Colombia, the New International Filming Destination

What do the Netflix series Narcos, the CBS reality show Buddy Games and Will Smith’s action movie Gemini Man have in common? You guessed it, they were all filmed in Colombia!

For several years, Colombia has successfully attracted Hollywood producers to film movies and TV shows in the country. Thanks to its incredible landscapes and a legal framework offering fiscal incentives, Colombia has become an important destination for American and other foreign filmmakers, hosting more than a hundred international productions since 2012.

A favorable environment for filmmaking  

The development of the Colombian film industry has been a long time in the making. Sensing the benefits and great potential of Colombia as an international filming destination, Colombian authorities have created an extremely attractive environment for foreign filmmakers.

In 2012, the Colombian legislators approved the Ley 1556, which enabled the creation of the ‘Fondo Filmico Colombiano’ (Colombian Film Fund, FFC) and the ‘Certificados de Inversion Audiovisual’ (Audiovisual Investment Certificates, CINA).

These two initiatives serve as financial incentives designed to attract Hollywood and other foreign film producers, as well as to support the Colombian film industry.

Specifically, the CINA offers a tax reduction equivalent to 35% of the audiovisual and logistical expenses for movies fully or partially filmed in Colombia. Similarly, the FFC provides a partial refund of filming costs to productions shot in Colombia.

The positive impact of foreign film industry

After nearly 12 years of existence, this incentive policy has proven to be very successful. So far, Colombia has attracted approximately 140 productions from 15 countries, which have generated investments of around $500 million (1.97 trillion COP) in the country.

Filming represents an outstanding opportunity for Colombia. From an economic perspective, the film industry creates hundreds of jobs in the country, as it often relies on local contractors. Due to this, the Colombian film industry has been significantly stimulated by the presence of foreign film producers.

For example, local film companies such as WideAngle Films or Cumbia Films have contributed to the production of the movie Freelance, starring John Cena, and to the reality show Buddy Games. Foreign filmmakers have also revealed new Colombian talents, such as Juan Pablo Raba, giving him a role in Narcos as Gustavo Gaviria, Pablo Escobar’s cousin and right-hand man.

Filming also serves as a powerful on-screen advertisement, showcasing to the world the urban and natural wonders of Colombia. A memorable example is the 2019 action movie Gemini Man, where the main character, portrayed by Will Smith, is involved in a high-speed chase scene through the colonial city of Cartagena.

Medellin’s global filming ambitions

When it comes to cinema, Medellin is one of Colombia’s hubs. In recent years, the city received global exposure thanks to Netflix’s cult series Narcos (although Colombians may prefer their national telenovela, Pablo Escobar, el Patron del Mal).

However, this success is merely the first step toward the city’s global ambitions. The newly elected mayor of Medellin, Federico Gutierrez, is planning the ‘Distrito Cinema’ (Cinema District) project, aiming to transform Medellin into a global cinema powerhouse.

Through this project, Federico Gutierrez wants to turn Medellin into a Latin American Hollywood, with the construction of a 1500 m² complex fully dedicated to movie production, filming, and even music recording, artificial intelligence and video games.

With the increase of local and national initiatives, the future looks exceptionally bright for the Colombian film industry.