As uncertainty continued to hover over a potential move for the AFM in 2013, managing director Jonathan Wolf was in bullish mood on the eve of this year’s market as he announced buyer registration was tracking 10% ahead of last year’s event.

Wolf cited a 50% year-on-year rise in the Chinese buyer contingent and a 30% climb in German registration, adding that 90 new buying companies had registered including maiden contingents from Cambodia and Mongolia.

All in all 415 films will screen and more than 8,000 attendees are expected. Wolf singled out projected buyer attendance, the schedule of five half-daily industry conferences at the Fairmont Hotel and the inaugural series of Industry Conversations as high points.

Both Wolf and Independent Film & Television Association (IFTA) CEO Jean Prewitt would not be drawn on the subject of where the market will take place after the contract with the costly Loews expires after the 2012 edition. Wolfe said they would be listening to comments throughout the market.

Prewitt highlighted the ongoing fight against piracy as a major issue for ITFA, which is sponsoring the current two-day American-German Copyright Summit in Los Angeles. The White House’s intellectual property enforcement coordinator Victoria Espinel will make a private presentation at the AFM on Monday.

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