It took Peru’s Augusto Zegarra nine years to complete his debut feature documentary “Runa Simi” but less than a year to reap a boatload of awards. He just took home the Alternativa Film Festival’s Focus Award last April 30, which includes a hefty cash prize. This would be the 19th  honor, starting with Tribeca’s Albert […]

Pics from as far afield as Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Japan, Brazil and Georgia competed in the Alternativa Film Festival, the burgeoning nomadic festival that launched in Kazakhstan, continued in Indonesia and celebrated its third edition in Medellín, Colombia. Founded by tech company inDrive, the festival shortlisted a total of 30 competition films, 15 feature-length films and […]

Bolivia’s Alvaro Olmos Torrico, known for his award-winning “The Condor Daughter,” is prepping his third feature, “Chicha Fantasy” (“Fantasía Chicha”), tapping Peru’s Ayara Prods. to co-produce alongside his Bolivia-based Empatia Cinema. He’s also in co-production talks with Uruguayan and European companies. “The Condor Daughter” recently competed at the Alternativa Film Festival in Medellín, Colombia where […]

Berlin-based Pluto Film has pounced on worldwide sales rights to Chilean psychological thriller “Summer War” (“Guerra de Verano”) ahead of its market debut at Cannes’ Marché du Film and its world premiere at the 25th Tribeca Film Festival in June. The fifth feature by acclaimed director Alicia Scherson (“Play”), “Summer War” is her second adaptation […]

The 3rd Alternativa Film Festival wrapped April 30 in Medellín, Colombia with generous cash prizes doled out to five feature films and two shorts. These were selected from 15 feature-length films and 15 shorts hailing from Latin America and Asia. Liza Surganova, head of the itinerant film festival founded by tech company inDrive, announced that […]