NewsAFF 2026 Wrap

AFF 2026 Recap: New Milestones and Over 11,000 Attendees

At the festival’s closing ceremony, Africa was announced as the new focus region for the 4th edition of Alternativa Film Festival.

10 May 2026

#AFF 2026#LatAm

In a nutshell

At the end of April, Medellín became a vibrant hub for bold stories, fresh voices, and new perspectives from the Global South as the Alternativa Film Festival arrived in Latin America for the first time. The festival brought together free screenings, discussions, and industry activities, culminating in a vibrant Awards Ceremony at the Medellín Botanical Garden, where seven awards were presented.

10
days
37
films
42
screenings
11,200
attendees
107
international guests
51
local partners
1600+
publications
150+
people in the team

Shared cinema experience

Two outdoor screenings at MAMM became major highlights of the program, drawing a combined audience of 6,800 attendees and creating a vibrant communal atmosphere. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers alongside Medellín’s cultural voices — including scholars, creatives, and social leaders — connected cinematic stories to local realities and lived experiences. Audiences were also invited to engage with the Fruits of Dialogue installation, a tree where visitors could leave handwritten notes about the thoughts, emotions, and ideas “planted” in them after watching the films, transforming individual reactions into a collective reflection.

Outdoor screening at MAMM

Screening at MAMM

Post-screening discussion

Outdoor screening at MAMM

"Fruits of Dialogue" tree

Industry Days

The festival's professional program brought together filmmakers, producers, and social change leaders, serving as a meeting point for the film industries of Latin America, Asia, and the Global North. Organized in collaboration with regional partners — Proimágenes Colombia, Bogotá Audiovisual Market, Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara, DocsMX, Nodo Sur, and Cine Qua Non Lab — the program featured panel discussions, networking sessions, and one-to-one meetings for filmmakers participating in the Competition. Panels dedicated to streaming platforms and alternative distribution models attracted particularly strong attendance.

3
days
6
panels
75
1-to-1 meetings
22
experts

Next Stop: Africa

At the Awards Ceremony press conference, Arsen Tomsky, CEO of inDrive, and Liza Surganova, Head of Alternativa, announced that the 4th edition of the Alternativa Film Festival will take place in Africa in 2027. Films from African countries will be eligible for the festival’s competition program, while the Shorts Competition will be open exclusively to African filmmakers. With Africa as Alternativa’s new focus region, the project will continue expanding dialogue between filmmakers, audiences, and impact-driven stories from the Global South.

Behind the Scenes

Behind this edition of the festival stood an incredible community of people who helped bring it to life. We are deeply grateful to the inDrive team for being there at every step of the journey. To the Jury, Selection Committee, Advisory Committee, Industry Days experts, and all partners — thank you for your insights, generosity, and dedication to impactful cinema. To Madlove and Toc Talk teams, who helped shape the production and communications on the ground. To the photographers, content creators, volunteers, and hospitality “angels” who filled the festival with warmth, energy, and kindness. And, of course, to the filmmakers — for the stories, the courage, and the trust.

Over these ten days in Medellín, we made new friends, shared laughter and tears, and created memories and connections that will stay with us far beyond the festival. Thank you for making this chapter of Alternativa feel so alive — we can’t wait to meet again somewhere down the road.

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AFF 2026 Winners

30 April 2026

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AFF 2026 Awards Ceremony

30 May 2026