The 51st International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias opened with a showing of Colombian director Carlos Cesar Arbelaez's movie "Los colores de la montana."

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos started the event Thursday with a tribute to Mexican movies.

"May this be a time to pay tribute to Mexico, beloved Mexico, and its films, which have accompanied us and enriched our culture for so many decades," Santos said.

The president expressed hope that the film industry would become part of Colombia's development and announced the creation of a strategy to attract producers from around the world, especially from the United States and India.

Among the films joining this year's festival are "18 comidas" from Spain, "Asalto al Cine" from Mexico, "Gatos Viejos" from the United States, "Karen llora en un bus" from Colombia, and "La vida util" from Uruguay.

The festival will run until March 3.