Film producers and distributors have returned home from a busy American Film Market, which saw Quebec feature C.R.A.Z.Y. win a major award and possible boost in its efforts to secure a U.S. distributor, and sales of a few Canadian-handled thriller/horror films, with other deals pending.

Jean-Marc Vallée’s C.R.A.Z.Y. tied with South Africa’s Tsotsi in the people’s choice award heat at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, which wrapped on Nov. 13 after running concurrently with the AFM. The victory in L.A. is certainly good news for the film, hoping to be a front-runner in the best foreign-language film Oscar race. Still, no U.S. distrib deals had been signed by press time.

But it was thrillers, such as Max Films International’s Saints-Martyrs-des-Damnés that were hot commodities at the AFM. Martyrs sold to Brazil, Japan, Germany and Benelux during the AFM.

Jennifer Hubick, a sales and acquisition executive with Minds Eye International, says Minds Eye’s U.S.-shot release Malevolence firmed up a rights deal for Thailand, adding that buyers from Argentina, Japan and the Czech Republic should be making things official for their territories in the coming weeks.

‘In terms of theatrical releases, I found most of the buzz was on the thriller genre, which was perfect for us because we were preselling two other [thrillers],’ says Hubick. She adds that there were some buyers looking for family content, but more for home-video markets and to run as MOWs.

‘There is definitely an interest in horror and action thrillers, but there always has been,’ says Steven Murphy, director of sales and acquisitions at Toronto’s Tricon Films & Television, which attended the Santa Monica, CA show promoting its scary movies including Extreme Days and the developing horror piece Chainsaw Kitty. But Murphy sees the AFM less as a market for theatrical pickups, saying some all-rights deals are made, ‘but video and television are really driving it.’

Vancouver-shot U.S. flicks including Snakes on a Plane and Final Destination 3 are just a few of the other screamers sold at the market this year.

Heather Wyer, head of international sales with the National Film Board’s distribution sector, notes that AFM screenings – although expanding – are less full than they once were, possibly because of the glut of fall festivals preceding the market. The AFM moved to November from the spring in 2004. The film board took feature docs The Tobacco Conspiracy, The Last Trapper and Escape to Canada to this year’s show. Although no deals were signed on the spot, Wyer says AFM is still a must-attend for the NFB, and an easy trip compared to other market events.

‘Because [docs have] become a valid genre in the theaters and all the major companies seem to be either getting involved in or acquiring documentaries, we have to be there,’ she says. ‘As long as we’re in feature documentaries, we have to be there to talk to international buyers, because they’re not always the same people that go to MIPCOM. You get more theatrical, video and all-rights buyers.’

According to AFM organizers, this year’s AFM was the biggest to date in terms of attendance, boasting 8,014 delegates – a 13% increase over 2004 – with almost 1,600 film buyers from 62 countries. (A lack of attending buyers has been a major complaint about the AFM in the past). Approximately 3,800 exhibitor delegates represented 33 countries, up 6% over last year.

Canada had 29 exhibitors at the market, up from 22 last year, and 16 buyers – one more than in ’04, according to organizers. There were 534 films screened over the AFM’s Nov. 2-9 dates, a hike from last year, when 459 films unspooled for buyer consideration. Among the Canadian offerings were These Girls and Horloge Biologique (Dodging the Clock) from Seville Pictures, and Christal Films’ Familia, Manners of Dying and The United States of Albert.

‘I found myself using the word ‘more’ a lot this year,’ says Jonathan Wolf, AFM’s managing director. ‘There were more buyers, sellers, attendees, producers, exhibition space, films, screenings. It’s an indication that production, globally, is expanding. We had first-time companies from 24 different countries attending, which indicates the growth.’

The 2006 AFM will run Nov. 1-8, 2006.

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