Alternativa announces 2026 film festival in Colombia; calls for submissions from Latin America, Asia

KATHMANDU: Alternativa has announced that the third edition of its film festival will take place in the second quarter of 2026 in Colombia. The prize fund rises to $120,000—$20,000 more than in 2024—and a new award category for a feature film from the focus region brings 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 eligible from Latin America and Asia, while short-film categories remain reserved exclusively for Latin America.

Details were unveiled at Alternativa’s first press conference in Latin America, held at the 40th Guadalajara International Film Festival—an official partner of the initiative. Liza Surganova, Head of Alternativa; Anna Gudkova, Head of Industry and Labs; and Andjelka Jankovic, Head of Marketing and Communications, presented the festival’s vision and highlighted the organisation’s growing presence across the Global South.

Arsen Tomsky, CEO and founder of inDrive and visionary behind Alternativa, said, “Talent and powerful stories should never be limited by borders, and art has the power to create meaningful change for millions worldwide. That’s why we founded and support Alternativa, which gives impact filmmakers from the Global South a platform to be seen, heard and celebrated.”

Launched in Kazakhstan in 2023 and expanded to Indonesia in 2024, Alternativa has evolved from an awards scheme into a full-fledged festival. Each edition shifts its regional focus to recognise filmmakers from the Global South, combining artistic excellence with significant social impact.

In 2024, the festival attracted over 1,000 submissions from 33 countries; 25 films were shortlisted from 14 Asian nations, led by Indonesia with five titles. With Latin America now in focus, organisers anticipate a surge in entries.

Vietnamese director Nguyen Duy Anh—whose short “A Cleaning Service” won one of two Shorts Awards in 2024—described Alternativa as “a space for exchange and discovery” that continues to encourage his creative practice.

The 2026 programme will feature free public screenings of competition titles, impact discussions and other events designed to deepen social impact. Industry Days will connect filmmakers, producers and social-impact leaders, fostering collaboration. In Yogyakarta in 2024, around 2,300 viewers attended 14 screenings. Directors selected for competition will be invited to attend the festival and awards ceremony, with travel and accommodation provided.

Alongside the Latin American edition, Alternativa will remain active in Central and South-East Asia. The 2025 agenda includes the Just Futures Impact Story Lab in Bali (with In-Docs, Doc Society and !mpact), the Impact Distribution Lab in Central Asia, Alternativa Film Days in Almaty and Jakarta, and an impact campaign for Devi in Nepal.

The host city, exact dates for the 2026 festival, and the names of the selection committee and international jury will be announced in the coming months.

Alternativa is a non-profit project launched by global technology company inDrive in 2023 to support and promote Global South filmmakers whose work drives positive social change. inDrive is a global mobility and urban-services platform downloaded over 280 million times and ranked the world’s second-most downloaded mobility app for three years running.