With a Special Mention from the Generation KPlus Jury for the short film Akababuru: Expresión de asombro (Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment) and a Special Mention from the Generation 14Plus Youth Jury for Atardecer en América (Sunset in America / Brazil, Chile, Colombia), Colombias participation in the 75th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival concluded. At the European Film Market (EFM), Colombia also took part in Toolbox, several screenings, the roundtable discussion Is There Equity on Screen?, a project in Pitch Perfect, along with four participants in the Talents program.
Colombia was represented in the Berlinale Generation program, which promotes the diversity and plurality of youth cinema worldwide. By presenting authentic and relevant stories, this section creates a bridge between different cultures and experiences. It is a space where all kinds of voices are represented and where audiences can discover new perspectives and realities.
Akababuru: Expresión de asombro (Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment), the short film that had its world premiere at the festival, is directed by Irati Dojura Landa Yagarí, an Indigenous filmmaker from the Embera Chamí community. Her work is a beneficiary of the Film Development Fund (FDC) in the ethnic populations category, 2022. A participant in the Bogotá Audiovisual Market - BAM under the Bammers category with her producer Laura Giraldo, Irati was also selected for the Meet Them program in San Sebastián for filmmakers with a differentiated approach, accompanied by the international promotion team from Proimágenes Colombia in 2024. The story centers on Kari, an Indigenous girl who is afraid to laugh. However, a new interpretation of the ancient Kiraparamia legend helps her liberate herself, which serves as the premise for the story.
At the competitive Generation 14Plus program, the world premiere of Atardecer en América (Sunset in America / Brazil, Chile, Colombia), by Matías Rojas Valencia, was showcased. The documentary short, featuring Bárbara Flores, is set in the highlands, one of the most dangerous migration routes in Latin America. A teenage girl recalls the night she crossed the highlands, feeling accompanied by a spiritual presence that wanders like the wind.
Presence at the EFM
At the European Film Market, within the Toolbox Program — which supports creators from underrepresented groups and the Global South by granting them access to the international film industry — Leonardo Rúa presented his project Soy porque somos (I Am Because We Are). This film honors Carlos Rúa and his companions in their fight for the civil rights of ethnic communities. The documentary follows the journey of a son from a family of fishermen, who travels from the Ecuador-Colombia border to Bogotá during the 1980s and 1990s. Upon reaching the capital, he becomes a key figure in both political movements and a social process that would alter his life and the lives of many others: the 1991 Political Constitution.
Also participating in the program was Daylín Vega with her fiction project El grito de Serankwa (The Cry of Serankwa). Aníbal and Marcelo, two Indigenous friends from the "IKU" ethnic group, undergo a ritual to become spiritual leaders (“mamus”) in order to restore balance to the world and protect Mother Earth from the damage caused by the "bunachis" (non-Indigenous men). After a failed attempt, Aníbal moves to the city, while Marcelo eagerly awaits his return. A catastrophe looms when Aníbal returns, now westernized, bringing with him a mining project that disrupts the peace and tranquility of an ancient town fighting to preserve its culture and sacred land.
As part of the program, and thanks to the collaborative efforts of the members of the Latin American Corner, the roundtable discussion “Is There Equity on Screen?” was held with CAACI, the Ibermedia Program, the Ministry of Culture, IMCINE, CNACC, Proimágenes Colombia, and OIA (Ibero-American Audiovisual Observatory). In an effort to understand how films directed by women and men are received by audiences, as well as the level of investment in national cinema budgets across Latin America, the Observatory presented its first report aimed at demystifying whether true equity exists on the screens in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and others. The Latin American Corner is a space created with the goal of fostering regional cooperation.
In Pitch Perfect: Producers Present Projects Analyzed by AI, Juan Manuel Buelvas Díaz, Tito José Crissien Borrero, and De La Tierra Producciones S.A.S. participated with their project PÁ. In collaboration with the EFM, Largo.ai hosted an event to demonstrate how artificial intelligence and data analysis are transforming the film industry. Producers from all over the world showcased their projects to financiers, distributors, and potential co-production partners.
As part of the EFM screening lineup, the two short films from the Generation section were featured, alongside Horizonte (Germany, Colombia, France) by César Acevedo; Llueve sobre babel (It Rains Over Babel) (Colombia, Spain, United States) by Gala del Sol; and Semilla del desierto (Desert Seed) by Sebastián Parra R.
Finally, at Berlinale Talents, directors Mariana Saffon (Mar de leva, Entre tú y Milagros), Theo Montoya (Anhell69), and Clare F. Weiskopf (Alis), along with film critic Laura Arias (Tercer Cine), took part. They were among the 201 filmmakers selected for this talent development program, which included workshops, talks, networking events, and screenings, all designed to foster connections between filmmakers and creators.
