Analysing the formal and informal documentary film distribution markets in Colombia

Abstract

Despite the global economic downturn, world feature film production increased by 27.8% between 2005 and 2009. EU production levels also continued to grow. At least 370 feature documentaries were produced in 2011. However, in the formal film distribution market documentaries drag a historic grievance about their theatrical distribution. A clear example of this are the 80 documentaries in competition at the Film Festival Documenta Madrid in 2010, of which only two or three had a theatrical release. This situation is particularly acute in some developing countries in Latin America, such as Colombia; where there is a catalogue, with a list of at least 3000 Colombian documentaries, mostly unseen, which were produced in the last 50 years. In fact, only one documentary film had a theatrical release there, in 2011. This situation informs a large debate in Colombia since the informal film distribution market, San Andresito, is thriving by providing an effective way of reaching the population, while the traditional legal structures lag behind. This article is concerned with a new alternative distribution proposal that allows the Colombian documentary film to meet its primary objective: reaching its audiences. Most data and examples given are related to fiction feature films, since the success of its distribution on DVD in the informal market in Colombia not only shows a wider distribution problem within which documentary is one part, but also becomes a good example to explore how this market may also work to distribute documentaries in the future. Moreover, the cooperation model and teamwork between Ecuadorian film authorities and the Ecuadorian Association of Traders and Distributors of Audio-visual Products and Related are key to exploring the alternatives of constructing a sustainable model in which both the formal and the informal film distribution networks could coexist to benefit the access of the Colombian audiences to documentary films.

Notes on contributors

Sandra Carolina Patino, School of Film and Television, National University of Colombia, Bogota, is a Senior Lecturer and Director, Documentary Colombia, whose research interests lie in exploring film alternative practices as the Docutherapy and challenging proposals in relation to the documentary film distribution problem. She is the author of the book ‘Approaching the documentary in the Colombian audiovisual history’ (2009), and is currently doing the final year of her PhD study at University of Salford, United Kingdom.