The Circuit

Sharon Swart has a short piece on the AFI-AFM relationship.  While execs (and me) grumble about the distance - it takes an hour to get between the two events - fest director Christian Gaines says the link works, and he's got a point:

Last year 56 films shared both an AFI selection slot and an AFM sales company. Of those films, 28 made some kind of deal, says Gaines: "They either were acquired for U.S. distribution or sold international territories or negotiated U.S. remake rights."

This year, fewer films -- 34 -- share both AFI and AFM berths.

Speaking of Gaines, check out his fantastic festival report he wrote for indieWIRE for the Midnight Sun Film Festival.


Photo:  Gaines at 2005's AFM, by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage.com.