FICCI – Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias

Cartagena de Indias | March (typically 8-10 days)

Before Cannes had red carpets and Sundance had ski lodges, Cartagena had FICCI. Founded in 1960, this is the oldest film festival in Latin America — a place where Colombian cinema first found its voice and where the region’s filmmakers still gather each March to celebrate, compete, and occasionally throw legendary parties in crumbling colonial mansions.

Practical Information:
FICCI (Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias) typically runs for 8 to 10 days in mid-March. The 2024 edition marked the festival’s 64th anniversary, a remarkable continuity for any cultural institution, let alone one that has survived Colombia’s complicated 20th century.

The festival headquarters is located at the Centro de Convenciones Cartagena de Indias, but screenings are dispersed across multiple venues: the Teatro Adolfo Mejía (the city’s premier indoor venue), the Centro Colombo Americano, various cultural centers, and—most memorably—open-air screenings in the plazas of the walled city. Many outdoor screenings are completely free; indoor and premium events range from 15,000 to 50,000 COP.

What to Expect:
FICCI operates in two parallel universes. There’s the official festival—industry panels, competition screenings, awards ceremonies — that caters to filmmakers, distributors, and critics. And there’s the public festival—free outdoor movies, street performances, celebrity sightings—that transforms Cartagena into a ten-day celebration of cinema.

For casual visitors, the public programming is revelatory. Imagine watching a newly restored Colombian classic projected onto the wall of a 16th-century fortress, plastic chairs arranged in a colonial plaza, vendors selling empanadas between reels. Or catching a buzzy new documentary in an air-conditioned theater, then stumbling upon the director drinking aguardiente at the bar next door.

The competition programming emphasizes Latin American and Ibero-American cinema, though international selections are increasingly common. Categories include fiction features, documentaries, short films, and a section dedicated to Colombian cinema. Recent years have also introduced virtual reality experiences and interactive media—a nod to the festival’s determination to evolve with the industry.

Star Power and Accessibility:
Unlike Cannes or Venice, FICCI maintains a remarkable accessibility. Yes, there are red carpet premieres and celebrity appearances—Colombian stars like Sofía Vergara and John Leguizamo have attended, along with international figures—but the barriers between industry insiders and general public remain porous. It’s entirely possible to attend a screening, then find yourself sharing a restaurant table with the film’s cast and crew.

This accessibility extends to filmmakers themselves. FICCI’s industry programs actively support emerging Latin American directors, offering financing forums, co-production meetings, and mentorship opportunities. For young Colombian filmmakers especially, FICCI represents the most important professional networking event of the year.

Practical Considerations:
March is high season in Cartagena, with perfect weather (dry, hot, breezy) that fills the city’s hotels regardless of FICCI. Book accommodation well in advance—at least six weeks for reasonable walled-city options. Screening schedules are published on the festival website approximately two weeks before opening; check daily for updates, as popular screenings can sell out.

The festival’s social scene concentrates in Getsemaní neighborhood, where after-parties spill out of bars into the streets until 3 or 4 AM. If you’re hoping to rub elbows with filmmakers, stake out the area around Plaza de la Trinidad after 10 PM.