The Independent Film & Television Alliance announced Monday that the American Film Market’s 41st edition will be going online due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This announcement follows the decision to make the Cannes film market completely online this year, held last month as the Cannes Virtual Market.

One of the last major film markets of the year, AFM annually welcomes around 7,000 film industry professionals from more than 70 countries. Such a major global event like this would be difficult to host in person with spikes in COVID-19 cases occurring across the United States. 

“By making this announcement four months in advance, AFM’s stakeholders can move forward and plan with certainty,” said Michael Ryan, IFTA chairman and partner at GFM Films. “AFM 2020 Online will give the global film community the opportunities that are always critical to our success — to meet, share knowledge, collaborate, and discover tomorrow’s films as they do every year in Santa Monica.”

IFTA also announced that AFM 2020 Online is set to take place over five days from Nov. 9 to Nov. 13, shifting back one week later than originally scheduled, avoiding an overlap with Election Day on Nov. 3 in the U.S.

Full program and participation details for the online AFM will be revealed later this summer.