History of Colombiana in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 27, 2025

Colombiana is a 2011 action thriller co-written and produced by Luc Besson, directed by Olivier Megaton, and stars Zoe Saldaña. The film centers on Cataleya, a young girl whose family is murdered by a Colombian drug lord. Fifteen years later, she becomes a trained assassin seeking revenge on those responsible for her family's death. The film follows her dangerous quest for retribution.

1990: Reference to La Femme Nikita

In 1990, Luc Besson created La Femme Nikita which was a movie that had common traits with Colombiana.

1992: Murder of Fabio Restrepo and his wife

In 1992, in Bogota, Colombia, Fabio Restrepo and his wife Alicia were murdered by Don Luis Sandoval's enforcer Marco and a gang of armed men because Fabio defied him. Before their death, Fabio gave his daughter, Cataleya, a SmartMedia computer memory card containing information on Don Luis' business.

2007: Cataleya becomes an assassin

In 2007, fifteen years after her family's murder, Cataleya had become an accomplished assassin. With each murder she commits, she leaves a Cattleya flower, hoping to attract the attention of Don Luis and take her revenge.

August 2010: Filming began

In August 2010, filming for Colombiana began in locations including Chicago, New Orleans, Mexico, and France. The film was produced by Besson's EuropaCorp company, with a script by Besson and Robert Mark Kamen.

2011: Colombiana film release

In 2011, the French English-language action thriller film Colombiana, co-written and produced by Luc Besson and directed by Olivier Megaton, was released. The film stars Zoe Saldaña as Cataleya, a woman seeking revenge for her family's murder.

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