For nearly four decades, ShowEast was a fixture on the North American cinema industry calendar—first held in Atlantic City, before heading south to Orlando and then Miami—drawing United States’ exhibitors and studios together every October. This year, that chapter officially closes. In its place, the Film Expo Group is launching CineLATAM, a new convention dedicated entirely to the Latin American theatrical market. The inaugural edition will be held September 15–17 at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel, Miami, with screenings at AMC Sunset Place.

So why the change? According to Andrew Sunshine, President of the Film Expo Group, the move was not made lightly, “This wasn’t just something where Andrew, Erica [Seidman], and the team said, ‘oh, let’s just move the show and rebrand it,’” Sunshine explained during a recent interview from his office in New Jersey. “There was a lot of due diligence, a lot of work put in before this decision was made. There were a lot of things that we had to make sure were going to be different from ShowEast. Latin America needed its own dedicated summit event. That’s what we’re building here.”

Why September? Why Miami?
Two of the biggest questions surrounding CineLATAM are timing and location. Why move the conference up a month, from October to September, and why hold a Latin American event in Miami?

On the timing, Sunshine points to three reasons: “Number one, it’s less expensive to do business in Miami in September. Number two, Morelia Film Festival always conflicted with ShowEast in October. And number three, by being earlier in the year, there are more movies to be shown leading into the holidays”.

The September time slot also addresses another industry reality; the domestic exhibition calendar has become oversaturated with regional events. “You can’t expect theatre owners and manufacturers to go from Show South to CineExpo, to CinéShow to the Rocky Mountain event and then the Cinema United Fall Summit, all one right after the other,” explained Sunshine, whose Film Expo Group also produces the annual events CineEurope, in Barcelona in June, and CineAsia, in Bangkok in December.

As for staying in Miami, rather than moving the conference to a Latin American city, he’s unapologetic. “To me, Miami is the adopted capital of Latin America. It’s an easy flight from anywhere in the region,” he argued. The decision was also strategic, underscoring the practical reality that many studio heads and their teams already travel through Miami when visiting Latin American territories. “Miami lets us bring everyone together in one place.”

The Miami location also serves US exhibitors with significant Hispanic populations. As Sunshine noted, “You look at Miami, it’s the perfect example” of how to market to Hispanic audiences effectively.

Quantity over Quality
CineLATAM represents a deliberate shift toward intimacy over scale. Film Expo Group downsized from the 1,000-room Loews Miami Beach to the 240-room Loews Coral Gables, reduced the event from four days to three, and is targeting “quality over quantity” in attendance.The conference has specifically been designed for decision makers: CEOs, presidents, distribution heads, etc. “”I’m not looking for 10 or 15 people per company, and I’m not looking for the suitcase guys who just book a room and sit in the bar,” Sunshine emphasized. “Our show this year is all about everybody being able to spend time and meet with all of the distribution companies and exhibitors who never have the time at some of the bigger events here in the domestic market.”

That focus explains why the program features panels and roundtable discussions with C-suite executives such as Miguel Mier (Cinépolis), Valmir Fernandes (Cinemark), Don Savant (CJ 4DPlex Americas), Andrew Cripps (Disney), and Mark Viane (Paramount). It also explains why the show has a heavier emphasis on networking receptions and fewer award ceremonies.

What’s on the Program?
The schedule blends presentations of upcoming film releases with conversations about big-picture topics affecting the industry. Keynotes include:

• Julie Anglin of the Motion Picture Association on piracy and the global importance of Latin American storytelling.
• Adam Cunningham of Allied Global challenging the industry to stop treating Latin America as an afterthought in global strategy.

Panels will look at investment in exhibition, premium formats, and new technologies. Other programming will address the persistent challenges in Latin American distribution, including why films produced in one country often struggle in neighboring territories.

Studio presentations from Paramount, Warner Bros., Universal, Disney, and Sony anchor the afternoons. Special screenings include “Song Sung Blue” from Focus Features and a Kygo concert film presented in ScreenX by CJ 4DPlex.

Awards will honor Argentine actor Guillermo Francella with a Lifetime Achievement Award, while Comscore will recognize Brazil’s “Ainda Estou Aqui (I’m Still Here)” with a LATAM Box Office Achievement Award.

A Necessary Evolution
An argument could be made that Film Expo Group’s transformation of ShowEast into CineLATAM is reflective of broader industry trends. The domestic US market, while still significant, is increasingly mature, while Latin America offers substantial growth opportunities with a young, cinema-loving population.

The decision to maintain a US base while focusing on international markets is more pragmatic than ideal, but it leverages Film Expo Group’s existing relationships and infrastructure while addressing an underserved market segment.

Whether CineLATAM can successfully serve the diverse Latin American market from Miami remains to be seen, but there does seem to be industry support for the new conference from large cinema operators within the region. “CineLATAM marks a new beginning for a long overdue Latin American cinema convention,” said Miguel Mier, the Chief Operating Officer of Cinépolis in the press release announcing the event. Cinemark International head, Valmir Fernandes, added, “I am confident CineLATAM will become the dominant theatrical event for our region.”

Thus, the rebrand of ShowEast is more than just a name change. It reflects how Film Expo Group sees the future of regional trade shows. Just as CineEurope in Barcelona and CineAsia in Bangkok became the definitive gatherings for their territories, CineLATAM aspires to give Latin America a dedicated stage within a global industry.

“I’m a true believer in a global cinema market,” Sunshine stated. “Latin America is the piece that, to me, has the opportunity to grow right now.”

For now, Film Expo Group is betting that Latin America’s cinema industry is ready for its closeup, even if that spotlight shines from Miami rather than Mexico City, São Paulo, or Buenos Aires. If CineLATAM succeeds in drawing the senior leaders it hopes to, it could reset assumptions about Latin America—not as a secondary market, but as one of theatrical’s most dynamic growth engines. The proof will be in attendance, deal-making, and whether the event returns next year.