The forthcoming edition of the Alternativa Film Festival, scheduled to be held in Colombia.
India – June 19, 2025 – Alternativa has announced the 3rd edition of the Alternativa Film Festival, set to take place in Colombia in Q2 2026. With a boosted prize pool of $120,000 USD—a $20,000 increase from the previous edition—and the introduction of a new regional feature film award, the festival will now present seven award categories, further elevating its commitment to spotlighting impactful cinema.
The open call for submissions is now live and will run from June 10 to October 10, 2025. The festival welcomes feature-length fiction, documentaries, animations, and hybrid films from India, Latin America, and Asia, created after January 1, 2025.
Celebrating Impact-Driven Storytelling
Alternativa honors films that combine artistic excellence with social relevance, aiming to create positive change across communities. In 2024, Indian films Mikka Bannada Hakki (Kannada) by Manohara K and Kottukkaali (Tamil) by Vinothraj PS earned international acclaim, winning the Spotlight Award and Nativa Award, respectively.
“At inDrive, we believe that creativity should transcend borders,” said Arsen Tomsky, CEO of inDrive and founder of Alternativa. “Alternativa celebrates the power of storytelling to challenge injustice and spark global conversations—especially from the Global South, where voices too often go unheard.”
Eligibility & Key Dates
Films with a world premiere before August 1, 2025 must be submitted by September 1, 2025 (23:59 UTC-5). For premieres after August 1, 2025, the final deadline is October 10, 2025 (23:59 UTC-5). Detailed eligibility criteria and regional guidelines are available in the Rules & Regulations on the official website: www.alternativa.film.
In 2024, the festival received over 1,000 entries from 33 countries, with Indian cinema among the top 25 shortlisted.
The host city and exact festival dates, along with the Selection Committee and International Jury, will be announced in the coming months.
