The news was revealed during Alternativa’s first-ever press conference in Colombia, held on November 6 at Miradas Medellín, one of our key partners in the region. Liza Surganova, Head of Alternativa, Harold Forero Neira, Senior Business Development Representative at inDrive, María Fernanda Galeano Rojo, Secretary of Economic Development of Medellín, and Jaime E. Manrique, Alternativa’s Selection Committee Member from Colombia, аounder and director of LABORATORIOS BLACK VELVET, Bogotá Short Film Festival / Festival de Cortos de Bogotá, shared the announcement along with the record-breaking results of the festival’s call for entries — discover them here.
AFF 2026 Host City and Dates Revealed
The 3rd Alternativa Film Festival is coming to Medellín, Colombia, from April 21 to April 30, 2026! After amazing stops in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Yogyakarta, Indonesia, our festival continues its nomadic journey — this time bringing the spotlight to Latin America.
7 November 2025
#AFF#Colombia#Festival
7 November 2025
#AFF#Colombia#Festival
So, why Medellín? The city is bursting with creative energy that perfectly aligns with our belief in decentralization — celebrating creative cities rather than political capitals, just like we did in Yogyakarta and Almaty. We’ve been deeply impressed by the thriving film community, the strong local support and the openness to collaboration we’ve found here. To us, Medellín is a truly magnetic place, and we’re certain that its culture, nature, and community spirit will create an unforgettable experience for all guests of the Alternativa Film Festival.
In Medellín, our team also attended the Macondo Awards Ceremony and the opening of the Miradas Festival, where we will have the honor of presenting a special Alternativa Development and Impact Award at the Miradas Industry Awards Ceremony. The trip has been full of inspiring encounters, meetings, and discoveries — and there’s more to come. We’re meeting filmmakers, cultural organizations, and local partners, building new collaborations that will shape the next edition of the festival. Stay tuned — we’ll be sharing more updates and behind-the-scenes moments from this journey on our social media.
We are thrilled to see such strong interest in the Alternativa Film Festival across Latin America. The number of submissions we received shows that the region is bursting with powerful, impact-driven stories — and we cannot wait to discover the final selection. The mission of our festival is to spotlight and support the talented filmmakers from the Global South who are committed to bringing positive change to society. We hope that the 3rd edition of AFF will offer even greater international recognition and new networking opportunities to bold voices striving to impact the world around them.
Thirteen years ago, inDrive was founded on the fundamental principle of fighting injustices and empowering communities by giving people the power of choice. This core belief — that the power of choosing is critical in communities that often have limited options — is what still drives us today. That’s why we are incredibly excited to bring our social impact programs and their flagship initiative, Alternativa, to one of the most important cities in Colombia, Medellín. Our goal is to democratize access to the film industry across the Global South and ensure that all important stories from all voices can be heard. This city's vibrant spirit is a perfect match for our mission, and we are thrilled to be here to work alongside its passionate community.
Alternativa’s press conference at Miradas Medellín 2026
Photographer David Estrada Larrañeta for Alternativa
