Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine

What Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine does

Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine (FBAL), operated by Association Biarritz Festivals, is a non-profit cultural organization founded in 1979 (as La Cita) and headquartered in Biarritz, France. It runs an annual multi-format Latin American film and culture festival each September/October, with a 34th edition held September 20–26, 2025 drawing 35,000 attendees. Core programming spans three competitive film sections (fiction features, documentary, short films), a professional coproduction platform (BAL-LAB), live music concerts with dance classes (salsa, bachata, bachata, cumbia, bossa nova, reggaeton, tango), literary encounters, and intellectual debates, all delivered trilingually in French, Spanish, and Portuguese across three Biarritz venues (Casino Municipal, Gare du Midi, Cinema Le Royal).

The festival monetizes through a diversified mix: ticket sales via Billetweb (Pass Jour, Pass Semaine, premium Pass Abrazo, plus a single paid concert at €29), tax-deductible cultural donations via HelloAsso (€5–€30 with 66%/60% deduction for individuals/corporates), corporate sponsorships (Air France, Hôtel du Palais, Casino Barrière, Orange, Volvo, Sofitel, Heineken, Crédit Mutuel), and institutional public funding (Ville de Biarritz, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Département Pyrénées-Atlantiques, CNC, Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires Étrangères). Media partnerships with France Télévisions, ARTE, RFI, France 24, and Sud Ouest provide earned-media amplification. Technology stack is minimal: website CMS, Billetweb, HelloAsso, Google Analytics, and a Letterboxd profile. Headcount is 21 employees, led by President Serge Fohr and Délégué Général Antoine Sébire. The organization spans 16+ Latin American source markets and is recognized as the longest-running Latin American film festival in France.

Name

Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine

Legal name

Association Biarritz Festivals

Website

https://festivaldebiarritz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine is a French non-profit that operates an annual trilingual (French/Spanish/Portuguese) Latin American cinema and culture festival in Biarritz, drawing 35,000 attendees across competitive film sections, professional coproduction meetings, music, literature, and debate programming, supported by ticket sales, donations, and institutional and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival and Cultural Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB), Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB), Civic & Municipal Festivals (City Days, Public Celebrations) (MPAGAEAA), Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN)

Keywords

• Latin American film festival
• Cultural cinema events
• Film coproduction market
• Music and literature programming
• Nonprofit arts association

Headquarters

HQ city

Biarritz

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue from festival passes and individual screenings through online ticketing platform (Billetweb) and on-site box office
2. Corporate sponsorships: Partnerships with institutional partners (Ville de Biarritz, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Pyrénées Atlantiques, CNC, Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires Etrangères) and private partners (Air France, Hôtel du Palais, Casino Barrière, Orange, Volvo, Sofitel, Heineken, Crédit Mutuel) providing financial and in-kind support
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through HelloAsso platform, ranging from 5€ to 30€
4. Merchandise sales: Sale of festival merchandise and good through online boutique
5. Concert revenue: Paid concert events (e.g., Prettos & Fabiana Cozza at 29€) as the only paid concert of the festival

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine produces an annual Latin American film and cultural festival in Biarritz, France, combining a competitive cinema section, the BAL-LAB professional coproduction platform, music concerts, a literary section, and "Idées" debate programming. The association sells festival passes and concert tickets to the general public, sells professional accreditation to industry delegates, and raises funds through sponsorships, public partnerships, and donations.

Product overview

Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine (FBAL) is a cinema and cultural festival that has operated since 1979, held annually in Biarritz during the last week of September. The offering consists of a multi-format film festival with three competitive sections (fiction, documentary, short films), complemented by a professional co-production platform (BAL-LAB), live music performances with dance classes, literary encounters, and intellectual debates. The core products are festival passes granting access to screenings and events, with add-on offerings including merchandise and cultural donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BAL-LAB: A professional co-production meeting section facilitating cooperation between French professionals and Latin American project holders, with producers, international sellers, and French distributors.

Products and services

• Festival Passes (Pass Jour, Pass Semaine, Pass Abrazo) Multi-tier admission passes sold to the general public granting access to the festival's film screenings, concerts, and select events; available as day, week, and "Abrazo" formats with reduced/free options for specific audiences.
• Festival Concert Tickets Individual concert tickets sold to the public for music events integrated into the festival's programming track.
• Professional Accreditation (BAL-LAB) Paid accreditation for film producers, directors, sales agents, distributors, and other industry participants to access the BAL-LAB coproduction platform, networking, and project programming during the festival.
• Donations (HelloAsso) Online donation offering enabled via the HelloAsso platform, allowing individuals and supporters to contribute to the non-profit association.
• Festival Merchandise Festival-branded merchandise (e.g., apparel and memorabilia) sold to attendees during the on-site festival experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35,000 attendees in 2025 edition, representing 10% growth
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BogoshortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBogoshort is the Bogotá short film festival, one of the most important in Latin America dedicated to the short film format. This new partnership for 2026 edition will take many forms leading up to the festival.
• Ville de BiarritzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Biarritz is the host municipality, providing institutional support and local infrastructure for the festival.
• Casino BarrièrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain venue partner providing the Casino de Biarritz as the festival village location.
• Région Nouvelle-AquitainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council providing institutional funding and support for the festival.
• Département Pyrénées-AtlantiquescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental council supporting the festival as a cultural event.
• CNC (Centre National du Cinéma)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench National Center for Cinema providing national funding for the festival.
• Air FranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial airline partner supporting festival transportation.
• Hôtel du PalaisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury hotel partner (Hyatt) providing accommodation support.
• France TélévisionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor French public broadcaster as media partner.
• ARTEcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEuropean cultural channel as media partner for the festival.
• Projeto ParadisocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian foundation supporting the festival as a cultural bridge between Europe and Latin America.
• IHEAL (Institut des Hautes Études de l'Amérique latine)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity institute organizing academic encounters and discussions during the festival.
• Institut des AmériquesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic network promoting Latin American studies.
• Crédit MutuelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBanking partner supporting the festival.
• OrangeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelecommunications company as sponsor.
• SofitelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury hotel brand supporting as sponsor.
• VolvominorGTM or Marketing PartnerAutomobile brand as sponsor.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Festival de Cannes: The world's most prominent film festival, held annually in France. While much larger and broader in scope than FBAL, Cannes is a key comparable for French film festival operations, sponsorship economics, and industry-program structures (Marché du Film parallels BAL-LAB).
• San Sebastián International Film Festival:

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/festivaldebiarritz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/festival-biarritz-am%C3%A9rique-latine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine