Acceptance of Terms
Welcome to the American Film Association (“AFA,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). By accessing or using our website at americanfilmassociation.com (the “Site”), registering as a member, purchasing event tickets, or otherwise engaging with AFA’s services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site or our services.
These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and the American Film Association. We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Your continued use of the Site or services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years of age to use AFA’s services, register for membership, or purchase event tickets. By using our Site or services, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement.
Membership
Registration
Certain features and benefits of AFA require membership registration. When registering, you agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information and to update such information as necessary to keep it accurate and complete. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.
Membership Tiers and Fees
AFA offers various membership tiers, each with specific benefits and pricing as described on the Site. Membership fees are due at the time of registration and are billed on the schedule associated with your selected membership tier. All fees are stated in U.S. dollars.
Renewal and Cancellation
Memberships may automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless you cancel prior to the renewal date. You may cancel your membership at any time by contacting us. Cancellation will take effect at the end of your current billing period. No partial refunds will be issued for unused portions of a membership period unless otherwise required by applicable law.
Events & Tickets
Event Registration
AFA hosts events including the AFA Summit and other programming for filmmakers and industry professionals throughout the United States. Event registration and ticket purchases are subject to availability and any additional terms specified at the time of purchase.
Refund Policy
Event ticket purchases are generally non-refundable. However, if AFA cancels an event, registered attendees will receive a full refund. If an event is rescheduled, your registration will automatically transfer to the new date. If you are unable to attend the rescheduled event, you may request a refund within 14 days of the rescheduling announcement. AFA reserves the right to offer credits or transfers in lieu of refunds at its discretion.
Code of Conduct
All event attendees are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respectfully. AFA reserves the right to remove any attendee from an event without refund for behavior that is disruptive, threatening, discriminatory, or otherwise inconsistent with the professional standards of the AFA community.
Acceptable Use
When using the Site and AFA’s services, you agree not to:
Use the Site for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable local, state, national, or international law or regulation.
Misrepresent your identity, credentials, or affiliation with any person or organization.
Interfere with or disrupt the operation of the Site, its servers, or any networks connected to the Site.
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Site, other accounts, or any systems or networks connected to the Site.
Use the Site to transmit unsolicited communications, spam, or promotional materials to other members.
Scrape, harvest, or collect personal information of other users without their express consent.
Use AFA’s member directory, contact information, or networking resources for purposes unrelated to legitimate filmmaking and industry networking.
Intellectual Property
All content on the Site — including text, graphics, logos, images, trademarks, the AFA name and brand, and all associated design elements — is the property of the American Film Association or its licensors and is protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws.
You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, display, or create derivative works from any content on the Site without the prior written consent of AFA, except as necessary for your personal, non-commercial use of the Site’s services in accordance with these Terms.
User-Submitted Content
If you submit any content to AFA — including but not limited to project information, biographical details, or communications through the Site — you retain ownership of your content. However, by submitting content, you grant AFA a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, display, and distribute such content solely in connection with operating and promoting AFA’s services. You represent and warrant that you own or have the necessary rights to any content you submit and that such content does not infringe upon the rights of any third party.
Payment Terms
All payments for memberships, event tickets, and other AFA services are processed through secure, PCI-compliant third-party payment processors. By making a purchase, you authorize AFA and its payment processors to charge the payment method you provide for the total amount of your purchase, including any applicable taxes and fees.
You are responsible for ensuring that your payment information is accurate and that sufficient funds are available. AFA is not responsible for any fees or charges imposed by your bank or payment provider in connection with your transactions.
Disclaimers
The Site and all AFA services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied.
AFA does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components. AFA makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any content on the Site.
AFA provides educational resources, networking opportunities, and access to financing and distribution channels for independent filmmakers. However, AFA does not guarantee any specific outcomes, financing results, distribution deals, employment, or professional opportunities as a result of membership or participation in AFA events or programs.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the American Film Association, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages — including but not limited to loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities — arising out of or in connection with your use of the Site, membership, event attendance, or reliance on any information provided by AFA, regardless of whether such damages are based on contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or any other legal theory.
In no event shall AFA’s total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising from or related to these Terms or your use of the Site exceed the total amount you have paid to AFA in membership fees and event ticket purchases during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the American Film Association, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or in connection with your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, your violation of any applicable law, or your infringement of any intellectual property or other rights of any third party.
Third-Party Links & Services
The Site may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources that are not owned or controlled by AFA. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. Your use of any third-party site is at your own risk and subject to that site’s terms and policies.
Termination
AFA reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the Site at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice, if we reasonably believe that you have violated these Terms or engaged in conduct that is harmful to AFA, its members, or its community. Upon termination, your right to use the Site and access member benefits will immediately cease. Any provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall remain in effect.
Electronic Communications
By registering as a member or providing your contact information to AFA, you consent to receive electronic communications from us, including emails related to your membership, event registrations, newsletters, and organizational updates. You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that AFA provides to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. You may opt out of promotional communications at any time, but transactional communications related to your account and membership will continue as necessary.
Governing Law & Dispute Resolution
The American Film Association is a national organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, serving members across the United States. These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to its conflict of law principles. This choice of law applies regardless of your state of residence or the location from which you access the Site.
Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of AFA’s services shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Fulton County, Georgia. By agreeing to these Terms, you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and waive any objection to venue in those courts, regardless of your location within the United States.
Before initiating any formal legal proceedings, you agree to first attempt to resolve any dispute with AFA through good-faith negotiation by contacting us at the address provided below. Both parties agree to engage in this informal resolution process for a period of at least thirty (30) days before pursuing any legal remedy.
Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or if modification is not possible, it shall be severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy (available at americanfilmassociation.com/privacy-policy) and any additional terms or policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and AFA regarding your use of the Site and services. These Terms supersede any prior agreements, communications, or understandings between you and AFA relating to the subject matter herein.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us: