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Film Market
Distribution
EFM 2026 Analysis: How Capital, AI, and IP Strategy Are Shaping Film Dealmaking
EFM arrives at a moment when the global film and television business is no longer in freefall, but it is no longer forgiving either; it has found its floor. Commissioning remains at roughly three-quarters of peak-TV highs. Streamer spending continues, but without the frenzy of prior years. Europe’s broadcasters remain constrained. The result is not contraction, but constraint.
Distribution
First Real Market Test of 2026: What EFM Signals for the New Deal Cycle
The European Film Market (EFM) returns to Berlin February 12–18, 2026, and this year’s message is unusually clear: the business isn’t “back” in any nostalgic sense—but it is moving, and in more directions than it has in the past two years. EFM’s expanded 2026 programme is a signal about where business development is headed.
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Who Wins in 2026? Survivors, Losers, and the Strategies That Still Work
As Sundance wrapped with more films seeking homes than landing deals, and EFM looms as the first major sales test of the year, the question is no longer who has the best film, but who is best aligned with today’s market. 2026 will reward scale, discipline, and precision, and punish nostalgia for a business that no longer exists.
Distribution
The 2025 Film Markets Reality Check: Cannes, Sundance, TIFF, and AFM Under a Tighter Rulebook
The 2025 film markets delivered a consistent message across continents and calendars. Sundance tested demand. Cannes refined presales. TIFF amplified select winners. AFM clarified the new floor. Together, they confirmed that the industry is not rebounding to its old shape. It is stabilizing at a smaller, more disciplined scale. Fewer films will move. Fewer territories will matter. Fewer buyers will decide outcomes.
Distribution
Film Distribution Reset: Genre Wins, Big Acquisitions, Sparse Deals, and New Frontiers
Let’s be blunt: TIFF 50’s low deal count and headline grabs tell the same story: the old model of acquisition excess no longer exists. But that doesn’t mean distribution is dead; it means it’s being refined. The more brutal, quieter truth is this: many films failed to get deals, not because they weren’t good, but because the margins, windows, and risk calculus no longer justify speculative purchasing.
Distribution
TIFF 2025 at Halfway Mark: Slow Negotiations, Genre Plays, New Distributors, and Market Jitters
Well into its second week, TIFF 2025 is shaping up less as a buying frenzy and more as a barometer for where the independent business is heading. Deal volume remains lean, but the festival has already produced a $15 million bidding war for a Midnight Madness horror and a seven-figure North American deal for Gus Van Sant’s “Dead Man’s Wire.”
Distribution
TIFF 50 Sees First Big Buy: Obsession Fetches $15M as Horror Fuels Market Momentum
As TIFF celebrates its 50th anniversary, the festival spotlights what might be its most resilient genre amid a fractured marketplace: horror. With shrinking screen counts, compressed Pay-1/Pay-2 deals, and younger ticket buyers pulling away from theaters en masse, horror remains a rare safe-haven—cheap to produce, reliably engaging, and buoyed by fervent word-of-mouth among young theater-goers.
Distribution
TIFF Turns 50 as Buyers Weigh Rising Costs Against Shrinking Streaming Fees
Toronto’s 50th anniversary edition arrives with independent distributors weighing risk against opportunity. Theatrical remains a tightrope, Pay-1 and Pay-2 license fees are under pressure, and negotiations are slower across the calendar. Yet a sturdier acquisitions slate, a pair of well-capitalized newcomers, and a crop of commercially minded titles suggest TIFF could regain some of its old deal energy.
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Distribution
Betting Big on Genre Films: AFM’s Vegas Move Signals Shift in the Independent Film Market
For the first time in its 45-year history, the American Film Market (AFM) has traded the coastal ambiance of Santa Monica for the glitzy setting of Las Vegas, launching its 2024 event at the Palms Casino Resort. This relocation comes with high hopes for streamlined networking, concentrated events, and fresh energy.
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AFM 2024: The Films Sparking Major Interest at AFM’s First Las Vegas Edition (Part Three)
The 2024 American Film Market (AFM) marks a transformative moment as it relocates from its long-standing Los Angeles base to Las Vegas. Here’s an overview of films being presented by the leading 78 international sales agencies at the 2024 American Film Market, offering a dynamic blend of genres, including horror, thriller, drama, comedy, and animation.
Distribution
AFM 2024: The Films Sparking Major Interest at AFM’s First Las Vegas Edition (Part Two)
The 2024 American Film Market (AFM) marks a transformative moment as it relocates from its long-standing Los Angeles base to Las Vegas. Here’s an overview of films being presented by the leading 78 international sales agencies at the 2024 American Film Market, offering a dynamic blend of genres, including horror, thriller, drama, comedy, and animation.
Distribution
AFM 2024: The Films Sparking Major Interest at AFM’s First Las Vegas Edition (Part One)
The 2024 American Film Market (AFM) marks a transformative moment as it relocates from its long-standing Los Angeles base to Las Vegas. Here’s an overview of films being presented by the leading 78 international sales agencies at the 2024 American Film Market, offering a dynamic blend of genres, including horror, thriller, drama, comedy, and animation.
Distribution
Fewer Films, Fewer Fans: TIFF 2024 Highlights the Trouble with Theatrical Distribution
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has long been a vibrant showcase, especially for films seeking a U.S. distributor, but it faces a much harsher reality this year. The rise of streaming platforms has further complicated TIFF’s sales environment. This challenge is emblematic of a deeper problem in the industry.
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