About Us

FightForIndependents.org is committed to uniting individuals and organizations concerned with protecting independent film & television production and distribution in North America.
 
Our independent voices are united by the power of the Internet to form a chorus of both passionate advocates and engaged consumers who all share the belief that the preservation of independent media is integral to the development, health, and excitement of our culture and society.
 
What is an independent?
The Independent are the companies -- producers and distributors -- that finance their film or television programs primarily from sources other than the six major studios, and control distribution in the majority of the world. Independent films and programs are produced for low, medium and large budgets. The companies and individuals that produce these works face tremendous financial risks in producing, selling, distributing and promoting their work.
 
Yet, it is precisely this financial risk-taking that fosters creativity and makes independent productions unique.
 
Who is IFTA?
The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) is the trade association that represents companies that finance, produce and license independent films and television programming worldwide.
 
Headquartered in Los Angeles, the non-profit organization now represents more than 150 member companies from 22 countries, consisting of independent production and distribution companies, sales agents, television companies, studio-affiliated companies and financial institutions. Collectively, IFTA members produce more than 500 independent films and countless hours of television programming each year and generate more than $4 billion in sales revenues annually.
 
IFTA’s membership includes well-known independent film companies, such as Lionsgate, The Weinstein Company, Lakeshore International, IM Global and Summit Entertainment. Over the last seven years, independent production companies have produced nearly 80 percent of all U.S. feature films, from big budget features like Lord of the Rings to lower budget films such as the surprise hit Paranormal Activity. Since 1982, IFTA Members have been involved with the financing, development, production and U.S. and international distribution for 63 percent of the Oscar-winnning Best Pictures including Gandhi, Dances with Wolves, Braveheart, Million Dollar Baby, Crash, Lord of the Rings, The Departed, No Country for Old Men and Slumdog Millionaire. In 2009, IFTA Members' films have included The Hurt Locker, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail.
 
Today, IFTA’s American Film Market (AFM) is the largest motion picture trade show in the world. Unlike a film festival, the AFM is a marketplace where production and distribution deals are closed. In just eight days, more than $800 million in deals are sealed - on both completed films and those that haven’t even begun shooting. With 8,000 attendees, 900 screenings, and seminars by leading industry organizations, the AFM is the pivotal destination for independent film companies and businesspeople from around the world.