There are scores of film distributors in the United States. The largest independent film trade association is the Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA). The IFTA has a membership of more than 150 professional companies that are involved in the financing, production, and distribution of independent films worldwide.

The mission of the IFTA is to provide marketplace services and worldwide representation for the independent film and television industry. In the past thirty-five years, IFTA membership companies have produced or licensed over half the films that have won the Academy Award for Best Picture. These films include Gandhi, Amadeus, Platoon, The Last Emperor, Driving Miss Daisy, Dances with Wolves, The Silence of the Lambs, Braveheart, The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love, Chicago, and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

The Hollywood Creative Directory produces directories for virtually every aspect of filmmaking. They also produce the Hollywood Distributors Directory that lists 2,000 independent companies with many thousands of names and contact information. The directory is sold in book form and can be ordered via the Internet. The Hollywood Creative Directory also has a fee-based online directory service. These directories are worth their weight in gold to anyone interested in the filmmaking industry. Additional information can be found at www.hcdonline.com.

Be sure to check the references and past performance of distributors before you sign with them. Don't be afraid to ask for references. If a distributor refuses to provide you with at least a short list of satisfied clients, or offers feeble excuses for why they can't do so, run. You deserve to know a distributor's track record before entering into any business arrangement, and if they've got a good record, they'll be proud to share it with you.