At the opening of the Cartagena Film Festival on Thursday, President Juan Manuel Santos said he wants Colombia to be a “mecca” for cinema.
The president announced a strategy to attract directors, producers and investors, especially from the United States and India, to make movies in the country by turning it into an ideal location for filming. He also said that a plan is being developed to stimulate investment in the audiovisual sector.
Santos noted that Fox International and Sony Picture Television have already based their Latin American operations in Colombia, saying “We are a few hours away from the United States by plane and we have a strategic location in the Americas. Our geography is ideal because we have diverse climates and landscapes – rural and urban – very close to each other. And of course we have the talent, ability and spontaneity of the Colombian people.”
He also highlighted the fact that Colombia has produced a wealth of cinematic productions, has exported many soap operas, and that many foreign films have been shot in Colombia.
President Santos said that the aim of the plan is “so that the cinematic industry becomes an ally of development.”
The Cartagena Film Festival started Thursday and will end on March 3.
