Colombia’s ever-expanding Bogota Audiovisual Market (BAM) wrapped July 18, citing record attendance that has climbed steadily year after year. Led by Carlos Eduardo Moreno, BAM reported 2,275 accredited participants and among its international guests, some 300 visited the annual event, doubling last year’s tally of 150. Business meetings arranged by BAM leapt from an estimated 600 last year to more than 800 in this edition.
Organized by promotional entity Proimágenes Colombia and the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, BAM aims to further expand next year to include more documentaries and serve as a showcase for some Latin American films that have been selected or endorsed by their respective governments, said Proimágenes’ indefatigable director, Claudia Triana.
“We have a genuine interest in continuing several of the initiatives we established this year. That is, we want to maintain spaces where the audiovisual industries can foster greater dialogue… between series, feature films, VR, animation, music and games – allowing for a better understanding of a more complex industry,” said Moreno.
Carlos Eduardo Moreno, BAM director
“The documentary has always been part of our focus, but we aim to give Latin American documentaries greater visibility, likely integrating them into our calls for submissions. We remain firmly committed to diversity and will continuing to champion Indigenous, Black, Afro-descendant and Palenquera creators,” he added.
Triana also pointed out that BAM began screening Colombian pics over the weekend in a bid to encourage locals to connect with their cinema and its industry.
“We want BAM to be a tool – a space where theaters can connect and share best practices. This year, for example, we invited people from Chile and France to discuss how they distribute their films, inspiring both festivals and theaters participating in BAM events,” she pointed out.
“This is not only an international issue but one we must address ourselves. Looking at successful examples like France, where theaters receive subsidies and work on audience development starting from schools, with educational programs about film and imagery – programs we’re beginning to implement in Colombia too—it’s a process,” she added.
“Making films alone doesn’t guarantee audiences. Now, we have to work hard on building an audience that recognizes Colombian cinema as quality cinema – not just as support or a side note. The films you see on screen – national, international, French, Latin American – are all quality films. That’s the message we need to sell,” she stressed.
Meanwhile, dozens of mostly in-kind awards were doled out on BAM’s last day to a slew of projects encompassing shorts, animation and features, with Andrés Piñeros’ pic in post, “Tokyo Forever” (“Tokyo por siempre”) snagging four prizes to enable its completion. Set in Colombia’s grand Chicamocha canyon, it turns on teen mechanic Tokyo who must confront his family and reveal the truth about his brother’s death to save them and himself from blame.
Among the projects in development, “Passenger” (“Pasajero”) by Andrés Gómez Tovar, “Not My Name” (“No es mi nombre”) by Juan Paulo Laserna, “A Bolero for Ita” (“Un bolero para Ita”) by Camila Caballero and “The Painting” (“La pintura”) by Esteban Hoyos received two awards each. “A Bolero for Ita” was a big winner at the Guadalajara Film Festival’s Co-Production Meetings where it nabbed four prizes.
“Pyme, Why Do I Deserve This?” (“PYME ¿Por qué merezco esto?”) from Próxima Films snagged two prizes in the Series section.
BAM ran from July 14 to 18.
AWARDS:
FILM SCREENINGS (Pics in Post)
Post Production Service Package from Futuro Digital
“Tokyo Forever,” (“Tokyo por siempre,” Andrés Piñeros. Prod: John Chaparro)
Guateque Cine award, Five 5.1 Mixing Sessions
“La toma,” (Andrés Felipe Torres & Alejandra Martínez. Prod: Indigo Cinema)
Guateque Cine Award, 5 Color Grading Sessions
“I, Pakistan,” (“Yo, Pakistán,” Andrea Said Camargo. Prod: Aseneth Suárez Ruiz)
Post Production for Trailer from Silverwolf
“Tokyo Forever,” (“Tokyo por siempre,” Andrés Piñeros. Prod: John Chaparro)
Accessible Toolkit Package from the Cine Social Foundation
“La toma,” (Andrés Felipe Torres & Alejandra Martínez. Prod: Indigo Cinema)
VFX Services from La Colemba
“La toma,” (Andrés Felipe Torres & Alejandra Martínez. Prod: Indigo Cinema)
Post-production and Finishing Services Package from EFD Studios, valued at $15,000 (60m pesos)
“Tokyo Forever,” (“Tokyo por siempre,” Andrés Piñeros. Prod: John Chaparro)
Post-Production and Finishing Services from Labo Digital, valued at $16,000 (65m pesos)
“Tokyo Forever,” (“Tokyo por siempre,” Andrés Piñeros. Prod: John Chaparro)
FILM PROJECTS
Legal Advice from Umaña Asociados
“Heartbreak,” (“El despecho,” Manuel Villa. Prod: Daniela Echeverri)
VFX Advice from La Colemba
“Not My Name,” (“No es mi nombre,” Juan Paulo Laserna. Prod: María Isabel Paramo)
VFX Advice from La Colemba
“Madera,” (Juan Heilbron & Nicolás Palacio. Prod: Alejandra Orjuela)
Post-Production Services Package from Futuro Digital
“High Tide,” (“Mar de leva,” Mariana Saffon. Prod: Capuchine Mahé)
EFD Studios Equipment Rental
“Passenger,” (“Pasajero,” Andrés Gómez Tovar. Prod: Andrea Corzo)
Fast Track to ECAM Fórum’s Films to Come, Madrid
“The Painting,” (“La pintura,” Esteban Hoyos. Prod: Paula Moreno)
Music Composition Residency Awards from Cercle Rouge Productions
“Passenger,” (“Pasajero,” Andrés Gómez Tovar. Prod: Andrea Corzo)
“A Bolero for Ita,” (“Un bolero para Ita,” Camila Caballero, Prod: Sebastián Caballero)
Direct Pass to Rotterdam LAB
“Retention,” (“Retención,” Sebastián Martínez Rodríguez)
Cinemart Participation
“The Painting,” (“La pintura,” Esteban Hoyos. Prod: Paula Moreno)
Direct Pass to WARMI LAB 2026, Málaga
“Alambradas,” (Leidys María Tejeda Molina. Prod: Mauricio Acosta Rangel)
Direct Pass to Guadalajara Film Festival’s Co-Production Meetings
“A Bolero for Ita” (“Un bolero para Ita,” Camila Caballero. Prod: Sebastián Caballero)
Studio and Equipment Rental Services, valued at $17,400 (70 million Colombian pesos), from TIS Studios
“Not My Name,” (“No es mi nombre,” Juan Paulo Laserna. Prod: María Isabel Paramo)
SERIES
Direct Pass to Conecta Fiction:
“Pyme, Why Do I Deserve This?” (“PYME ¿Por qué merezco esto?,” Paula Lugo Hernández,
Próxima Films)
Direct Pass to Guadalajara Film Festival:
“The Ouada,” (“La ouada,” Edwin Daniel Díaz, La Villa Prods.)
Fast Track to MIP Cancún:
“Pyme, Why Do I Deserve This?” (“PYME ¿Por qué merezco esto?,” Paula Lugo Hernández,
Próxima Films)
Sound Post Production from Sonata:
“The Ouada,” (“La ouada,” Edwin Daniel Díaz, La Villa Prods.)
Development Support from the Film Commission, Est. $15,000 Each
“Stop Crying,” (“Deja de llorar,” Fidel Barboza, Los Notarios)
“Gorgona,” (Felipe Cano, Épica Studio.)
BAM Winners
AloJapan.com