The Association of Film Commissioners International will bring production destinations directly into Toronto’s new industry marketplace through the AFCI Destination Lounge.
As TIFF: The Market prepares for its inaugural edition in Toronto this September, the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) is adding another dimension to the new marketplace: where productions actually get made.
Running from September 10–16, 2026, TIFF: The Market has been created as a dedicated business platform alongside the Toronto International Film Festival, bringing together buyers, sellers, creators, producers and other screen-industry professionals across film, series and innovation.
Within that environment, the AFCI Destination Lounge will provide a dedicated networking and promotional space for film commissions and the territories they represent.
From Content Deals to Production Destinations
For producers attending Toronto, the lounge creates a direct link between the projects being financed, sold and developed at the market and the regions competing to host their production.
Film commissions increasingly play a role well beyond location scouting. Their work can include helping productions navigate local incentives, connect with crews and service providers, understand infrastructure and identify locations capable of meeting both creative and logistical requirements. AFCI describes its role as connecting filmmakers with a global network of film commissions and giving producers access to local expertise, incentive knowledge and location opportunities.
Bringing those destinations into TIFF: The Market therefore places the production side of the business alongside sales, financing, distribution and acquisition discussions rather than treating it as a separate conversation.
Portugal Confirms Its Place in the Lounge
The Portugal Film Commission is among the organizations already confirmed for the AFCI Destination Lounge, with Executive Director Ana Marques speaking in the Lounge’s September 11 session on filming opportunities in Portugal and Austria.
AFCI has published a full week of programming inside the Destination Lounge, featuring sessions with film commissions including Portugal, Austria, Vienna, the Netherlands, Norway, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Mexico, San Antonio, the Bahamas and Curaçao, alongside opening-day programming with Ontario Creates and the City of Toronto.
A New Marketplace Takes Shape in Toronto
The Destination Lounge also arrives as TIFF makes a substantial expansion of its industry activity. TIFF: The Market is being launched with support from the Government of Canada, which has committed CAD $23 million to the initiative, alongside major supporter Telefilm Canada.
TIFF has positioned the new market as a meeting point for international dealmakers and creative professionals across different parts of the screen business. For AFCI and its member destinations, Toronto now offers another international stage on which to connect directly with the producers deciding not only what gets made, but where it gets made.
Read more: Toronto International Film Festival Lineup Features Major World Premieres
