4th July 2025, Kathmandu
The Alternativa Film Festival is set to host its 3rd edition in Colombia in Q2 2026, with a significant expansion in its prize fund and a new award category.
Alternativa Film Festival 2026
The festival, which champions filmmakers from the Global South, has announced an increased prize fund of USD 120,000 (up by USD 20,000 from the previous edition) and will now feature a total of seven awards, including a new category specifically for a feature film from the focus region.
The open call for submissions is now active, running from June 10 to October 10, 2025. Feature-length films across all genres are invited from Latin America and Asia.
Short film categories, however, are exclusively reserved for Latin American entries. Eligible films must have been completed after January 1, 2025. Specific submission deadlines apply: for films with a world premiere before August 1, 2025, the deadline is September 1, 2025; for those premiering after August 1, 2025, the deadline is October 10, 2025. Full details on eligibility and requirements can be found on the official Alternativa website: alternativa.film.
Festival Vision and Expansion
These key announcements were made during Alternativa’s inaugural 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.
They collectively outlined the vision for the upcoming festival, emphasizing Alternativa’s growing presence in Latin America and its sustained commitment to nurturing emerging talent across the Global South.
Arsen Tomsky, CEO and founder of inDrive and the visionary behind Alternativa, shared a powerful message during the press conference: “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.”
A Global Movement for Impact Cinema
Alternativa was first launched in Central Asia (Kazakhstan) in 2023, expanding to Southeast Asia (Indonesia) in 2024 with the successful 2nd Alternativa Film Awards & Festival in Yogyakarta.
This transition to Latin America marks an evolution of the project from the “Alternativa Film Awards” to a comprehensive film festival, reflecting an expanded program of screenings, discussions, and industry events designed to deepen the social impact of the selected films.
While the festival moves its primary focus region with each edition, it remains steadfast in its mission to build bridges across regions. The upcoming 2026 festival in Colombia will continue to accept submissions from Asia, honoring the regions where its previous two editions were held. In 2024, the festival saw over 1,000 submissions from 33 countries, with 14 Asian countries represented among the 25 shortlisted films.
Alternativa also maintains active hubs in Central and Southeast Asia. The 2025 agenda includes the Just Futures Impact Story Lab in Bali, Indonesia; the Impact Distribution Lab in Central Asia; Alternativa Film Days in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Jakarta, Indonesia; and an impact campaign for the film Devi in Nepal.
A Platform for Exchange and Discovery
Vietnamese director Nguyen Duy Anh, whose film “A Cleaning Service” won a Shorts Award at the 2024 festival, lauded the experience: “Being part of Alternativa was a truly special experience.
The thoughtful programming, warm community, and space for dialogue made it feel like more than just a screening platform — it was a space for exchange and discovery. Receiving an award was not only an honor but also an encouragement that continues to push me forward in my practice.”
The Alternativa Film Festival 2026 program will feature free public screenings of competition films, accompanied by impact discussions and other public events.
The festival will also host “Industry Days,” a professional program connecting filmmakers, producers, and social impact leaders. Directors whose films are selected for the Competition will be invited to attend the festival and awards ceremony, with travel and accommodation covered by the organizers.
The host city and exact dates for the Alternativa Film Festival 2026, along with the names of the Selection Committee and International Jury, will be announced in the coming months.
For more: Alternativa Film Festival 2026 Opens