Production Guide 2015 - Comisión Fílmica Colombiana

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in
Colom
bia
PRODUCE
Production guide 2015
President’s Office of the
Republic of Colombia
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón
President of the Republic of Colombia
María Lorena Gutiérrez Moreno
General Secretary
María Isabel Nieto Jaramillo
Private Secretary
Ministry of Commerce,
Industry and Tourism
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María Cecilia Álvarez Correa
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism
Sandra Howard Taylor
Vice Minister of Tourism
Gina Astrid Salazar
General Secretary
Ministry of Culture
Mariana Garcés Córdoba
Minister of Culture
María Claudia López Sorzano
Vice Minister of Culture
Enzo Rafael Ariza Ayala
General Secretary
Adelfa Martínez Bonilla
Film Office Director
Adriana González Haessig
Film Office Advisor
Procolombia
María Claudia Lacouture Pinedo
President
Ricardo Vallejo Moreno
Exports Vice President
Juan Esteban Medina Londoño
Services Macro-Sector Management
Proimágenes Colombia
Claudia Triana de Vargas
Director
Yolanda Aponte Melo
Administrative and Finance Director
Andrea Afanador Llanch
FDC Programs Director
Proimágenes Colombia Film Commission
Silvia Echeverri Botero
Director
Lina María Sánchez Castro
Promotion Executive
Carlos Alberto Ramos Becerra
Information Coordinator
Production Guide Editorial Committeee
Lina María Sánchez Castro
Investigation and Editorial Coordination
Alberto Quiroga
Texts
Gonzalo Castellanos Valenzuela
Juan Carlos Tavera Castillo
Legal and Technical texts
Sally Station
Eric Schwartz
Translation
Lip Ltda.
Concept and Design
Impresol Ediciones
Printing
Javier Ruiz
Administrative Coordinator
Lucía Gonzalez
María Liliana Galindo R
Copy Editors
Colombian Film Promotion Committee – CPFC
Printed in Colombia
2015
María Cecilia Álvarez Correa
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism
Mariana Garcés Córdoba
Minister of Culture
María Claudia Lacouture Pinedo
Procolombia President
Mauricio Reina Echeverri
Delegate of the President of the Republic of Colombia
Jaime Abello Banfi
Delegate of the President of the Republic of Colombia
Paula Jaramillo del Corral
Producer’s Representative –CNACC
Adelfa Martínez Bonilla
Film Office Director
ISBN:
Cont
e
nt
here!
Testimonials.............................................................12
Films Shot in Colombia with the 40%-20%
Rebate Incentive......................................................13
w here?
General Information.............................................. 16
Colombia’s general infrastructure........................ 19
Bogotá: The Nation’s Capital.................................21
Caribbean Region................................................... 22
Central Andean Region......................................... 27
Southern Andean Region...................................... 28
Eastern Region.........................................................31
Amazon Region.......................................................32
Special Locations.................................................... 34
Land of Mega- Diversity........................................ 36
Colombia’s National Parks.................................... 38
hel lo!
how?
Colombia: an Attractive Destination
for Film Production............................................... 5
Visas......................................................................... 41
Permits Authorizations......................................... 42
Customs................................................................... 42
Hiring Personnel.................................................... 43
Taxes........................................................................ 43
Insurance.................................................................44
wow !
Law 1556 Cash rebate 40% - 20%............................ 7
Value Added Tax (IVA) Rebate.............................. 7
Incentive to encourage audiovisual
Production in Medellín............................................ 7
w hy?
Colombia’s Audiovisual Sector............................... 9
Infrastructure for Audiovisual Production........... 9
help!
Film Commission Services....................................46
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hello!
Behind the scenes, “Corazón de León”
Colombia:
an Attractive Destination
for Film Production
B y C l a ud i a Tr ian a d e Var gas
Two years ago we celebrated the passage of Law 1556. We had in our hands
an incentive that would make us one of the most appealing and attractive
destinations for international film production in South America. The
incentive allows a rebate of 40% of film services expenses and 20% of
expenses for logistics services, as exports by Colombian companies. In this
way, it promotes Colombia as a location with little-known but immense
natural and cultural biodiversity, ready to compete with incentives available
in the international arena.
In this period we have implemented a range of strategies to bring our
Colombian talent to the world stage: we participate with projects, films and
companies at international festivals and markets such as the American Film
Market, the AFCI Locations Trade Show, Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto
and San Sebastian, in order to bring attention to Colombian productions,
spread the word about the incentive system, and position ourselves as an
attractive shooting location.
Furthermore, through our website www.locationcolombia.com, we have
created a bridge to communicate with our international audience. On this
platform, you can find the requirements and documents needed to apply for
the incentive, an image bank to view and evaluate the locations, and a directory of local companies that provide services.
Today, the world’s eyes are beginning to turn to Colombia. During 2014,
seven projects from the United States, Argentina, Spain and Colombia were
filmed in the country, and the first cash rebate was given to the movie “The
33,” produced by Mike Medavoy and starring Antonio Banderas and Juliet
Binoche. This allowed us to show the effectiveness of the rebate program, as
well as proving to the industry that it acts as a real and effective incentive.
Several international media outlets such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter
and Screen International have all highlighted our achievements. For the first
time, we captured the interest of an industry giant like Netflix, which produced the first season of the “Narcos” series through Gaumont International
Television. Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer of Netflix, had the chance
to meet with President Juan Manuel Santos in Bogota. This important pro-
duction, directed by the renowned Jose Padilha and starring Wagner Moura
and Boyd Holbrook, also featured local directors like Andi Bais and over 100
Colombian professionals.
Elijah Wood’s company SpectreVision produced the first movie of a horror
saga, “The Boy”, in Santa Fe de Antioquia; the stars Mickey Rourke, Freida
Pinto and Ryan Kwanten came to Colombia to make the film “Blunt Force
Trauma” in Bogota and nearby areas; Argentinean production company
Sinema made a remake of the movie “Corazón de León,” adapted to the
Colombian context with local actors such as Marlon Moreno, Maria Nela
Sinisterra, and Manolo Cardona; one of the biggest Spanish-language films
made in 2014 was “Palm Trees in the Snow,” produced by Nostromo Pictures,
which used our locations in Bahia Solano, Santa Marta and La Jagua to shoot
its outdoor scenes and for sound design; and finally, the short film “Zambo
Dende” was produced in the studios of Fox Telecolombia in Bogota.
All of these achievements were made possible by the commitment and
ongoing efforts of the many stakeholders in the Colombian audiovisual
sector. Key support was provided by the Colombian government, the private
companies that offered their film services (Contento Films, Dynamo, 64A
Films, La Ventana Films and Fox Telecolombia), the human talent that participated in each of these productions, the hotel industry, and local municipal
governments.
At the Colombian Film Commission we celebrate the consolidation of the
Medellin Film Commission and the launch of its incentive, a 15% rebate for
productions filmed in and near the city that invest a minimum of around
US$200,000 in services. We also applaud the creation of the Bogota Film
Commission, which already has a policy for a Single Filming Permit in public
spaces in the capital, and is now developing its structure in order to begin
to officially operate in March of this year. These two support entities will
provide essential backing for future productions.
We already know and should not doubt for a single moment that Colombia
is a location that is ready to meet the needs of international producers; and
we hope that it continues to be the backdrop for many stories yet to come.
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wow!
Still Photography, “Fragments of Love”
Law 1556
Cash rebate 40% - 20%
Colombia offers a cash rebate or cash reimbursement for films partially
or totally produced in Colombia (long feature films, TV movies with a
broadcast of up to 2 episodes, documentaries and animation). 40% for “film
services” (services related to audio-visual pre production, production or
post-production including artistic and technical services) and 20% for “film
logistics services” (those that are provided for hotel, catering, and transportation) of the amount spent in the country.
The cash rebate applies to services provided by Colombian entities or persons
that are domiciled or residing in the country. It will be paid with resources of
the Colombia Film Fund (FFC for its Spanish acronym), a financing instrument or account created in 2012 with funds from the General National Budget.
B asi c r e q ui r e me n t s
• The project in question shall entail expenditures in film services or film
logistics services of approximately USD 600,000.
• The project shall be submitted by its producer, a legal person; that is to
say, a company or entity with legal authority to operate.
• The project will be evaluated by the Colombia Film Promotion Committee (CPFC for its Spanish acronym) according to the purpose of Law 1556:
To develop Colombia’s film industry, as well as promote tourism and the
country’s image.
• The project shall entail total or partial filming in Colombia. As for animated work, this item refers to carrying out production work in the country.
• The producer shall sign a contract stipulating the obligations, conditions,
and requirements for the reimbursement to be given and the amount
thereof.
• Film services for non-national projects shall be contracted through one or
several Colombian film services companies (previously registered at the
Film Office of the Ministry of Culture).
• The funds for use in services shall be administered by a trust established in
Colombia, through an administration trust or standalone trust.
• Lastly, in order for the reimbursement to be disbursed, there must be approval by an auditing company established in Colombia, which shall also be
engaged by the producer. The expert opinion, certificate or report issued
by the auditing company shall be sent directly to the administering entity.
Easy a ppl i c a t io n
• Request to the Colombia Film Promotion Committee - CFPC through
the submission of the project to Proimágenes Colombia (Administering
entity).
• Proof of the existence and legal representation of the production company.
• Description of the project, total budget and financing information.
• Detailed budget of the project showing expenditures that wil l be paid in
Colombia for film services and film logistics services.
• Deposit of Guarantee: An allocation, as insurance, in the amount of
around USD $13,000, which shall be returned to the producer at the end
of the contracttract that is signed if its project is accepted and complies
with the requirements mentioned above.
Proj ect approval
Submitted projects that meet the above requirements shall be evaluated by
CPFC to determine whether they comply with the purposes of Law No. 1556.
Considering the fact that Colombia Film Fund -FFC has limited resources
(around USD $12 Million for 2015), at the moment of the respective meeting,
a decision is reached as to which of the total submissions shall receive reimbursement and in what amount.
Value Added Tax (IVA)
Rebate
International audiovisual productions may obtain IVA tax reimbursement
for services purchased in Colombia since the Colombian Tax Statute (Article
481, Paragraph E) declares all export services exempt from this tax; this
includes services provided in the country under a written contract and used
exclusively outside the country by companies or persons with no business or
activities in Colombia, as per requirements listed in the regulation.
To be eligible for this exemption, a contract must be stated between the
service exporter and the contractor and the corresponding record must be
kept by the exporter as proof of the transaction.
This contract must contain the following certified information:
• The contracted service must be used entirely and exclusively outside
Colombia.
• The amount of the contract or amount to be reinstated. (In Colombian
pesos – COP and foreign currency).
• Declaration that the contracting company has no business or activities in
Colombia.
• That the service is exempt according to Article 481 of the Tax Statute.
• That no withholding tax applies for any income from exports as per Article 366-1 of the Tax Statute.
www.locationcolombia.com/Incentives
Incentive to encourage
audiovisual Production
in Medellín
The Medellin Film Commission launched an incentive that will rebate 15%
of the costs of movies that are shot in the city. The incentive can be used in
addition to the benefits provided by Law 1556. With this program, Medellin
hopes to become one of the most attractive destinations for international
productions that are filmed in Colombia. At www.filmmedellin.com, you can
download the Resource Allocation Manual, which clearly explains everything
you need to know and the steps to follow to obtain the incentive.
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why?
Still Photography, “Mateo”
Colombia’s
Audiovisual
Sector
Tel e v i s i o n
Audiovisual production in Colombia is booming. The Colombian television
industry successfully exports shows –especially soap operas– to over eighty
countries around the world including “Betty la Fea” (“Ugly Betty”), one of the
biggest hits on international channels, to a number of continents and is now a
constant source of programming for the Latin US market.
Various international companies are currently producing projects in Colombia.
These include the Canadian production company NBC, which made episodes
of the series “Covert Affairs,” and the U.S. company Gaumont International
Television, which produced the first season of the “Narcos” series for Netflix,
the world’s leading internet television platform.
The company Fox International has set up offices in Colombia and now
has its own filming studios in Bogota, where it produces internationally
broadcast series.
A dv e r t i s i n g
The country´s advertising industry has taken solid root over the past few
decades and in past years several Colombian production houses specializing
in production of spots on Colombian locations have begun to produce for
international clients whose spots air in many different countries.
The world´s largest advertising agencies including McCann Erickson, Leo
Burnett, J. Walter Thomson and others have operated in Colombia for over
thirty years. More than thirty local agencies produce for national and international clients.
Approximately twenty production and preproduction advertising companies
operate in Colombia - some of them specializing in production for international brands and agencies.
Fi l m
In 2014, the Colombian film industry achieved impressive figures in attendance, premieres of Colombian films, and openings of new cinemas. Of the
254 films screened in theaters, 28 were Colombian feature films and 12 were
co-productions. In the short film category, around 60 films were shown.
Colombia has also seen a rise in the number of movie theaters. In 2014, the
total number of screens reached 833, an increase of 43 screens compared to
2013. 95% of these are digital, underscoring viewers’ growing tendency to focus
their interest on the movies coming out of film studios and on 3D family-oriented movies. Estimates by movie theater companies predict that by 2016 the
growth in cinemas will stabilize at around 1,000 screens, all digital.
Colombia has moved squarely into the international spotlight in recent
years. In 2014, a series of co-productions have brought Colombia worldwide
attention. “Gente de Bien”, by Colombian director Franco Lolli, took part in
the official selection at the Critics’ Week at Cannes. “Los Hongos”, a film set
in Cali, directed by Colombian Oscar Ruiz Navia, won the Filmmakers of the
Present Special Jury Prize at the Locarno Film Festival and participated in the
Official Selection at Toronto, Tokyo, Viennale, Seville, Cairo, Mar del Plata,
Biarritz, Rio de Janeiro, and Havana. “Belated,” a co-production between
Colombia, Argentina and Norway, recounts the love triangle between its
characters; it premiered at the 63rd Berlin Film Festival. And “Manos Sucias”,
shot in Buenaventura, was directed by American Josef Wladyka with constant
support from Spike Lee (Director of Malcom X and 25th Hour); it received the
Best New Director Award at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Another
major success was “Leidi”, by Simón Mesa, who is today the first Colombian
to win the Palm d’Or at Cannes, with this 16-minute Colombian and British
co-production.
This year, seven projects were carried out in the country thanks to the 40%20% Rebate Incentive created by Law 1556, which supported the shooting
of films from North America, Argentina, Spain, and Colombia. As a result of
these film shootings, 15 million dollars of services were exported and 692 jobs
were created for Colombian actors, technical personnel, and creative staff.
These movies were filmed in seven different regions of Colombia, including
Bogotá and nearby areas; Medellin and Santa Fe de Antioquia; Villavicencio;
Santa Marta; Valledupar; and Bahia Solano on the Pacific coast.
Infrastructure for
Audiovisual Production
C rews
There are many independent and freelance workers in Colombia employed as
department heads, technicians and production personnel, many with extensive
experience in international co-productions.
The country boasts many talented individuals experienced in television
production and co-productions. Colombian film crews are known for their
enormous commitment, hard work and resourcefulness. There are no audiovisual unions at this time, or fixed rates for services or labor. There are a number
of Colombian associations working to ensure the wellbeing and development
of the audiovisual industry.
T alent
Colombian talent is highly prized throughout the world and has met with
enormous success on the international market. Some of the best known actors
include Sofía Vergara, known for her work in the television series “Modern
Family” and “Men in Trees”, Catalina Sandino, who starred in “Twilight Saga:
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Eclipse”, “Che” and “Love in the Time of Cholera”; Paola Turbay, whose credits
include “Royal Pains”, “Cane” and “Love in the Time of Cholera”; Martina
García known for “Homeland” “Biutiful”, and “Operation E”, and Manolo
Cardona, who recently played a role on “Covert Affairs”. Each of them has
charmed US audiences with their talent and charisma. Juana Acosta, star of
“Carlos” and “Hospital Central”, and Angie Cepeda, outstanding in “Los Protegidos”, “Fuera de Lugar” and “Love in the Time of Cholera” have earned solid
recognition in Spanish-speaking markets.
Television series like “Ugly Betty” and “Café”, written by screenwriter Fernando Gaitan, have achieved great success in countries around the world. And
Hollywood has bid for the rights to remake several recent Colombian films.
S p e c i a l E f f e c ts
Several companies in Colombia focus exclusively on physical special effects
and have extensive audiovisual production experience.
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• Master conforming: Delivery to all formats and distribution under international protocols.
• Telecine: Spirit DataCine with 2K Da Vinci color corrector in SD, HD and
SR formats. 16mm and 35mm, film to tape and tape to tape transfers.
• Scanning and recording: ARRI LASER. Laser technology recorder, worldwide standard to print to 35mm for digital intermediate processes.
• Sound: Dolby 7.1 accredited sound mixing facilities. Audio postproduction,
dialogue editing, ADR and Foley facilities, dubbing, sound special effects,
voice casting and sound design for film, documentaries, spots, television
and web content. Independent sound designers, sound editors, re-recording
mixers and music composers.
• Production Sound: Digital recording in 2 or 4 channels, Sennheizer booms,
wireless monitoring systems and everything needed for any film or HD
shoot. Multi-channel digital equipment, boom microphones, lavalier, plant,
on-set monitoring and digital delivery.
Equi pment Rental
These companies can produce the most commonly requested special effects
such as body shots, suspensions and fire and rain. They also have experience in
designing unconventional effects to meet specific production needs.
Several equipment rental houses provide high-end technology gear in Colombia. Qualified technicians are trained continuously in operation and support of
newly acquired equipment. Many technicians speak fluent English.
Arms collectors with accredited experience in television, films and advertising
spots can provide audiovisual productions with technical, theoretical and
practical knowledge in the handling and use of arms.
• Digital camera: Alexa Studio, Plus 4:3, M, Plus and EV, Phantom Flex and
Gold, Sony F-65, F-3, F-23, F-900, F-950, F-700, EX-3, Canon 500, 300, 5D,
7D PL/EF.
• Data Recorders: Codex, Gemini RAW, Cinedeck, AJA Ki Pro & Mini.
• DIT carts: On-set color correction, effects and compositing, syncing,
download, trans-coding, backup and same day dailies on Ipads. Metadata
feeding options into original material. Reference monitors, LTO, CalDigit,
Mac Pro, PC, etc.
• Film camera: Arricam Lite, 435 X-Treme & ES 3 & 4 Perf, 416 & SRIII, Moviecam Compact, Aaton.
• Optics: Complete factory sets of Hawk V-Lite, Cooke 5/i, S4/i, Master, Ultra
& Digi primes, Macros, Swing & Shift, Innovision, Optimo & Alura zooms,
etc.
• Lighting: Full line of Arri, Kinoflo, Dedolight, K-5600, SoftSun, Lightning
Strikes, Litepanel, accessories, silent generators & power distribution.
• Camera Grip: Milo and Modula motion control, stabilized and standard 3
axis wireless and wired remote heads, Technocranes, Fisher, Panther and
Equipment dollies & jibs, Tyler helicopter mounts, camera-cars and tow
dollies, ATVs, motorcycles, bicycles.
• Transportation, 3-5-10-ton grip-trucks; camera trucks and vans; 4-wheel
vehicles; motor homes and trailers.
S tu n t s
There are several stunt companies in Colombia. They have experience in
the field of stunt work and have developed 100% of the action scenes filmed
for the national industry in recent years while adhering to international
safety protocol.
S oun d St a g e s
Most sound stages are located in the city of Bogotá. The largest of these
covers 16,000 square feet (1,487 square meters). Other companies have studios
ranging from 3,500 square feet (325 square meters) to 10,000 square feet (929
square meters). There are warehouses throughout the country available for
productions that require large spaces.
P os t -P r o d uc t io n
Digital post-production studios have been operating in Colombia for many
years.
• Digital/VFX Composing: Software: Flame, Flint, Smoke, After Effects,
Mocha, Nule.
• 3D Animation: Stereoscopic post-production.
• Final Cut: Units equipped with 4:4:4 technology used in HD SR format.
• Screening room and 4K color correction: Assimilate Scratch and Tangent
Theatrical Mastering modules for 4K color correction. Side by side screening with a Sony 4K digital projector. Specially designed software for data
composing from SD to 4K.
• Tape Room: Duplication and conversion of all SD/HD, HD SR formats.
Admi ni strati ve S ervi ces
National and multinational companies in Colombia can be consulted for all
tax, legal and exchange questions. They also provide film insurance for all
audiovisual productions inside Colombia.
Information regarding companies and crew is available in the Colombian Film
Commission’s service directory: www.locationcolombia.com/Directory
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here!
Still Photography, “Blunt Force Trauma”
Testimonials
Colombia has an enormous visual wealth. If there
is one word that would define my impression of this
place, it would be exuberance. Exuberance in the
color, the music, the food, the skins, and in people’s
behavior. Everything seems rich and warm to me,
and this makes the film “Palm Trees in the Snow” so
full of life; I think it needed it. Coming to Colombia
and seeing these images, you understand why someone
can fall in love with a place like this.
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Adriana Ugarte, Actress in Palmeras en la Nieve
“Shooting in Colombia has been wonderful. The country´s
beauty comes right off the screen. I know that audiences
around the world will get introduced to a country that they
probably haven’t seen before or that they haven’t seen in
this kind of splendor. We´ve shot in all the different areas
of the country: Bogota, Medellin, Villavicencio, Santa
Marta, and Cartagena. The show is visually spectacular;
it’s set in the mid 80’s, so the costumes and the production
design reflect an entirely different time than now. I think
this is very unique.”
Chris Brancato, Executive producer and writer in Narcos series
“I had a very good time during my stay in Colombia, people are very kind and it’s a beautiful place.
The production team is as good as any I’ve worked
with in England or the United States before, and if it
weren’t, I would tell you the truth. “
Mickey Rourke, Actor in Blunt Force Trauma
“Colombia as a location is pretty spectacular; it’s
beautiful and incredibly varied. I couldn’t ask for
more. We found so many different types of locations
for the project that have let us emulate diverse places
from the United States in The Boy.”
Noah Greenberg, Director of Photography and Cameraman,
The Boy
“Working with the Colombian crew has been an
absolute pleasure. I’ve filmed all over the world and
our crew was incredibly warm and professional. I
have to say that they already stand up with a lot of
the world-class crews that I’ve worked with around
the world. They made this project, which was very
difficult and very demanding, a joy for me.”
Lou Diamond Phillips, Actor in The 33
“First, I want to congratulate you all and President
Santos for the initiative they have had to bring films
to Colombia, an amazing and diverse place. It is an
opportunity to make films, which not only enriches the film industry, but everything that happens
around it, and one way or another it will positively
change the country’s image.”
Antonio Banderas, star of The 33, during his visit to the
presidential palace.
Films Shot in Colombia
with the 40%-20%
Rebate Incentive
During 2014, seven films were shot in Colombia with the 40%-20% rebate
incentive.
In te rn ati on a l
Th e 3 3
Director: Patricia Riggen
Production Company: Phoenix Pictures
Production Service Company: Dynamo
Locations: Nemocón y Zipaquirá.
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Juliette Binoche, Martin Sheen, James Brolin, Jacob
Vargas, Juan Pablo Raba, Oscar Nuñez, Marco Treviño.
Sinopsis: Based on the true story of the 33 Chilean miners whose rescue from
the San Jose mine in Chile in 2010 captured the world’s attention. “The 33” dramatizes the event from the perspective of the miners below ground and their
families and rescuers above the mine.
Th e B o y
Director: Craig Macneill
Production Company: Spectre Vision
Production Service Company: Contento Films and Dynamo
Locations: Santa Fe de Antioquia.
Cast: David Morse, Jared Breeze, David Valencia, Mike Vogel, Rainn Wilson,
Zuleikha Robinson, Bill Sage, Aiden Lovekamp, Amalia Santa Maria.
Sinopsis: Based on a Sundance short film and envisioned as the first chapter
in a trilogy about a serial killer’s childhood, “The Boy” is a terrifying, surprising and poignant portrait of a young sociopath whose lack of love drives him
toward the most dangerous emotional places.
C or a z ó n d e L e ó n
Director: Emiliano Torres
Production Company: Sinema
Production Service Company: La Ventana Films
Locations: Bogotá, Santa Marta.
Cast: Maria Nela Sinisterra, Marlon Moreno, Brayan Moreno, Manolo Cardona.
Sinopsis: This film recounts the love story between Juana Caicedo, a lawyer
who has been divorced for three years, and León Sanabria, an extremely
charismatic architect. Everything begins when Juana hurls her cell phone away
after a heated argument with her ex-husband, and Sanabria decides to recover
it and call her to return it. During their conversation, the two characters feel
enormous empathy and arrange to meet at a cafe. When they meet, Juana finds
a man that she didn’t expect, and from then on she must overcome society’s
prejudices and her own in order to give into love.
Blunt Force T rauma
Director: Ken Sanzel
Production Company: Blunt Force Trauma LLC
Production Service Company: 64A Films
Locations: Bogotá and nearby areas.
Cast: Freida Pinto, Ryan Kwanten y Mickey Rourke
Sinopsis: Set amidst a deadly game and its underground fights, the film
depicts Jhon and Colt’s intense desire to eliminate Zorringer, one of the most
skilled opponents in these bouts. The two characters feel enormous attraction
while they work toward their goal. But the ever-present possibility of death
means that their relationship is in constant jeopardy.
N arcos
Director: Jose Padilha, Guillermo Navarro
Production Company: Gaumont Intenational Television
Production Service Company: Dynamo
Locations: Bogotá, Cartagena, Medellín.
Cast: Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Pedro Pascal
Sinopsis: This TV movie, based on true events, charts the growth and spread
of drug cartels around the world and the efforts made by governments, including those of the U.S. and Colombia, to fight this scourge.
Palmeras en la N i eve
Director: Fernando González Molina
Production Company: Nostromo Pictures
Production Service Company: Dynamo
Locations: Santa Marta, Cesar, Bahía Solano.
Cast: Adriana Ugarte, Mario Casas, Alain Hernández, Berta Vásquez.
Sinopsis: The film tells the story of Clarence: when her father, Jacobo, dies,
she decides to investigate his past by traveling to Guinea, where he lived for 20
years. In parallel, the film recounts the story of Jacobo and his brother Kilian
(1953-1973), who worked on a cocoa plantation during the final years of the
Spanish colony, the politically turbulent era that ended Guinea as a colony and
gave way to the dictatorship.
Zambo D endé
Director: Ricardo Gabrielli
Production Company: 7GLab Sucursal Colombia
Production Service Company: Fox Telecolombia
Locations: Bogotá
Cast: Mario Zaror
Sinopsis: New World, Fourteenth century. A small, provisional slave-trader’s
camp is illuminated by the radiant light of a full moon that serves as witness to
what appears to be another ordinary night. Four guards celebrate an apparent
victory without realizing that within just a few hours, one of the slaver’s filthy
intentions will unleash the fury of justice. With African songs, the slaves will
invoke the presence of a liberating phantom, who will answer the call of the
oppressed who are crying out for equality.
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where?
Still Photography, “Delivery”
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General
Information
Caribean
sea
San
Andrés
Colombi a´s Geographi c Locati on
Panamá
Barranquilla
Cartagena
Venezuela
16
Medellín
Oceano
Pácifico
Bogotá
Información General
Cali
Brasil
Ecuador
Official Name
Republic of Colombia
Capital
Bogotá,
7 Million inhabitants
Population (2013)
47,4 inhabitants (77% urban, 23%
rural)
Economic growth (2013)
4.3 %
Inflation (2013)
1.94%
Exports (2013)
US $58.822 Million
Imports (2013)
US$ 59.397 Million
IED (2013)
US$ 16.772 Million
Literacy rate
92, 1%
Currency Perú
Minimum wage/month
Colombian Peso (COP)
(2013)
US$ 333
Source: President´s Office of Colombia, Banco de la República (Central Bank)
and Procolombia
F l i g h t Time s f r o m B o go t á to
o t h e r impo r t an t c it ie s ar ound the
w o r l d an d t ime zo n e
París
10:30 hrs.
Toronto
6 hrs.
Nueva York
5:30 hrs.
Los Angeles
8 hrs.
Madrid
10 hrs.
Miami
3 hrs.
Ciudad de Méx ico
4:30 hrs.
Bogotá
17
Sao Paulo
5:45 hrs.
Santiago
5 hrs.
Buenos Aires
6:10 hrs.
C om pa r i s o n
State of
California
USA
Colombia
France
423,971 km 2
(163,6 96 s q. m.)
1,141, 7 4 8 k m 2
(440,83 1 s q. m )
6 7 5, 4 1 7 k m 2
( 26 0 , 7 80 s q. m . )
Clim a te
18
Because it´s a tropical country, the four seasons don’t exist but any climate
can be found at any time, depending on the region, whether you´re looking
for extremely cold mountain weather or steamy temperatures found in river
valleys and along ocean coastlines.
Sea so n s
There are two basic seasons during the year: winter, or the rainy season,
and summer. But many cities and regions – depending on their altitude
– enjoy climates similar to those of spring and autumn in other parts of
the world.
G o ve r n me n t
Latin America’s oldest democracy with three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. The President of the Republic, as well as senators and
congressional representatives, are elected by popular vote every four years.
Pop ul a tio n
Colombia is the third most populous country in Latin America, after Brazil
and Mexico. 77% of its 47.4 million inhabitants live in cities and 23% live in
rural areas.
R ace
Daylig ht
Located in the tropics along the Equator, days in Colombia are almost the
same length all year round: dawn breaks around 6:00 a.m. and the sun sets
around 6:00 p.m.
Colombian is multu-ethnic and a large portion of its population is mestizo.
Light-skinned Colombians predominate in certain regions and Afro-Colombians in others. There are more than eighty indigenous groups spread
throughout the territory. Immigrant groups are concentrated in certain
regions along the Caribbean Coast.
L a ng u ag e
Eco n o my
Spanish, along with sixty-eight other languages spoken by around eighty
indigenous groups. English is taught in most schools.
Mai n Cities
Bogota, the capital, Medellin, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Barranquilla, Cali,
Manizales, Pereira, Armenia, Bucaramanga, Tunja, Leticia.
Colombia has enjoyed considerable economic development in the past
several decades. It is one of the few Latin American economies to remain
balanced and continue to grow as recent world crises have affected many
other countries. Colombia’s industrial and agrobusiness production and
services are extremely diverse; the country’s economy is Latin America’s
fourth largest after Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.
Holid ays
Colombia celebrates a number of holidays, when schools and offices are
closed. The law requires that those working on holidays receive special
compensation.
Colombia’s general
infrastructure
Ai r Travel
The country is directly linked to major North American and European cities, with daily flights to New York, Miami, Mexico City, Madrid, Paris, Sao
Paulo, Buenos Aires, Panama, and many others. Major airlines – including
American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Iberia, Lufthansa, and Air France – fly
directly to Bogota, and some go to Cartagena, Barranquilla and Medellin.
Avianca-Taca, Colombia’s largest airline, also offers international flights to
destinations including Miami, New York and Los Angeles.
Tra n s po r t
The entire country is linked through a system of roads and highways,
except extremely remote regions such as the Amazon jungle, certain parts
of the Chocó department, and the eastern plains region.
A number of companies offer passengers overland transportation (buses,
minbuses, etc.) to nearly every corner of the country. In major cities, passenger
service operates out of centralized bus stations. Taxis are available in all major
cities, serving the city and its outlying neighborhoods, as well as the surrounding
regions. There is no rail service except for freight, and only in certain regions.
www.invias.gov.co
B a n k i ng
The Colombian peso is the country’s only currency. Major cities have currency
exchanges where international currency can be bought and sold. These currency exchanges set purchase and sales prices of foreign currency based on market
tendencies, which may be higher or lower than the official exchange rate.
Branch banking and ATM machines are available in all Colombian cities and
many small towns and municipalities. Banks generally operate between 9:00
a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; certain offices in large cities offer extended hours from
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. All major international credit cards (Visa, Master
Card, American Express, etc.) are accepted in Colombia when purchasing
goods and services. However, this service is often unavailable in provincial
businesses far from major cities, where you may have to pay in cash.
Hotel s a n d Acco m m od a tio n s
Colombia has experienced remarkable growth in tourism: 3.7 million tourists
in 2013; 28 million passengers on national and international flights; eight
new national and 11 international air routes; 7.15% growth in the creation of
employment in the sector from 2010 to 2012; and investments of more than
COP 241 billion (US$125 million) in tourism competitiveness, promotion
and infrastructure projects in all 32 departments. It is expected that by 2016,
new facilities opened by Colombian and foreign companies will bring the
accommodations available in Colombia to 69,000 hotel rooms.
The hotel boom in Colombia is also bolstered by the diverse geographic,
weather, and cultural characteristics of each territory. The country has
options for accommodations, then, for all tastes and interests. Lodging
options run the gamut: large, luxurious traditional hotels in city centers;
friendly little boutique hotels; and modern business hotels near the major
airports or financial districts.
Currently, several international hotel chains such as Hilton, Sheraton,
Marriot, Estelar, Ibis and Holiday Inn operate in Colombia, along with
world-class Colombian chains. Hotels range from 3-stars with prices for
single rooms starting at US$40, to 5-star hotels priced at up to USD $300
per night (these rates vary depending on the season and the city).
Rest a u ra n t s
Restaurants throughout the country, particularly in major cities such as
Bogota, Cartagena, Cali and Medellin, are currently enjoying gastronomical success, offering a wide variety of national and international cuisine.
Anthony Bourdain, the traveling chef of the Travel and Living channel,
defines Colombian cooking: “A visit to Colombia is one of those surprising
experiences that can change the course of your life (...) Food in Colombia is
amazing and full of incredible flavors”.
Teleco m m u n ica tio n s
The country – and its many regions, cities and villages – offers complete
telecommunications services, including corporate satellite communications; Internet services for all needs; mobile phones; radiotelephones; and
local, regional, national and international phone connections.
The scope and variety of the Colombian radio network makes it unique in
the world. There is also an extensive network of television services providing news, education and entertainment: two private channels, two public
channels, one mixed channel, several regional channels, local channels in
certain cities, pay-per- view (PPV), and university channels.
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Telepho n es/ Moblile Pho n es
Several companies offer mobile phone services with national and international coverage: Claro, Movistar and Tigo. Avantel (radiotelephone and
mobile) service is also available.
In te r n et
Several companies provide a variety of subscription Internet services
(cable, wireless Internet, etc). Some cities such as Bucaramanga enjoy free
citywide Internet service. In smaller cities and villages Internet services
are available in Internet cafes. Communications and telecommunications
services are available throughout the country, except for certain remote
areas. Broadband and Wi-Fi Internet services are available in larger cities;
most connections in smaller towns are dial-up.
Elect r icit y
The national energy grid distributes electricity to most of the country. Colombia exports electricity to other countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador
and certain parts of Central America. Voltage is 110-120 v/60 Hz, as in the
United States.
Health
A network of hospitals around the country provides general and emergency
health services to millions of people. Major cities boast internationally renowned clinics and there is great demand for medical services from foreign
patients.
Regions
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21
B og ot á : T he Na tio n’s Ca pit al
• Bogotá, the nation’s capital, is home to over 7 million people and is 2,600
meters (8,530 feet) above sea level. The imposing Eastern Andean range
rising up behind it gives the city a unique character.
• Most of the country’s audiovisual activity is concentrated in Bogotá
because of the city’s technical infrastructure for all kinds of productions
(recording studios, sound stages, equipment rental companies, the main
private television channels, and international advertising agencies).
• Bogotá is a city of great contrasts with traditional and colonial neighborhoods such as the Candelaria where one gets a real feel for how the city
was in the 19th century, as well as large areas featuring modern architecture, industrial zones, many large parks, English-style neighborhoods (a
la Bogotá), and rural suburbs with large homes and beautiful gardens.
• There are several of the world’s largest and most spectacular paramos
(Andean moors) close to Bogotá, including the Chingaza and Las Cruces
paramos. Nearby wetlands are host to a great variety of birds (Colombia
is a world leader in number of bird species); lagoons and lakes; rivers and
streams; the Magdalena River valley (the country’s most important river
with its many river towns only two hours from the capital by car; as well
as town and villages in cool and temperate climates, each with its own
unique charms.
• Two hours from Bogotá by highway lay the vast hot-weather lands of the
Magdalena River valley and cities such as Girardot, Melgar and El Nilo
that enjoy a well-developed tourist infrastructure. Towns such as Honda
along the Magdalena River have preserved 19th-century buildings and
structures. This city was once the final destination for those traveling
from Cartagena to Bogotá by river boat.
• Temperate zones close to Bogotá also feature old coffee plantations with
cobblestone footpaths and beautiful homes; vast fields of fruit trees; and
gorgeous recreational estates with magnificent gardens surrounded by
the exuberant flora and fauna typical of Colombia’s temperate zone.
Ca r ibbea n Reg io n
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• The Caribbean region is located in northern Colombia along the Caribbean coast, between the Morrosquillo Gulf and Riohacha in the Guajira
province. It includes the San Andrés and Providence archipelago.
• This region has four main cities plus a variety of medium-size cities
and countless small towns and picturesque villages along the shores of
oceans or streams, rivers or swamps, or tucked away in forests or desert
zones such as the Guajira.
• The Colombian Caribbean features three large coral reefs; close to Providence is one of the largest coral formations in the Caribbean.
• It has several archipelagos and many beautiful islands including the Rosario Islands near Cartagena, the San Andrés and Providence archipelago off the coast of Central America and just a 2-hour flight from Bogotá,
Isla Fuerte and the San Bernardo Islands in the Gulf of Morrosquillo.
• Towering some 5,770 meters (18,930 feet) above the Caribbean coast
is the great Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world’s highest coastal
mountain. At the foot of the mountain lays the Tayrona National Park.
Crystalclear creeks and rivers tumble down from the high mountains
into canyons and valleys of astounding natural beauty. The Sierra is
populated by several indigenous communities.
• The Salamanca Island Park Drive runs along the Caribbean coast. Its
mangrove swamps provide refuge for an incredible variety of migratory
sea birds and its lagoons and swamps are rich with animals, fish and
vegetation.
• Cartagena and Barranquilla are international ports. Cartagena welcomes
international cruise ship tours operated by companies like Royal Caribbean International, Aida Cruises and Avia Caribbean. The city also
boasts a booming trade among private yachts from around the world.
Mai n Cities
Cartagena de Indias, Barranquilla, San Andrés y Providencia, and Santa
Marta.
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24
Behind the scenes, “The Lighthouse”
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26
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Ce n t ral An dea n Reg io n
• This region includes Colombia’s three coffee growing departments (Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío) and the southern part of the department of
Antioquia, extending from the Central Andean range to the foothills of
the Western Andean range.
• Colombia’s Central Andean region is extremely mountainous and includes
two of the high Andean ranges (the central and eastern) with snowy peaks
rising more than 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) above sea level (Nevado del Ruiz
and Nevado del Tolima); extensive sections of temperate climate with average
temperatures of 18-22º C (64-68º F); and rolling valleys along the great Magdalena and Cauca Rivers running the length of the country from north to south.
• The Central Region’s temperate zone is one of the country’s most beautiful
with exuberant vegetation and a wealth of flowers, bamboo groves, towering trees such as the ceiba and pisingo, and coffee plantations throughout,
where the world’s most “suave” coffee is grown.
• There are many coffee-growing villages with characteristic town
squares, enormous churches rising above the other buildings, and
numerous cafes, bars, restaurants, ice cream shops, and traditional-style
administrative centers.
• Many of these small towns seem frozen in time and have preserved their
late 19th-century and early 20th-century architecture including long cobblestone streets and spacious two-story homes built from guadua (bamboo)
and bahareque (rustic stucco) featuring wide outdoor porches and interior
patios typically decorated with flowers of all kinds and colors.
• The coffee-growing culture is alive throughout the region: mule trains carrying sacks of coffee to collection centers and characteristic ladder buses
and jeeps crammed with people and products are still seen on roads.
• The region features majestic mountains, peaks, ridges, canyons and hollows;
big rivers, streams, and waterfalls of astounding beauty; lakes and lagoons;
snowy peaks, paramos (Andean moors) and gorgeous landscape in cool,
temperate and hot climates. Colombia’s Andean region is anything but flat!
• Small production and postproduction houses operate in Medellín and
trained personnel with experience in recent large productions are available.
Mai n cities
Armenia, Manizales, Medellin, Pereira, and Ibagué.
So u the r n An dea n Reg io n
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• This region includes the departments of Tolima, Valle del
Cauca, and Huila, located to the south of the central region
of Colombia. All of Colombia’s climates and geographical
accidents can be found in these lands. The department of
Tolima offers countless natural, cultural and gastronomic
attractions. Some of the department’s prominent cities
are El Espinal, Mariquita, and the municipality of Honda,
declared a national heritage site.
• Important ecotourism attractions include the national natural parks of Los Nevados and the water sports practiced
in the reservoir of the El Prado hydroelectric dam, where
aquaculture is also practiced. Rice and cotton are grown in
Tolima, thanks to the Magdalena River, known as the river
of the homeland, and other major rivers running through
the department. The department is the country’s largest
rice producer, second largest cotton producer, and third
largest coffee producer.
• The Cauca River valley is one of the widest, most beautiful,
and most fertile valleys in Colombia. It runs from southwest to northeast through the center of the department
that bears its name, the department of Valle del Cauca.
The region has lush vegetation, massive hundred-year-old
trees (ceibas, mahoganies, Madras thorns, etc.), bushes, and
flowers that stretch across vast territories, some of which
resemble the African plains. Sugar cane, fruit trees, and
sorghum are grown over expansive fields in the lands of the
valley. Extensive cattle ranching is also carried out. There
are large estates throughout the region, and some of them
conserve their colonial architecture with beautiful gardens
and spacious cobblestone patios.
• Cali is the capital of the department. It has around two
million inhabitants, making it the third most populated
city in the country. Cali has been a firstrate center for film
activity in Colombia since the 1970s. The city has been
witness to the emergence of directors working in fiction
film, documentaries, and television, as well as major talents
in the performing and audiovisual arts. The city has an
excellent film school at the Universidad del Valle.
• The department of Huila is characterized by varied
agricultural production and by the formation of amazingly
different landscapes, such as the Tatacoa Desert and the
Colombian Massif, located at opposite extremes of the
department. It is the only Colombian department with six
national natural parks. The Tatacoa Desert is one of the
main attractions in the area. This dry tropical forest of 330
square kilometers, paradoxically very close to the course of
the Magdalena River, offers an arid landscape of ochre and
ash colors formed by erosion.
• One of the main symbols of the department is the San
Agustin Archeological Park, thanks to the stunning works
left by ancient cultures that lived here before the Christian
Era. These works are a collection of statues, stone reliefs,
burial mounds, cobblestone paths, embankments, and
terraces.
Mai n Cities
Cali, Ibagué, Neiva.
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30
31
Ea ste r n Reg io n
• The region covers a large portion of the eastern Andean range between
the Magdalena River valley and the Eastern Plains and includes the
1,200-kilometer (745 miles) long Cundinamarca- Boyacá savannah at
2,600 meters (8,530 feet) above sea level, starting from the capital Bogotá
and over most of the Boyacá department.
• The Cundinamarca-Boyacá savannah is green and fertile and features
valleys and gorges of astounding beauty with tiny villages hidden in
the mountain slopes. Much of this land is reserved for cattle ranching,
flower plantations, vegetable crops and slightly higher up, potato farms.
• The Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, 5,250 meters (17,200 feet) above sea level, has
18 snowy peaks, 14 seasonally snowy peaks and several glaciers that form over
300 high-altitude lakes, some of them over 3,900 meters (13,000 feet) above
sea level. It’s the ideal place for high mountain climbers and eco-tourism.
• This region has numerous paramos (Andean moors) of extraordinary
beauty. Colombia has more paramos than any other country in the
world. They are rightfully known as “water factories” because of their
spongy vegetation comprised mainly of lichen and moss that condense
water in the atmosphere and hold it before letting it run slowly down the
mountain slopes, creating streams and creeks that form the country’s
major rivers. Paramos in the region include the Sumapaz Páramo (the
world’s largest), and the Pisba, Chingaza and Choachí paramos.
• Beautiful colonial architecture with cobblestone streets, large town
squares and churches, gorgeous homes and historic monuments seemingly lost in time can be seen throughout the region. Villa de Leyva and
Barichara are two such towns.
• There are also many lagoons, lakes and tranquil savannah rivers as well
as the rushing waters of rivers such as the Orinoco running out of the
mountains and into the Magdalena River basin.
• The entire region is full of birds and home to an immense variety of flora
including an incredible diversity of orchids (Colombia has more orchid
species than any other country), soaring palm trees, ferns, bushes, and
uniquely beautiful flowers and trees.
• There are hotels and hostels throughout the region, and in some towns
such as Barichara and Villa de Leyva old homes and farms are rented to
tourists interested in their history and the surrounding environment.
Mai n cities
Barichara, Bucaramanga, Tunja and Villa de Leyva
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Am azo n Reg io n
• This enormous tropical jungle plain rich in water, rivers, lagoons and
swamps is located southern Colombia, along the borders of Brazil and Peru.
• Leticia, the capital of the Colombian Amazon, has 25 thousand inhabitants and is located on the banks of the great Amazon River, a 2-hour
flight from Bogotá, the nation’s capital. It is the region’s only large city
and many of its inhabitants are originally from other Colombian inland
regions or, more commonly, indigenous people from the surrounding
Huitoto, Yagua, Tucano, Ticuna, Camá and Inga tribes. Leticia is close
to the neighboring city of Tabatinga on the Brazilian border and the
Peruvian border as well.
• It is difficult to access much of the Amazon Region because of the thick
jungle and a lack of adequate roads or footpaths, but near Leticia there
are a number of beautiful sites rich in natural beauty such as the Amacayacu National Park whose name means “river of hammocks” in the
Quechua language. This park is 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Leticia.
• The entire region is a huge nature reserve with abundant flora and fauna
found nowhere else in the world and there are several national parks
such as Amacayacu, the Cahuinari and La Paya and places of interest
such as the Isla de los Micos (Monkey Island).
• In the Amacayacu National Park alone there are over 150 species of
mammals such as the pink dolphin (unique to the Amazon and Orinoquia Rivers), the danta, jaguars, manatees, and otters. There are also all
kinds of reptiles, snakes, spiders, ants, batrachians and insects. There
are also amazing fish such as the piracuru and pirañas in the Amazon
River and in the swamps and marshes and infinite streams that wind
through the jungle vegetation.
• The Amazon River as it rolls past Leticia is so vast that it is often
difficult to see the other shore. The river landscapes –islands, countless
tributaries and ancient riverbeds– make up a huge fresh water ocean
surrounded by the immense Amazon jungle.
• Monkey Island, Amacayacu National Park, Leticia Botanic Gardens and
Zoo, the Amazon Ethnographic Museum of Man, Santander and Orellana Parks, Yabarí River, and Lake Tarapoto are all worth visiting for their
exuberant beauty and the splendor of their vegetation and landscapes.
• There are no large international hotels in the city but specialized environmental and eco-tourism accommodations are available.
• Most transportation in the region takes place on rivers. There are companies in Leticia that rent vessels for transporting cargo and passengers.
• Yellow fever vaccination is required at least ten days before traveling.
• Average temperature: 30 °C (86 °F).
Mai n Cit y
Leticia
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Special
Locations
The Colombian Film Commission recommends another region,
two cities and a national monument with a special charm and
beauty worth considering, although far from the beaten track and
more difficult to access.
C ho có
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• Colombia’s only province with both Caribbean and Pacific
shores. These coastlines are dramatically different: the bright,
transparent waters of the Caribbean coast, close to Panama, are
a national tourist destination and the Pacific shores are located
in jungle areas and have strong tides and a long coastline. There
are hotels along both coasts but they must be accessed by air.
• The Bay of Utría along the Pacific coast is a refuge for the
Yubarta whales that swim up from the south every year to give
birth.
• The Chocó province is an immense, exotically beautiful rainforest – one of the rainiest places in the world. It is a mega-diverse
region rich in native flora and fauna. There are no highways
and most of the region’s transportation takes place on the swift
rivers.
• Most of the inhabitants of the Chocó province are of African
descent and cohabit with numerous indigenous communities in
the region such as the Catía and Embera peoples.
Mai n ci ty
Quibdo
Popayán
• Is the capital of Cauca province, located at the southwest of the country.
Its historical center is considered one of the most beautiful and well preserved colonial cities of Colombia, and Latin America. It is also known as
the white city, due to the color of its buildings and architecture.
• Nearby is Puracé National Natural Park, a geothermal wonderland of hot
springs, waterfalls, and an inactive volcano from which the park derives
its name. The nearest large city is Cali, in the neighboring department of
Valle del Cauca, to the north of Cauca.
• The UNESCO declared the processions held during Easter Week as a
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Patrimony of Humanity.
Mo mpox
• One of the most important colonial cities during the 17th century due
to its strategic location along the Magdalena River and its proximity to
Cartagena. All commerce in Colombia passed through Mompox and it
was an obligatory stop along the route from the country’s interior to the
Caribbean. The city’s classic and religious Sevillian architecture survives
this glorious era and makes Mompox one of Colombia’s most beautiful and
best-preserved cities.
• The charm of the city’s churches, parks, monuments, its cemetery, avenues, tiny streets, alleys and centennial houses make it seem as if time in
Mompox has stopped. Dino Rossi filmed Chronicle of a Death Foretold,
based on the novel by Colombian Nobel winner Gabriel García Márquez,
in this city.
• It is famous for its gorgeous filigree work. Many artists and artisans create
exquisitely elegant gold and silver pieces.
• It can be reached by taking a boat up the Magdalena River or by plane. We
do not recommend traveling overland.
• There are hotels and guesthouses in Mompox. Colombia’s liberator Simon
Bolivar stayed in one of the city’s large homes, now a comfortable hotel.
L as Lajas
• The Las Lajas sanctuary is a Catholic basilica that has attracted tourists
and the devout since the 17th century due to its beautiful architecture and
the Guaitara River Canyon in the Nariño Department where it is located,
one of the most breathtaking settings in southern Colombia, only a few
kilometers from the border with Ecuador.
• The location can be easily accessed on the highway from Pasto, the capital
of Nariño.
• The surrounding area is full of mountains and valleys dotted with crops
that lend a special color to the entire region.
• There are comfortable guesthouses and hotels for tourists near Las Lajas.
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Land of
MegaDiversity
Colombia is one of five mega diverse countries in the world
because of its enormous natural wealth and many and varied
ecosystems incorporating snowy peaks, humid tropical jungles,
paramos (Andean moors), expansive valleys, two oceans, deserts,
countless rivers, lakes and lagoons, and thousands of plant and
animal species of astounding beauty.
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All of Colombia’s regions exemplify the incredible ecological,
environmental, racial, architectural and cultural variety that
characterizes the country and, for the most part, cities, villages,
agricultural zones, countryside and forests are easily visited.
Each of these regions features cold, cool and hot climates and
in only 2-3 hours you can travel from high mountains over 3,000
meters (9,800 feet) above sea level to warm weather regions at
sea level, except in the Amazon region where the entire territory
is one huge tropical jungle.
• The Andes split into three ranges in Colombia and in less
than two hours one can travel through cold weather on snowy
peaks towering more than 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) above
sea level, to hot temperatures at sea level.
• Colombia is one of the world´s richest countries in water with
five major hydrographic basins flowing into the Caribbean
Sea and the Pacific Oceans as well as the Amazon, Orinoco or
Catatumbo Rivers.
• Caribbean and Pacific coastlines total over 3,000 kilometers
(1,350 miles).
• The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is the only coastal peak in
the world rising more than 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) above
sea level.
• Colombia is the richest nation in the world in bird, reptile and
arachnid species and boasts the greatest diversity of orchids.
• Colombia is famous around the world for its coffee, flowers,
gorgeous emeralds and talented people.
37
Old
Providence
Macuira
Isla de
Salamanca
Cienaga Grande de
Sta. Marta
Corales del Rosario
El mono
Hernández
Tayrona
Sierra Nevada de
Santa Marta
Los Colorados
Las
Orquídeas
Serranía de
los Yariguies
Cocuy
Guanentá Alto y
Río Fonce
Selva Florencia
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Tamatá
Los Nevados
Colombia’s
National
Parks
Colombia has fifty-four nature reserves grouped into a National Nature
Reserve System, more than 11% of the national territory. These parks are of incalculable ecological and environmental importance to the country and to all of
humanity; each of them holds enormous natural wealth, countless varieties of
plants and animals -many of them endemic- and absolutely amazing landscape.
Pisba
Iguaque
Chingaza
Las Hermosas
Farallones
de Cali
Nevado del
Huila
Cahuinari
Río Puré
Amacayacu
39
40
how?
Behind the scenes, “Corazón de León”
Visas
Foreigners require a visa to enter and remain in Colombia. However,
temporary visitors whose purpose of travel is relaxation or recreation, only
need a passport and return ticket. If foreigners will remain in Colombia for
more than 180 days, they also require an authorization to stay (permiso de
permanencia) issued by Migración Colombia.
Tem po r a r y Vis as
Temporary visas are granted to foreigners who enter the country with no
intention of permanently residing there. Under Law 1556, foreigners who
are part of the technical crew, artistic team, actors or actresses involved in
shooting movies or other audiovisual productions to be made or filmed in
Colombian territory may obtain a TP-1 temporary visa.
This also applies to any foreign personnel participating in co-productions
with Colombia in the framework of international co-production treaties.
The written request for the Courtesy Visa must be made by the Colombian
Film Commission (Comisión Fílmica Colombiana) for those projects benefiting from the cash rebate under Law 1556, and by the Ministry of Culture
or the Film Office (Dirección de Cinematografía) of the Ministry of Culture
for co-productions. The duration of the courtesy visas ranges from 30 days
to one year.
Below please find the information to be submitted to apply for a courtesy visa:
- Written request addressed to the Film Department (Dirección de Cinematografía) (for co-productions) or addressed to the Colombian Film
Commission (Comisión Fílmica Colombiana) (for projects approved under
Law 1556), signed by the producer of the work.
- Synopsis of the project.
- Summary of the producer(s)’ biography.
- If the stay in the country is less than 30 days, there is no need to submit a
visa application. However, if a producer comes to Colombia for shooting
purposes, the Colombian Film Commission may issue a presentation letter.
- Data fact sheet for the work in question.
- List of persons entering the country for the purpose of filming, listing
their identification documents and the functions they will fulfill during
filming of the work.
- Information regarding Colombian artistic and technical personnel scheduled to intervene in filming, when applicable.
- Estimate of financial resources to be invested in filming on Colombian
territory.
- Places and dates foreseen for shooting.
- Certificate of health insurance policy for a period at least as long as the
stay in the country.
With this information, the appropriate institution requests the issuance of
the temporary visas from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once approved at
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the process can be done online.
For this, visa applicants may apply personally or the production team may
designate one person to visit the visa authorization office at Bogota and
apply for the group.
Visas must be applied for 15 days in advance due to the high number of applications for visas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
T emporary Vi si tors
Foreigners from any of the countries that do not require a visa to enter the
country and who come for short periods of time as members of the staff, technical crew, or artistic team of an audiovisual project may enter with an entry
permit (permiso de ingreso) and authorization to stay (permiso de permanencia) granted by Migración Colombia.
We recommend requesting a letter of introduction from the Film Commission
to present to the immigration officer when entering the country.
Obli g ati on to Regi ster
Any person who has obtained a visa for a period greater than three (3) months
must register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Migración Colombia within
fifteen (15) days from the date of arrival in Colombia, or from the date the visa
was granted in the case that it has been processed in the country. Once the visa
has been registered, Migración Colombia will issue the visitor a foreigner I.D.
card (cédula de extranjería), which will serve as identification within Colombia.
Foreigners must carry it with them throughout the duration of their stay in
the country; they will be able to use it to enter into contracts and open bank
accounts, among other activities.
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Permits Authorizations
N at i o n a l F i l m Off ic e Re s o lu t io n Allowi ng
For F i l m i n g o n Nat io n al Te r r it o r y.
To request authorization to film foreign pictures on national territory the petitioner must present the following documents to the Ministry of Culture´s
Film Office (in Spanish):
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• Written request addressed to the Ministry of Culture´s Film Office
(Dirección de Cinematografía del Ministerio de Cultura) signed by the
producer.
• Synopsis of the project.
• Summary of the producer(s)´biography.
• Data fact sheet for the work in question.
• List of persons entering the country for the purpose of filming, listing
their identification documents and the functions they will fulfill during
filming of the work.
• Information regarding Colombian artistic and technical personnel scheduled to intervene in filming, when applicable.
• Estimate of financial resources to be invested in filming on Colombian
Territory.
• Places and dates foreseen for shooting. The authorization to film does
not replace or constitute permits or authorizations required by other
competent authorities regarding immigration visas, incoming funds or
investments, and others.
The authorization, or if applicable, the denial of it, shall be issued within
the maximum term of fifteen (15) days from receipt or the request. In the
event of receipt of an application without the necessary requirements, the
correspondent will be informed within a maximum term of ten (10) days
from submission.
L oca l P e r m i t s
These must be obtained from authorities in the city or municipality where
taping or filming takes place. Some of these cities have their own regulations
that must be respected.
P ro c e d ur e f o r P e r mit s in B o go t a
Decree 340 of August 15 2014 established the Unified Permit for Audiovisual
Filming (Permiso Unificado para las Filmaciones Audiovisuales) (PUFA) and
the Bogota Film Commission (CFB), created by the Bogota Institute of Arts
(Instituto Distrital de las Artes - IDARTES), part of the Bogota Department of Culture, Recreation and Sports (Secretaría Distrital de Cultura,
Recreación y Deporte). Local and international producers will have clear
procedures to follow to rent public space for filming in Bogota.
Currently, the functions of the CFB are being performed by the Bogota
Cinemateca Distrital. The first permits will begin to be granted as of March
1, 2015.
Contact
Cinemateca Distrital
Julian David Correa, Director
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (57) (1) 3795750 Ext 250
Procedure for Permi ts i n Medelli n
Through the One-Stop Procedure (Ventanilla Única), the Film Commission of Medellin ensures that producers coming to the city have an easy
and free way to obtain all permits related to locations, police escorts, road
closures, etc.
Contact
Medellín Film Commission
Francisco Pulgarín, Director
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (57) (4) 516 7770
www.filmmedellin.com
Customs
Colombia, goods entering from outside the country are subject to customs
obligations upon entry. Obligations include presentation of an import declaration and payment of customs duties and any applicable fines. Documentation
proving this transaction must be obtained and kept, and these documents
must be presented should customs authorities so require.
Colombian legislation recognizes several forms of import transactions which
allow goods to be freely used.
To facilitate film and audiovisual work in Colombia, Colombian law has established the following preferential treatment at customs offices:
• With authorization to make a foreign film from the Ministry of Culture,
necessary film equipment and materials may be imported for periods of six
months, renewable for an additional six months.
• Consumable goods such as film, lights or batteries may be imported with
the same obligation to re-export them.
• This type of temporary import generates no customs duties (tariffs, taxes
or other duties) as long as the goods are re-exported to their country of
origin before the allotted authorization expires. In all cases, transportation,
storage and cargo expenses must be paid.
• With authorization from the Ministry of Culture, no deposit guarantee is
required for temporary imports.
Furthermore, non-residents arriving to the country (maximum 6 months, re-
newable) to participate in film productions may bring in articles for personal or
professional use without paying customs duties. These items must be declared
at the time they are brought in and re-exported.
Film may be temporarily imported, if printed and developed as established in
Tax Memo 3706, with no duties, taxes or customs tariffs. Film enjoys all the
incentives of the “short-term temporary import” regulations for a period of
6 months, renewable one time only. In this way, films, including foreign films,
to be screened at festivals or temporary events can be imported, as can those
coming into the country which will be re-exported to their country of origin.
Customs officials classify as “special delivery” all professional materials and
equipment for film production, blank film, and film printed with image and
sound. Although other “special delivery” cases are subject to a deposit guarantee, this is not the case for film authorized by the Ministry of Culture.
Import and export procedures must be carried out by a customs agent
(there are some 100 authorized agencies), except when goods are valued
at less than US$1,000. The National Tax and Customs Office (DIAN) is
responsible for authorizing airports and ports for imports and exports.
www.locationcolombia.com/Customs
Hiring
Personnel
There are several forms of contracts in Colombia that can be used to hire
artists, technicians, authors, and any logistical services required in production projects. These are a few of the most common:
C iv i l / C o m m e r c ial Co n t r ac t
These are independent contracts not seeking to establish any labor relationship between the contractor (producer) and the contractee. For this reason
the contract must not refer to any of the common elements found in labor
contracts, such as subordination and dependence, although the necessary
mechanisms of coordination between the parties must be stated.
This type of contract is free and is signed once an agreement is reached
regarding the amount and form of payment and other obligations. A written
document is recommended but is not usually obligatory.
The parties are free to set the domicile for legal purposes: Colombia or the
producer’s country of origin.
This type of contract can be used to hire persons considered authors of the work
(screenwriters, directors, animation designers or composers of original music)
when it is necessary to define the rights each of these authors grants to the film
producer. These may include rights to publicly present the work in different formats, territories, adaptations, reproductions, etc. The contract also establishes
which rights, when applicable, are reserved; although assignment of rights is
presumed in Colombia, all kinds of agreements to the contrary are accepted.
This type of contract is also used to contract artistic services (actors, directors
of photography, art directors, set designers, editors, etc.) and technical services
provided by individuals or legal entities, as well as a wide range of logistical
services (transportation, locations, rooms not in hotels).
It is also important to a production that the contract state the amount of compensation paid for each product and whether said compensation is definitive
or if part of it is subject to commercial exploitation of the work. This is entirely up to the parties, since there is no mandatory royalty system in Colombia.
Contracts with screenwriters of the work to be filmed, actors, sound producers, or composers of music to be used in the film can be recognized and
notarized. This is useful, and in certain cases mandatory (in accordance with
national copyright legislation contained in Law 23 of 1982). It is inexpensive
(about 3 US dollars per contract) and can be done very quickly.
It is also important for productions that the contract state that any personnel
hired are to assume their own responsibilities visa- vis the Colombian health
care, pension and professional risk systems, regardless of whether the production company contracts additional accident or life insurance coverage.
T emporary Employment Agency ( E T T )
The use of temporary employment agencies is a common practice for hiring
cast, crew, and artistic personnel for the audiovisual sector.
Temporary Employment Agencies (ETT, as per the acronym in Spanish) are
companies whose activity consists of temporarily placing workers hired by the
ETT with a user company. Only employment agencies which have been properly authorized under the terms provided by law may hire workers in order to
temporarily assign them to another company.
Labor C ontracts
These contracts cover all forms of labor governed by Colombia’s Substantive
Labor Code. This model is usually not used for film productions, since film
requires work for shorter periods than other fields.
Taxes
Below is an outline of Colombian tax legislation, designed to help producers better plan their work and correctly calculate budgets and expenses.
The following information is only a guide; we recommend you consult with
professionals before starting any audiovisual production in Colombia, since
the required taxes and duties will depend on each production’s unique
characteristics.
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Val ue A d d e d Tax (VAT)
The VAT tax is added to the cost of goods and services purchased in Colombia.
There are three major tax groups: 0%, 5% and 16%. Services such as restaurants carry an 8% VAT tax.
There is no VAT tax on goods temporarily imported for a limited duration,
such as equipment and other items used in film production and shooting activities. Foreign exchange or currency sales are VAT-excluded operations.
Starting in 2014, no VAT will be charged for imported goods sent by express
shipments with a value of less than two hundred dollars (US$200).
s tax regulations apply to certain parts of the country such as the Amazon department and the archipelago of San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina.
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N at i o n a l C o n s u m e r Tax
This tax was recently created by Law 1607 of 2012; it is charged for services
or sales to the end consumer or for the following items imported by the end
consumer:
• Mobile phone services.
• The sale of certain tangible personal property, domestically produced goods
or imported goods.
• Services related to the sale of food and beverages prepared in restaurants,
cafes, supermarkets, ice cream and fruit shops, pastry shops and bakeries,
including contracted food services and the sale of food and alcoholic beverages for consumption in bars, taverns, and nightclubs. These goods and
services are not subject to VAT.
W it hh o l d i n g T ax
The withholding tax (retención en la fuente) is a tax collection mechanism for
withholding income taxes and complementary taxes at the time of payment,
when billed through a formal printed invoice (factura) or a billing statement
(cuenta de cobro). Withholding rates can vary from 1.0% to 33%, depending
on the service provided, whether the individual or company is Colombian or
foreign, and whether it is an individual or a legal entity.
It is important to note that each taxable event should be analyzed to determine its withholding rate.
Pursuant to Article 14 of Law 1556 of 2012, for the purposes of withholding,
foreign source income is deemed to be: “... income earned by creative staff,
technicians, and production staff who do not reside in the country, when no
contract exists and no payments are made in Colombia resulting from their
participation in a foreign film that has been certified by the Film Office (Di-
rección de Cinematografía) of the Ministry of Culture and that is registered in
the film registry.”
The above implies that persons not residing in Colombia are not subject to
income taxes or complementary taxes, provided that their income is derived
exclusively from the provision of artistic, technical or production services for
foreign films.
For services provided in Colombia by individuals or companies that do not
reside or are not domiciled in Colombia, the withholding rate will be from 25%
to 33%, except when the payments or credits to an account are for consulting,
technical services and technical assistance, in which case the applicable rate is
10% as income tax, regardless of where the service was provided.
Insurance
Approximately 30 insurance companies (supervised and authorized by the
Colombian Financial Regulatory Agency, Superintendencia Financiera) offer
general insurance and life insurance covering the different processes involved
in film, television and advertising production – especially during the filming or
shooting process.
Policies offer general coverage for the following:
• Actors, artistic personnel, and crew, guaranteeing payment of insured
amounts for interruption of filming, illness, accident, or death.
• Negatives, rushes, copies, soundtracks, and software.
• Defective materials, use of defective materials or equipment. This can
cover, among others, development, editing, defective processing, lab work,
accidental loss of videotapes or soundtracks, and exposure to light.
• Loss or damage to accessories, sets, costumes, and other forms of property
of this kind, as well as other property insured during filming.
• Loss or damage to equipment and materials such as cameras, camera
equipment, sound and lighting equipment, electrical equipment, portable
generators, effects equipment, and trailers.
• Civil liability vis-a-vis third parties due to damage to property or persons
caused by filming.
• Losses suffered by the producer due to additional expenses related to interruption or suspension.
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help!
Still Photography, “Magallanes”
Film
Commission
Services
46
• Walk through and inform producers about the cash rebate 40% - 20%.
• Inform producers and directors interested in Colombia of the best possibilities and alternatives for their projects in terms of logistics, locations,
accommodations, Colombian talent, authorizations, contacts, etc.
• Advise producers and directors about Colombian legislation regarding
taxes, financing, hiring, customs, permits, visas, coproduction, etc.
• Supply contact with the various businesses, producers, institutions and
national and regional authorities related to their productions in order to
make their work quicker and more effective.
• Facilitate the expedition of National film office permit for filming on
national territory and the courtesy visas for cast and crew.
• Set-up packages of photographs of locations upon request.
• Organize pre-scouts and support recce process in Colombia.
• Ensure that producers, directors, cast and crew have the best experience
shooting in our country
Staff
Silvia Echeverri
Film Commissioner
[email protected]
Claudia Triana
Proimagenes Colombia Director
[email protected]
Lina María Sánchez
Promotion Executive
[email protected]
Carlos Alberto Ramos
Information Coordinator
[email protected]
Contact
www.locationcolombia.com
[email protected]
Phone: [57+1] 2870103
Mobile Phone: [57] 320 345 6635 - 310 320 2878
Address: Calle 35 No. 5 -89 (Barrio La Merced)
Bogotá,D.C. – Colombia
Photographs
Cover: Still Photography, “Blunt Force Trauma”, Freida Pinto and Ryan
Kwanten. Courtesy of Blunt Force Trauma LLC and 64A Films.
Photographers:
Pg. 18 Andrés Mauricio Lesmes Penagos. Tayrona Park, Santa Marta.
Pg. 20 Milton Ramírez. Bogota.
Pg. 21 Left: Miltón Ramírez, Bogota. Right up: Esperanza Vallejo, Monumento
a los Caídos: Right down: Peter J. Liévano, Bogota Panoramic.
Pg. 22 Left up: Karen Salamanca, Guajira. Left down: William González, Guajira. Right: Mónica Lucía Estévez, San Bernardo, Cartagena.
Pg. 23 Up: Giovanni Camargo Mantilla, Cispata swamp, San Antero, Cordoba.
Left down: Esperanza Ruiz Ángulo, Ciénaga Grande, Santa Marta. Right
down: Valentina Martelo, Cartagena.
Pg. 26 Left up: Fetze Weerstra, Tota Lake, Boyacá. Left down: Juan Carlos
Jímenez, Splendor Cave. Up right: Santiago Chiquito, PNN los Nevados,
Risaralda. Right down: Pedro Alexis González, PNN El Cocuy, Boyacá.
Pg. 27 Guillermo Enrique Sánchez, PNN el Cocuy, Boyacá.
Pg. 28 Rafael Alberto Botero. Cauca River Canyon.
Pg. 29 Up: Quibdó, Chocó. Down: Jorge Oswaldo Paez, El Cairo, Cauca Valley.
Pg. 30 Up: Adriana Sánchez, Caño Cristales, Macarena. Left down: Carlos Alfonso Rodríguez, Ciudad de Piedra Guaviare. Right down: Jaime Pérez, Arauca.
Pg. 31 Left: Laura María Rodríguez, Caño Cristales, Macarena. Right: Jessica
Magenta Chávez, Mocoa, Putumayo.
Pg. 32 Left: Hector hernan Vanegas, Amazon. Right: Gloria Estela Moreno,
Amazon River.
Pg. 33 Oscar Iván Betancourt, Leticia, Amazon.
Pg. 34 Andrés Estefan, Rio San Juan, Chocó.
Pg. 35 Up: Popayan, Cauca-Mincit. Middle: Aroldo de Jesús Mestre. Mompox.
Down: Luis Ponce, Ipiales, Nariño.
Pg. 36 Adriana Maria Bernal, Pacho, Cundinamarca.
Pg. 37 Left up: Badin de Jesús Hernández, Taganga, Magdalena. Arleth
González, PNN Alto Fragua Indi Wasi. Left down: Inaldo Pérez, Nuquí,
Chocó. Right up: Luis Alfonso Giraldo, Estero de Campo Alegre, Arauca.
Condor, PNN. Right down: PNN- Monkey, Amacayacu, Amazon.
Pg. 39 Up: Jorge Eliecer Orozco, La Barra. Left down: Belquis Zereida, PNN
El Cocuy, Boyacá. Down right: Juan Antonio Alonso, Chingaza, Cundinamarca.
Behi nd the scenes and S ti ll Phot ogr a p hy :
Pg. 4, 40 Corazón de León, Sinema (Argentina). Photographer Carlos Alberto Ramos.
Pg. 6 Fragments of Love- 64A Films (Colombia) , and One Film Corporation
(Puerto Rico).
Pg. 8 Mateo- Una Obra de Teatro SAS, Diafragma Fabrica de Películas (Colombia).
Pg. 11 Blunt Force Trauma- 64A Films (Colombia), Blunt Force Trauma LLC (USA).
Pg. 14 Delivery- YoReinaré Producciones (Colombia).
Pg. 24 The Houselight- De la Tierra Producciones E.U. (Colombia).
Pg. 45 Magallanes- Pendulo Film (Peru), Tondero Producciones (Peru), Cepa
Audiovisual (Argentina), Cinerama (Colombia).
Pg. 47 That Thing Called Love – El Bus Producciones (Colombia).
Pg. 48 Los Hongos – Contravia Films, Burning Blue (Colombia).
Insti tuti onal Photog raphy:
National Natural Parks of Colombia.
Procolombia, Vice-presidency of Tourism.
Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.
Revela Colombia Contest.
Red Turística de Pueblos Patrimonio (Heritage Villages of Colombia tourism Network).
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Behind the scenes, “That Thing Called Love”
48
Behind the scenes, “Los Hongos”