Photo courtesy Vanity FairColombian audiovisual industry made possible One Hundred Years of Solitude’s production
The audiovisual industry in Colombia has gained significant relevance in recent years, standing out for its talent and innovation. This growth is reflected in the Netflix adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez’s emblematic novel.
The production of this work not only reflects the potential of the Colombian industry but also positions the country as a benchmark in the creation of quality and far-reaching film content. Discover here what led the country to become an ideal destination for the audiovisual sector’s development.
1. Colombia's experience in this sector
In the Colombian cinema’s history, several films, series and documentaries have left an indelible mark. These include movies such as La estrategia del caracol, Los colores de la montaña, El abrazo de la serpiente, Los reyes del mundo, Monos, El olvido que seremos and La vendedora de rosas, among many others. These films have not only transformed the culture of the country of beauty, but have also influenced world cinema, receiving major awards and nominations.
Photo courtesy Noticias de Bariloche Colombia has experience with streaming platforms such as Netflix, a company that has developed numerous projects in the country. On its platform, we can find several series of Colombian origin, such as La primera vez, Distrito salvaje, Secuestro al vuelo 601, El robo del siglo and Siempre bruja, among others. This reflects the confidence of this international company in the Colombian industry and market.
On the other hand, international productions such as Historia de un crimen: Colmenares, Colombia magia salvaje, Mile 22, Gemini Man and Los 33 have been developed in the country. Among these are documentary series, documentaries and international films that found in Colombia an ideal scenario, where different audiovisual genres stand out.
Each series and films are a challenge for the national film industry, but Colombia has managed to develop these projects thanks to its talent and capacity to innovate. This was evidenced in Secuestro al vuelo 601, one of the Colombian series on Netflix, where screens with special technology were implemented to simulate the airplane flying, and a set was created to give the illusion of the airplane's movements in the air.
2. The private and public sectors are promoting the cinema
Another factor that allowed such an ambitious series as One Hundred Years of Solitude to be produced in Colombia is the support of the Colombian audiovisual industry, from both the private and public sectors.
During the last decades, the country has made progress in the creation of laws that encourage audiovisual creation in Colombia and investment in this sector through certain benefits in costs and logistics, which undoubtedly has had a positive impact on this industry.
Among these regulations is Law 814 of 2003, commonly known as the Film Law, which established the Film Development Fund (FDC). This fund finances various stages of film production, providing essential support and funding opportunities for filmmakers across Colombia.
Another key regulation is Law 1556 of 2012, which has successfully attracted international producers through its fiscal incentives. This law introduced the Certificates of Audiovisual Investment in Colombia (CINA) and the Colombia Film Fund (FFC), positioning the country as an ideal location for audiovisual productions. It offers reimbursements of up to 40% for cinematographic services and 20% for logistical expenses.
Photo courtesy El Colombiano These initiatives have fostered a thriving business ecosystem that provides content development, pre-production, production, and post-production services, alongside an infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale filming projects nationwide.
In addition, the country has public entities partnerships, such as RTVC, which promotes audiovisual production in the country and has a platform called RTVCPlay, where national movies can be found.
Proimágenes is another entity that is promoting this film industry, having created the Colombia Film Commission, with the purpose of positioning Colombia as a destination for audiovisual production.
Also relevant are the large national film production companies, including Dynamo, which was in charge of the production of One Hundred Years of Solitude in alliance with Netflix Colombia. Dynamo’s decades of experience in the audiovisual industry, working with large international companies, gave it the opportunity to lead this process in the country and launch this fascinating project.
3. Colombia's love for cinema
Colombia is a country that loves cinema, hosting important festivals dedicated to this industry, such as the International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias, the Bogotá Film Festival, and the Cali International Film Festival, among others.
Additionally, Colombia’s domestic market is increasingly interested in the audiovisual production. During 2023 there was an increase in cinema attendance of 27.7% compared to 2022 (more than 50 million spectators in the country), a figure that is getting closer to the panorama that Colombia had before the pandemic.
This interest from the audience is one of the engines of the national film industry, which managed to release more than 70 Colombian films featuring during 2023, through a business network composed of more than 20 companies in charge of their distribution.
All this is reflected in the increase in exports of the Colombian audiovisual sector. In 2010, Colombian production companies reported foreign sales to ProColombia of USD 35 million, while in 2023 this figure reached USD 219 million.
Photo courtesy El Colombiano 
Road to Macondo
All this has been the path traveled by the Colombian film industry to reach the point of producing one of the most ambitious series in the region’s audiovisual industry. With more than 20,000 extras and the construction of the fascinating town of Macondo, imagined by Gabo, this project moved forward to do what many believed to be impossible: bringing One Hundred Years of Solitude to the screens of the world. All this with a production that contributed with more than $225 billion Colombian pesos to the national economy, with filming taking place in 22 municipalities in the country and with a cast made up of 97% Colombians.
Discover how Macondo, inspired by the country of beauty, is portrayed in the Netflix adaptation, and learn more about the impact of this series here.
