The American Film Market is expanding its scope with the launch of a new Los Angeles venue called The AFM House that will be site of its Innovation Hub.
The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), that produces the AFM, on Wed, announced the new venue located across from the Fairmont Century Plaza. The AFM House adds 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space to the marketâs campus, âcreating a dynamic gathering place for innovators, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, creators, cinema owners, distributors, investors and global brands to explore the ideas, technologies and business models shaping the future of the global screen economy,â IFTA said in a statement.
The AFM Houseâs current centerpiece is the Innovation Hub, presented in collaboration with Cannes Next, the MarchĂ© du Filmâs innovation program, launched in 2025. This yearâs Hub will feature AI startups, leading tech companies, and forward-looking content. âThe collaboration between the two markets underscores a shared commitment to championing innovation, fostering opportunities, and strengthening connections across the global film ecosystem,â according to the statement.
Additionally, the AFMâs new venue will feature The Cinemas Club event co-created by the MarchĂ© du Film and Cine Group that comprises a speaker series focused on the future of theatrical cinema. Introduced at the Cannes 2026 MarchĂ© du Film. The Cinemas Club brings together cinema exhibitors, theatre owners, distributors, producers and industry experts âfor curated discussions on the future of theatrical exhibition, audience engagement and the evolving cinema experience,â the statement noted.
As previously announced, the 2026 American Film Market is set to take place at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Nov. 10â15.
The AFM House will be open Nov. 11-14. The new venue will bring the marketâs 2026 theme, âThe New Global Screen Economyâ to life âthrough fireside chats, presentations and networking, alongside a dedicated marketplace showcasing the people, companies, technologies and services transforming the business of film and television,â according to IFTA.
âFilmmaking has always been rooted in collaboration and innovation, and that spirit is more important today than ever,â IFTA president and CEO Jackie Brenneman said in the statement.
âAs our business continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, The AFM House provides a place where the global entertainment community can come together to exchange ideas, forge partnerships, explore emerging business models and discover opportunities,â she added. âOur collaboration with Cannes Next and the Cinemas Club expand that vision by creating a dedicated home for innovation, technology, and the future of theatrical exhibition.â
MarchĂ© du Film executive director Guillaume Esmiol commented: âAt the MarchĂ© du Film, we have built a growing portfolio of programs designed to address the major transformations shaping our industry, from AI and emerging technologies with Cannes Next to the future of theatrical exhibition through the Cinemas Club, co-created with Cine Group.â
âWe are delighted to see these initiatives extend beyond Cannes through this expanded collaboration. AFM is creating an ambitious new platform with The AFM House, and we look forward to connecting companies and ideas, and creating new opportunities for the global film industry throughout the year,â Â Esmiol continued.
Julien Marcel, president of Cine Group, said: âAfter a strong first edition at the MarchĂ© du Film last May, we are delighted to bring the Cinemas Club to the AFM in Los Angeles. Theatrical exhibition has rarely needed more of what this market stands for: a broader and more diverse slate of films reaching screens, and the same appetite for innovation in the experience we offer audiences and in the way we connect with them.â