Alternativa Film Festival will take place in Colombia in 2026

Alternativa has announced that the 3rd edition of the Alternativa Film Festival will take place in Colombia in Q2 2026, with an expanded prize fund of 120,000 USD (an increase of 20,000 USD from the previous edition) and a new award category for a feature film from the focus region, bringing the total number of awards to seven. The open call for submissions runs from June 10 to October 10, 2025. Feature-length films of all genres are accepted from Latin America and Asia, while the short film categories are reserved exclusively for Latin America. 

These announcements were made on June 9 during Alternativa’s first-ever press conference in Latin America, held at the 40th Guadalajara International Film Festival — an official partner of the initiative. Speaking at the event were Liza Surganova, Head of Alternativa; Anna Gudkova, Head of Industry and Labs; and Andjelka Jankovic, Head of Marketing and Communications. Together, they presented the vision for the upcoming festival, highlighting Alternativa’s growing presence in Latin America and its ongoing commitment to supporting emerging talent across the Global South.

Alternativa is a global non-profit initiative, founded by Arsen Tomsky, CEO and founder of inDrive company. The initiative shifts its focus region with each edition of the Alternativa Film Festival, an alternative system for recognizing filmmakers from the Global South, enabling their work to reach broad and diverse audiences and build bridges across regions. The festival honors films that bring positive change to the world and society, combining artistic excellence with the potential for significant social impact. Through Alternativa, inDrive demonstrates that innovation extends beyond transportation, reshaping how opportunities are created and change is ignited in the creative sphere. As inDrive continues to expand its footprint in the creative economy, its foray into Latina American's film industry serves as a blueprint for how businesses can use innovation to create broader societal impact. By bridging technology and art, the company is redefining what it means to be a global leader as one that doesn’t just move people, but also inspires and uplifts entire industries

Alternativa was launched in Central Asia (Kazakhstan) in 2023 and expanded to Southeast Asia (Indonesia) in 2024. Now, it is moving to Latin America to continue its mission of spotlighting brave new voices in Global South cinema. 

“Latin America has always been a region of powerful stories and deeply committed filmmakers. Colombia, in particular, stands out for its vibrant film community and the way it engages with urgent social realities through cinema. We are very excited to bring the Alternativa Film Festival into this context — to learn from the region, connect with its creative forces, and amplify the voices that deserve global attention,” - Liza Surganova, Head of the Alternativa.

The Alternativa Film Festival 2026 welcomes films from Latin America, and — remaining committed to its mission of building bridges across regions — will continue to accept works from Asia, where the previous two editions took place. In 2024, the festival received over 1,000 submissions from 33 countries, and with a new region now in focus, the team expects a significant surge in entries. Out of seven awards, three will be dedicated to Latin American filmmakers. The new Focus Award will honor a feature film that provides insight into the complexities of the current Alternativa focus region – Latin America — illuminating both its challenges and its hopes. As in the previous editions, the Shorts Awards are also reserved exclusively for directors from the focus region.

The open call for the Alternativa Film Festival 2026 begins on June 10 and will remain open until October 10, 2025. Fiction films, documentaries, animations, and hybrid works of all genres completed after January 1, 2025 are eligible. For films with a world premiere before August 1, 2025, the submission deadline is September 1, 2025, at 23:59 (UTC -5). For films with a world premiere after August 1, 2025, the deadline is October 10, 2025, at 23:59 (UTC -5). A full list of eligible countries and detailed film requirements can be found in the Rules & Regulations, available on our official website.

The Alternativa Film Festival 2026 program will focus on — but not be limited to — free public screenings of films selected for the Competition. The screenings will be accompanied by impact discussions and other public events designed to deepen the films’ social impact and engage audiences in dialogue. The festival will also feature Industry Days — a professional program that connects filmmakers, producers, and social impact leaders, fostering thought-provoking conversations, exchange of experience, and new collaborations. The festival culminates in the Awards Ceremony. Directors, whose films are selected for the Competition, are invited to attend the festival and the ceremony, and the organizers cover their travel and accommodation costs.

“At inDrive, we believe that talent and powerful stories should never be limited by borders — and that art has the power to create meaningful change for millions of people around the world. It can also help advance inDrive’s mission of challenging injustice — both through our business and beyond. That’s why we founded and support Alternativa and its festival that gives impact filmmakers from the Global South a platform to be seen, heard, and celebrated.”  -  Arsen Tomsky, CEO and founder of inDrive and the visionary behind  Alternativa

The host city and exact dates of the Alternativa Film Festival 2026, along with the names of the Selection Committee and the International Jury, will be announced in the coming months.

Alternativa thanks its partners in Latin America — Guadalajara International Film Festival, Proimagenes Colombia, Bogotá Audiovisual Market, Taturana, Impacta Cine, and Nodo Sur — for their support and looks forward to building new connections and fostering meaningful collaborations throughout the region and beyond.