CARTAGENA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
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LIGHTS, CAMERA, CARTAGENA!
Every March, step into Latin America’s most dazzling film festival as Cartagena’s cobblestone streets transform into a red carpet of cinematic dreams. As summer fades across the northern hemisphere, Cartagena de Indias and its internationally recognized festivals are one of the most visited destinations in South America. An ideal refuge to embrace the sunshine and the excitement of a world-class cultural adventure.
It is easy to understand the lure of this historic walled city in the Caribbean, for several centuries the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition in the New World. Gabriel Garcia Márquez set several of his novels in Cartagena, and the Hollywood movie Romancing the Stone was filmed here. Even more exciting is that the great Italian filmmaker of The Battle of Algiers, Gillo Pontecorvo, came here to shoot Burn/Quemada, his second political masterpiece. He engaged Marlon Brando as a British Mercenary for his Marxist saga of a failed black revolution in 19th-century Haiti.
While locals are used to culture in the streets since there are literature and music festivals throughout the year, tourists act surprised when they stroll in the streets and stumble upon a huge screen in the middle of a beautiful plaza and get swept over in this unexpected, unique experience. It is a very gratifying experience to watch a film in these circumstances.
It is now a tourist destination for both staid middle-aged couples and youthful backpackers ambling across South America.
FICCI (Festival Internacíonal de Cine de Cartagena de Indias) is not just another film festival, as for over 50 years it has been the place where Latin America’s boldest storytellers come to play. Think Cannes, but with more salsa and significantly better coffee. Fast becoming one of the world’s most exciting film festivals, FICCI is Cartagena’s annual week-long ode to all things cinema.
The Cartagena Film Festival, which is held every March, is the oldest film festival in Latin America. Founded in 1959 by Victor Nieto, who led the festival for 48 years until his death at 92 in 2008. FICCI is a free film festival with a social mission, held yearly with awareness of national and global issues. It has long embraced bold storytelling and innovation in Latin American and global cinema.
Each year, organizers pack in local, Latin, and global films, panels, workshops, networking, social events, and plenty of fun. Traditionally, the Colombian Feature Film and Documentary sections are very important to FICCI. The production boom is exciting, with films now coming not just from Bogotá but from across Colombia. This is a good sign of how the film industry is moving in terms of screenplays.
As a top Latin American film festival, FICCI stays committed to taking cinema beyond traditional theaters. Cine en los Barrios, one of its top platforms, brings short films to vulnerable neighborhoods, letting locals enjoy the magic of cinema.
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For a week, the city comes alive with screenings, talks, concerts, and events that honor film as a force for memory and change. This is a movie buff’s dream! Generally, FICCI is attended by film lovers from all over Latin America, but the open-air and full moon screenings open up an opportunity to tourists who visit Cartagena for its stunning beaches.
Movies are screened in theatres and open-air plazas throughout Cartagena. Open-air screenings suit Cartagena’s warm March evenings and historic plazas perfectly. You can watch movies in colonial plazas, hear award-winning directors discuss their craft, or soak in the city’s inspiring vibe. You can also expect to find workshops, special events, and film premieres, as well as other educational talks that give an insight into new trends in filmmaking.
The FICCI is also known for bringing some of the brightest stars in the world of cinema to Colombia. Susan Sarandon, Darren Aronofsky, and Alejandro González Iñárritu are among recent special guests. Puerto FICCI, the academic section of the festival, aims to help develop the Colombian film industry. Part of this features a film review workshop with international critics and ten university students chosen through an online application programme.
The Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival celebrated its most vibrant and promising edition in 2025
To travel to Cartagena during FICCI is to experience the city from a new perspective. A city that, during the festival, beats to the rhythm of cinema, but whose true essence is found in its history, colonial architecture, living heritage, and that Caribbean energy that can be felt in every corner. It is the ideal trip for those who wish to discover a Cartagena that transcends the conventional.
Hotels, bars, museums, and restaurants join the celebration with special promotions for attendees. In addition to the charms of the historic centre, the beaches, and Caribbean cuisine, there is the opportunity to immerse yourself in art and culture in unique settings.
OFFICIAL VENUES
Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española en Cartagena
Centro Histórico – Carrera 36 # 2 -74
Plaza Santo Domingo
Palacio de la Proclamación
Centro Histórico Calle 34 con Carrera 5
GENERAL TICKETING RECOMMENDATIONS
All film screenings and academic activities are free of charge. However, they are subject to availability, and priority access will be granted to those with credentials. While the festival is essentially free, a special pass can be purchased for about US$50. This gives you priority entry into any film shown during the festival, a great way to avoid lines, which can get quite long at the popular screenings.
They recommend arriving at the screening rooms at least 30 minutes ahead of time. There will be a last-minute line at all screening rooms. For Cine Colombia movie theatres, the line is limited to 15 people. A handy timetable will show you which films are playing at the various locations across Old Town. If you are worried you might miss out on some great films because they are in Spanish, fear not, as many of them have English subtitles, so you will not miss a single plot twist.
The opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the India Catalina awards, require an invitation or ticket.
Email: info@ficcifestival.com
In a nutshell, if you are passionate about cinema, culture and destinations with soul, FICCI is the perfect excuse to get to know Cartagena like never before. Get ready to see through the lens of Latin America’s most Important film festival!
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