are the keys to a successful market. 

If you feel the same way as we do, please sign this petition to save the original AFM 

location and perpetuate a great tradition.

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