Historically, more than 7,000 people[1] attend the eight-day annual event to network and to sell, finance, and acquire films.

[5][6] The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), a trade association representing the world's producers and distributors of independent motion pictures and television programs.

[7] In 2024, the market was moved to the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[8] The American Film Market utilizes 29 movie theater screens on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade and in the surrounding community to accommodate 700 screenings of over 400 films (often world or U.S. premieres).

[9] This also allowed the 2020 and 2021 editions to be held online-only in the first week of November due to the COVID-19 pandemic.