Alternativa Film Project

Overview

Alternativa is a global non-profit initiative founded in 2023 by inDrive that supports and promotes filmmakers from the Global South whose work has the potential to bring positive social change. The initiative operates three programs: the Alternativa Film Festival (a nomadic festival that moves to a new focus region each edition), Alternativa Film Labs (free educational programs for Global South filmmakers), and Alternativa Distribution (an impact distribution initiative helping films reach global audiences). The third edition of the Alternativa Film Festival took place in Medellín, Colombia, from April 21 to April 30, 2026, with Latin America as its focus region. The festival awarded $120,000 in prizes across six categories. Africa has been announced as the focus region for the fourth edition. If you are a filmmaker from the Global South making impact-driven cinema, Alternativa offers festival exhibition, cash awards, free training labs, and distribution support. Submissions for the 2026 edition are closed; the next call will open for the Africa-focused edition.

Programs

Alternativa Film Festival

The Alternativa Film Festival is a nomadic festival that moves to a new focus region with each edition, celebrating impact-driven cinema from the Global South:

• 1st edition (2024): Almaty, Kazakhstan - focus on Asia
• 2nd edition (2025): Yogyakarta, Indonesia - focus on Southeast Asia
• 3rd edition (April 2026): Medellín, Colombia - focus on Latin America. The festival also extended to Bogotá (Cinemateca de Bogotá, May 1-10, 2026).
• 4th edition (2027): Focus on Africa (announced at the 2026 closing ceremony)

The 2026 edition featured an expanded program of screenings, discussions, public events, and Industry Days - a professional program connecting filmmakers, producers, and social impact leaders. The festival presents free public screenings of selected competition films, accompanied by discussions and audience engagement events.

Alternativa Film Labs

Alternativa runs free educational programs for filmmakers at different career stages who explore social issues in their countries and seek to develop local film industries. Labs in 2025-2026 include:

• Just Futures Impact Story Lab (September 6-9, 2025, Bali, Indonesia) - for storymakers from Southeast Asia creating narratives envisioning a just future for the region
• Impact Distribution Lab (November 2025 to February 2026, online) - for filmmakers and changemakers from Central Asia seeking to drive positive social change through impact distribution strategies
• Additional labs planned for the Africa-focused edition

Alternativa Film Labs alumni and partners have been selected for Berlinale Talents 2026 - four alumni (Banu Ramazanova, Katerina Suvorova, Alina Mustafina, and Yuda Dilianzia) were chosen from 3,438 applicants from 120 countries.

Alternativa Distribution

Launched in 2025-2026, Alternativa Distribution helps impact-driven films from the Global South reach broad and diverse audiences through innovative screening and distribution strategies. The program brings together film producers and changemakers to design and implement campaigns that connect socially-driven films with the audiences who need them most.

Awards and Prize Fund

The Alternativa Film Awards are presented in six categories with a total prize fund of $120,000. Fiction, documentary, hybrid, and animated films of all genres compete together:

Feature-length awards ($20,000 each):

• Spotlight: Honors a film that brings overlooked stories into the light, inviting awareness and deeper public engagement with what is often ignored
• Future Voice: Recognizes bold new talent - a first or second feature demonstrating outstanding creative vision and the potential to bring positive change to both cinema and society
• Alter: Champions catalysts for change - a film that addresses critical issues and can inspire action, motivating audiences toward transformation
• Nativa: Illuminates identity - a film that explores national or cultural identity, portraying a place or community with depth and care
• Focus: Reveals a region's challenges and hopes - a film offering insight into the complexities of the current Alternativa Focus Region

Shorts Awards ($10,000 each, two winners):

• Two short films from the current Alternativa Focus Region receive $10,000 each, supporting filmmakers who forge their own paths with a strong vision for impact

Winners are determined through a two-stage process: films in the Competition program are selected by the Selection Committee, and winners are chosen by the International Jury.

Eligibility

Eligibility for the 2026 edition (Latin America focus):

• Feature-length films: Fiction, documentary, animation, and hybrid films made by directors from Latin America and Asia, completed after January 1, 2025
• Short films: Any genre, exclusively from Latin America (the current focus region)
• Impact focus: Films must express what matters most to the filmmaker and have the potential to bring positive change to the world and society
• Geographic scope: The festival accepts films from the Global South, with each edition expanding to include the current focus region alongside previously covered regions

For the 2026 edition, the festival received a record-breaking number of submissions from Latin America. The Selection Committee included film curators, programmers, and impact experts from Latin America, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and beyond.

Submission Timeline (2026 Edition)

• Submissions open: June 10, 2025
• Regular deadline: October 10, 2025
• Late deadline: November 6, 2025
• Host city and dates announcement: November 6, 2025 (Medellín, Colombia, April 21-30, 2026)
• Competition program announcement: March 2026
• Festival dates: April 21-30, 2026

Rules and regulations are available in English and Spanish on the open call page.

Organization and Funding

Alternativa is funded by inDrive, a global mobility platform founded on the principle of fighting injustice and empowering communities by giving people the power of choice. inDrive operates in 8 countries (including Germany, Serbia, United States, Kazakhstan, and South Korea) and has 10-20 employees dedicated to Alternativa. The initiative is part of inDrive's social impact programs, which aim to democratize access to the film industry across the Global South.

Liza Surganova is the Head of Alternativa. The Selection Committee for the 2026 edition included 14 feature film selectors and 5 short film selectors from across Latin America, Asia, and Europe, plus 4 impact experts.

How Alternativa Differs from Traditional Festivals

Alternativa operates on several principles that distinguish it from conventional film festivals:

• Nomadic structure: The festival moves to a new focus region each edition, celebrating creative cities rather than political capitals (Almaty, Yogyakarta, Medellín)
• Impact-driven selection: Films are evaluated not only for cinematic quality but for their potential to bring positive social change
• Global South focus: The festival exclusively serves filmmakers from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with each edition expanding geographic coverage
• Free public screenings: Competition films are screened free to the public, maximizing audience reach
• Integrated ecosystem: The festival, labs, and distribution program form a complete pipeline - filmmakers can move from training (Labs) to exhibition (Festival) to audience engagement (Distribution)

Who Should Apply

Alternativa is relevant for:

• Filmmakers from the Global South (Africa, Asia, Latin America) making impact-driven cinema
• Directors whose work addresses social issues, identity, rights, or community challenges
• First and second-time feature filmmakers eligible for the Future Voice award
• Short filmmakers from the current focus region (Latin America in 2026, Africa in 2027)
• Filmmakers seeking not just exhibition but distribution and audience engagement support
• Filmmakers at any career stage who want free training through Alternativa Film Labs

Both documentary and fiction filmmakers are eligible. The festival does not require premiere status, but films must be completed after January 1 of the year preceding the festival edition.

See Also

For understanding how impact cinema and festival strategy intersect, see Film Festival Strategy: Getting Your Film Seen. For modeling revenue across international festival and distribution windows, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For other grants serving Global South filmmakers, see the Alter-Cine Foundation entry. The official Alternativa website with submission details, rules, and lab applications is at alternativa.film.