Traditionally, VideoAge has not been big on film festivals, since it is more of a meat-and-potatoes trade publication focusing on the buying and selling of content. However, with two major film festivals in September — Venice and Toronto — pushing their respective film markets, VideoAge had to put in its own two cents about them, while reviewing yet another film market, the American film Market (AFM), to be held in November in Los Angeles.
Venice comes first in the calendar and VideoAge September issue — coming out soon — tried to put some order to an Italian-style chaotic assembly of film-related “industry” events with a story titled: “New Biz Events to Shine at The Venice Film Fest.”
The editorial of the Monthly Issue then moves to Canada, explaining that, “Officially, the first TIFF market is expected to be outstanding,” noting that getting official figures from the Toronto International Film Festival Market organizers has not been easy.
Let’s move now from Toronto to Los Angeles for the AFM, which takes place two months (or 61 days) later.
Having outlived its Santa Monica location and not endeared itself to the international film industry with Las Vegas, the next location was obviously going to be highly important to the market’s future.
Fast forward to 2025, when reps for the AFM decided to go back to Los Angeles, more precisely the Fairmont Century Plaza hotel, next-door-neighbor to Beverly Hills and plenty of talent agencies. Small wonder that bookings for the upcoming AFM event (November 10-15) are surpassing last year at this time. Enthusiasm and expectations are definitely riding high.
And speaking of markets, in the Issue, it is pointed out that the success of NEM Dubrovnik, the Central and Eastern Europe TV trade show, is partly attributed to a printed floor plan that noted names of companies exhibiting and stand locations.
Being that the Issue is also devoted to pre-MIPCOM activities, in its “Market Preview,” VideoAge is able to demonstrate how despite the fact that MIPCOM went from having 14,000 attendees in 2016 to just 10,600 in 2025, the international TV market is still the world’s largest that went from “Cannes You Believe it?” to “Yes, You Cannes Believe it!”
In the Book Review, we feature Planet of the Screen People: When Our Phones Shape How We Understand The World, and the My2¢ editorial blames television for the world’s social and political polarization, which amplifies social media more than print media.
Predictions, data, and the ultimates are also covered, together with how “Now Air Travelers Are Purposely Missing Luggage.”
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