Festival Internacional De Cine De Cartagena De Indias- FICCI (65)

영화제 시작: 14 4월 2026      영화제 끝: 19 4월 2026

The Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) is a cinematographic event with a social and cultural vision and, by choice, free and open to all. Each year, FICCI interprets the particular circumstances of Colombia, Ibero-America, and the world, offering a world-class edition guided by the preservation of freedom and the expansion of cultural dialogue through films, industry gatherings, and academic events that are relevant, human, subtle, and in constant conversation with its audience and cultural stakeholders. The festival seeks to be a space for encounter and exchange, a platform to elevate human awareness, strengthen democracy, and contribute to the creation of free, inclusive, and conscious societies.

The Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) is the oldest and most permanent forum in the Americas for Colombian, Ibero-American, and world cinema. Actively present on the global cinematic map since 1960, its 65th edition will continue to offer spaces for memory, reflection, a diversity of voices, and, as always, for the finest cinephilia.

The Festival values the creative freedom of filmmakers from around the world, welcoming works of any format, length, nationality, theme, genre, or technique. We seek films that meet the highest standards of quality, dare to take narrative risks, and offer proposals of great human and cinematic value, with pertinence and a vision of sustainability.

현금 수상: 100,000$

Central Competition

Colombia Section: Award for Best Film, Award for Best Short Film, and the Audience Award for Best Feature Film and Best Short Film.

Ibero-America Section: Award for Best Feature Film and Award for Best Short Film.

Cine en los Barrios Section: Award for Best Feature Film and/or Best Short Film.

FICCI is part of the Academy Awards’ Documentary Films Qualifying Festival List (oscars.org/rules). Ibero-American feature-length documentaries participating in the corresponding sections will be evaluated by a jury appointed by the Artistic Direction and the Curatorial Committee. Based on this evaluation, the Curatorial Committee will notify the Academy and the production company of the selected project.

FICCI is also part of the Academy Awards’ Short Films Qualifying Festival List (oscars.org/rules). Ibero-American short films participating in the corresponding sections will be evaluated by the members of the Festival’s Curatorial Committee. Based on this evaluation, the Curatorial Committee will notify the Academy and the production company of the selected project.

Selected projects, regardless of their category, will also be considered for cross-sectional awards decided by a national and international jury. These awards, which include cash prizes, will be announced during the festival’s official press conference in March 2026.

Work in Progress (WIP)

Selected projects will compete for post-production support (including conforming, color grading, sound mixing, DCP mastering, among others) and will be presented in a private screening for national and international juries, as well as sales agents, distributors, exhibitors, and other industry representatives during the festival.

WIP Colombia – Feature Film
Colombian feature films (fiction, documentary, or essay) at final cut stage or in advanced editing. One project will be awarded post-production services.

WIP Colombia – Short Film
Colombian short films (fiction, documentary, or essay) at final cut stage or in advanced editing. One project will be awarded post-production services.

WIP Ibero-America – Feature Film
Ibero-American feature films (fiction, documentary, or essay) at final cut stage or in advanced editing. One project will be awarded post-production services.

OPEN CALL

65th CARTAGENA DE INDIAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – FICCI

April 14–19 | 2026


DESCRIPTION

The Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) is a cinematographic event with a social and cultural vision and, by choice, free and open to all. Each year, FICCI interprets the particular circumstances of Colombia, Ibero-America, and the world, offering a world-class edition guided by the preservation of freedom and the expansion of cultural dialogue through films, industry gatherings, and academic events that are relevant, human, subtle, and in constant conversation with its audience and cultural stakeholders. The festival seeks to be a space for encounter and exchange, a platform to elevate human awareness, strengthen democracy, and contribute to the creation of free, inclusive, and conscious societies.

The Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) is the oldest and most permanent forum in the Americas for Colombian, Ibero-American, and world cinema. Actively present on the global cinematic map since 1960, its 65th edition will continue to offer spaces for memory, reflection, a diversity of voices, and, as always, for the finest cinephilia.

The Festival values the creative freedom of filmmakers from around the world, welcoming works of any format, length, nationality, theme, genre, or technique. We seek films that meet the highest standards of quality, dare to take narrative risks, and offer proposals of great human and cinematic value, with pertinence and a vision of sustainability.

Once selected to be part of one of our sections, all curated films will have access to screenings, as well as connections with sales agents, distributors, exhibitors, press, co-producers, and all the advantages of being part of FICCI 65.
Submissions to our 11 sections (10 Official Sections and 1 additional Work-in-Progress – WIP section) can be made through the www.festhome.com platform during the following dates:

Opening
Monday, August 25th, 2025

Closing
Sunday, November 30th, 2025

Selection notifications
March 2026

All Official Sections, as well as the Work in Progress (WIP) called on this platform, will receive projects until 23 hours: 59 minutes: 59 seconds, Colombian time (COT - Colombian Time, UTC−05:00), on Sunday the thirtieth (30th) of November 2025.

It is necessary to inform the projects participating in this call that their application does not imply acceptance nor benefits until they are selected by the Curator Committee of the Festival under the final decision of the Artistic Direction.

CONTACT AND FURTHER INFORMATION
coord.programacion@ficcifestival.com


10 OFFICIAL SECTIONS:

All sections will be curated by a Curatorial Committee integrated by Colombian and international experts and filmmakers, under the guidance of the Artistic Direction. The Curatorial Committee reserves the right to include in any festival section those works it deems relevant, regardless of the section in which they were initially submitted.

Additionally, this committee reserves the right to place the participant’s work in the category that best fits the content of the submission, so no film is exempt from category changes, regardless of the original submission.


0. (S)paces of Time

(S)paces of Time sets out in search of cinematic expressions without limits (also without limits of the length of film). The 2026 zero-showcase is a platform for innovative and ambitious cinematic expressions that explore the temporal possibilities of the medium from narrative, material, conceptual, aesthetic, and acoustic perspectives.


1. Colombia

Competitive section for feature films and short films from Colombia: fiction, documentary form, essay, or animation.

Best Feature Film
Best Short Film
Audience Award (Short Film & Feature Film)

FICCI is part of the qualifying festival list for short films (Short-Film Qualifying Festival List) and for feature films in documentary form (Documentary Films Qualifying Festival List) for the Academy Awards (oscars.org/rules). Ibero-American short films selected in any section, as well as Ibero-American feature films in documentary form participating in the relevant sections, will be evaluated by a jury appointed by the artistic direction and curatorial committee. Based on this evaluation, the Curatorial Committee will notify the Academy and the production house about the selected project.


2. Iberoamérica

Competitive section for feature films and short films with Ibero-American legal and cultural nationality (feature films from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal): fiction, documentary form, essay, or animation.

Best Feature Film
Best Short Film

FICCI is part of the qualifying festival list for short films (Short-Film Qualifying Festival List) and for feature films in documentary form (Documentary Films Qualifying Festival List) for the Academy Awards (oscars.org/rules). Ibero-American short films selected in any section, as well as Ibero-American feature films in documentary form participating in the relevant sections, will be evaluated by a jury appointed by the artistic direction and curatorial committee. Based on this evaluation, the Curatorial Committee will notify the Academy and the production house about the selected project.


3. Internacional

Section for feature length and short films with legal and cultural nationality from countries other than Colombia and Ibero-America (feature length films from the United States, Canada, Non-Iberian Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania): fiction, documentary form, essayistic form or animation.


4. Cine en los Barrios

Competitive section for short films and/or feature films, fiction, documentary form, animation, or essay, with any legal and cultural nationality, which, according to the Curatorial Committee, should be part of this section, designed to promote encounters and dialogue among audiences in the neighborhoods of Cartagena. This section brings together films of any genre or origin that foster human, cultural, and social exchange, creating a bridge between auteur cinema and an open, inclusive, and accessible cinema for viewers of all ages.

Best feature film and/or Best Short Film


5. Cortos Universitarios

Section for short films in documentary form, animation, essayistic or fiction made by students with Colombian nationality from any university, school, or academic context in Colombia or abroad.


6. De Indias

Section for short and/or feature films, in documentary form, animation, essayistic or fiction, with Colombian legal and cultural nationality, that have been shot in Cartagena as a main location, or by production houses or filmmakers established in Cartagena. Audiovisual exercises and projects developed in schools, universities, or relevant collectives for the future of the city’s cinema will also be considered.

This category grants a monetary award to all selected projects. The amount and method of payment will be determined by the Festival and will be subject to the applicable tax regulations in force.

7. Inland (Tierra Adentro)

Section for short and/or feature films, in documentary form, animation, essayistic or fiction, with Colombian legal and cultural nationality, that have been shot in Colombian cities, towns, or territories with significant shortages of cinematographic infrastructure and that, according to the criteria of the Curatorial Committee, should be included in this section, designed to promote contact between the Festival audiences and the cinema of the territories seeking opportunities to be exhibited.

8. Afro Cinema (Cine Afro)

Section for short and/or feature films, in documentary form, animation, essayistic or fiction, with any legal and cultural nationality, whose central theme revolves around Afro-descendant Communities, their cultures, realities, representations, and claims.


9. Indigenous Cinema (Cine Indígena)

Section for short and/or feature films, in documentary form, animation, essayistic or fiction, whose central theme revolves around Indigenous Communities, their cultures, realities, representations, and claims.


WORK IN PROGRESS (WIP)


In addition to the open call, we are also launching a call for Work-in-Progress projects (the selected projects will be part of the Industry section). This is aimed at Colombian fiction feature films, Colombian documentary form feature films, and/or Colombian essayistic form feature films; Colombian fiction short films, Colombian documentary form short films, and/or Colombian essayistic form short films; and Ibero-American documentary form, fiction feature, and/or essayistic feature films that are in an advanced editing stage and ready to move on to the next stage of post-production.

The selected projects will compete for post-production support (including conforming, color correction, sound mixing, DCP mastering, among others) and will be showcased in a private screening with national and international juries, sales agents, distributors, exhibitors, and other industry professionals during the festival days.

WIP Colombia – Feature Film

Colombian feature films (fiction, documentary form, and/or essayistic form) with a final cut or in an advanced editing stage. Post-production support for one project.

WIP Colombia – Short Film

Colombian short films (fiction, documentary form, and/or essayistic form), with a final cut or in an advanced editing stage. Post-production support for one project.

WIP Ibero-America – Feature Film

Ibero-American feature films (fiction, documentary form, and/or essayistic form), with a final cut or in an advanced editing stage. Post-production support for one project.


THE FESTIVAL.
RULES and LEGALITIES


A call is an Association Contract and whoever registers a film in any of the proposed sections by the FICCI 65 on this platform, signs that contract in the terms that are published here. It is understood that the contract is law for the parties, in accordance with article 1602 and S.S. of the Colombian Civil Code, so when registering your film you are bound by the conditions established in this call and in those provided by the regulations governing cinematographic activity, Law 397 of 1997, Law 814 of 2003, Decree 1080 of 2015 and Resolution 1021 of 2016.


All sections, without exception, must be subject to the following general rules:

A. Comply with the condition of being feature films or short films, fiction, essay, documentary form, experimental, or (if applicable) animation exercises or audiovisual pieces in accordance with what is required in the call.

B. Subject to the determination of the Curator Committee as to whether they are feature films or short films, fiction, essay, documentary form, animation or experimental, exercises or audiovisual pieces, according to the requirements of the specific call, and accept the decision of the Committee.

C. Subject to all decisions adopted by the Curator Committee, whether to include feature films or short films, fiction, essay, documentary form, animation or experimental, exercises or audiovisual pieces in the section the Committee deems most appropriate, or not to include them in any section of FICCI edition 65, taking into account the Committee’s authority to redefine the category in which a production may or may not participate, as well as the possibility of redefining or adding sections.

D. Being part of a section will give all productions press opportunities, public exposure, and contact with the industry, producers, sales agents, exhibitors, distributors, academia, and moviegoers and filmmakers in general. Some sections listed under the heading “exceptions” at the end of these general conditions could include special incentives for one or more of their productions.

E. The productions registered for selection by the Curator Committee cannot have had previous exhibitions in Colombia under any form of public communication, analogue nor digital.

F. All productions, exercises, or audiovisual pieces must have a projection copy in one of the following formats: DCP, Apple ProRes 4444, Blu-ray, or H264 Full HD or higher.

G. Only productions, exercises, or audiovisual pieces produced and/or released worldwide in 2025 and 2026 will be considered.

H. The cultural nationality of productions, exercises, or audiovisual pieces will be decided by the Curator Committee in accordance with the criteria it deems relevant.

I. Decisions to include, exclude, reclassify, schedule a film in multiple sections, or not include it in any section, made by the Curator Committee under the guidance of the Artistic Direction, are final.

J. The Curator Committee is composed of filmmakers and experts who share criteria with the Artistic Direction of the organization, responsible for reviewing and deliberating which productions, exercises, or audiovisual pieces will or will not be part of the sections.

K. Language and subtitling: Productions spoken in Spanish must have English subtitles; those spoken in English must have Spanish subtitles; and those spoken in languages other than Spanish or English must have subtitles in both Spanish and English. This requirement applies only if selected. During the evaluation stage, all films must be subtitled in English for consideration.

L. All productions, exercises, or audiovisual pieces must register through Festhome (www.festhome.com). The programming area of the International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias, FICCI edition 65, will review, select, and invite films, exercises, or audiovisual pieces registered on the Festhome platform to participate in the different sections as determined by the Curator Committee.

M. If the Curatorial Committee determines that the titles submitted through the Festhome platform do not meet its expectations, it may, at its sole discretion, invite any production, work, or audiovisual piece to be included in the festival sections and special programs, even if they were not submitted through Festhome. Likewise, the Committee may declare a section void if it considers that the submitted films do not meet the required quality standards to constitute that section.

N. In exceptional cases, given the pertinence or relevance of the films, the Curator Committee may include, if they choose, titles made prior to 2025 and 2026, in any sections they deem appropriate.

O. Productions selected for the different sections of FICCI 65 will be informed of the Festival’s policies and conditions regarding coverage and the validity of insurance that protects against potential damage and/or loss of submitted materials.


SPECIFIC CONDITIONS

In all the sections proposed on this platform for FICCI 65, all feature films or short films—fiction, essay, documentary form, animation, or experimental works, including audiovisual exercises or pieces—may be made from real footage or any form of animation, and will have complete freedom regarding theme, content, aesthetics, point of view, and form.


5. Cortos Universitarios

Fiction, essay, animation and documentary form short films made by Colombian students from any university or academy in Colombia or the world. The works registered in this section are exempt from registration fees on the Festhome platform (www.festhome.com), comply with the condition of being a fiction, essayistic, animation or documentary form short film with Colombian cultural nationality made by Colombian students from any university in Colombia or abroad. The fee waiver applies exclusively to the festival’s submission fee and does not cover any charges from the submission platform.

7. Inland (Tierra Adentro)

Section for short and feature films—documentary, essay, animation, or fiction—with Colombian legal and cultural nationality, filmed in Colombian cities, towns, or territories with significant cinematographic infrastructure limitations. According to the Curatorial Committee’s criteria, works that should be included in this section are those designed to promote contact between the Festival audience and cinema from territories seeking exhibition opportunities. Works submitted in this section are exempt from registration fees on the Festhome platform. The fee waiver applies exclusively to the festival’s submission fee and does not cover any charges from the submission platform.

This call is in accordance with Law 814 of 2003 and other applicable regulations. The Curatorial Committee has full freedom and autonomy to determine which cities, towns, and territories are considered to have cinematographic infrastructure deficiencies and therefore qualify for participation in this section.


EXCEPTIONS TO GENERAL CONDITIONS


For all Ibero-American documentary form films that participate in any section of FICCI 65:

FICCI is included in the Documentary Films Qualifying Festival List of the Academy Awards (oscars.org/rules). Ibero-American feature-length documentaries participating in the respective sections will be evaluated by a jury appointed by the Artistic Direction and the Curatorial Committee. Based on their evaluation, the Curatorial Committee will notify the Academy and the production company of the selected project.


For all Ibero-American short films that participate in any section of FICCI 65:

FICCI is included in the Short Films Qualifying Festival List of the Academy Awards (oscars.org/rules). Ibero-American short films participating in the respective sections will be evaluated by the Festival’s Curatorial Committee. Based on their evaluation, the Curatorial Committee will notify the Academy and the production company of the selected project.



Work in Progress


All films selected to receive support as Work-in-Progress (WIP), WIP Colombia - Feature Film, WIP Colombia - Short Film, and WIP Ibero-America - Feature Film, upon receiving the award, commit to including a mention of the support received and the logos of the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) in their opening credits, promotional materials, and press kits.


- The support must be claimed within one year of its granting, is non-transferable, and does not constitute a proprietary right other than that expressly stipulated.


- To utilize the post-production services awarded, all winning films must have completed the final
stages of editing, sound design, pre-mix, credits, VFX, and any graphic elements included in the final cut of the film.



WIP Colombia - Feature Film
Post-production services for one Colombian feature film (fiction, documentary, and/or essay).


WIP Colombia - Short Film
Post-production services for one Colombian short film (fiction, documentary, and/or essay).

WIP Ibero-America - Feature Film
Post-production services for one Ibero-American feature film (fiction, documentary, and/or essay).


- Films directed by Ibero-American filmmakers whose main production company is based in an Ibero-American country are eligible to participate.

- Projects that have been part of past submissions will not be considered. However, if the project has undergone substantial changes you can contact us explaining the new circumstances and the Curator Committee will evaluate and decide.

- The Producer or Director of each one of the project selected in WIP sections commits to be present in Cartagena to represent the film before the Curator Committee and other members of the industry, sales agents, distributors, festival programmers, funds and postproduction companies.


- The projects that are selected for WIP sections must send to FICCI all required materials.


- Productions spoken in Spanish must have English subtitles; those spoken in English must have Spanish subtitles; and those spoken in languages other than Spanish or English, must have subtitles in Spanish and English.

CONTACT AND MORE INFORMATION
coord.programacion@ficcifestival.com



GLOSSARY


* Opening: date on which the public call opens for interested producers to register their projects in the different sections of the festival called.


* Closing: date until which the producers will be able to register their projects through the platform www.festhome.com


* Selection notification: Date on which the organization will communicate the decision to select the projects that will participate in one of the sections of the festival.


* Benefits: Press opportunities, exposure to the public, contact with industry, producers, sales agents, exhibitors, distributors, academia and film buffs and filmmakers in general.


* Curatorial Committee: The Curatorial Committee is made up of a group of cinephiles and experts, who share criteria with the artistic direction of the organization who is in charge of visualizing and deliberating on which productions, exercises or audiovisual pieces will or will not be part of the sections.


* Viewing: The exercise of reviewing a production in its entirety and evaluating the possibilities of integrating it or not into a section of the festival.


*Competition: Section of the festival where selected films compete for awards granted by a specialized jury.


*Recognition: Distinction or special mention awarded by the festival to highlight the artistic, technical, or thematic excellence of a work or career.