20th Annual South East European Film Festival Unveils Full Program Lineup
The festival will showcase over 50 movies from the culturally rich area of East and South-East Europe.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Apr. 14, 2025
The 20th annual South East European Film Festival is bringing to Los Angeles U.S. premieres, European talent and an Industry Accelerator with panels and workshops from April 30 - May 7. The festival will showcase over 50 movies from the culturally rich area of East and South-East Europe.
Opening the festival on April 30th with a red carpet gala at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills (135 S. Doheny Dr, in Beverly Hills) will be the Los Angeles premiere of Bogdan Mure?anu's Romanian tour-de-force, "THE NEW YEAR THAT NEVER CAME," which won both the FIPRESCI Award and the award for Best Film in the Orizzonti program in Venice last Fall - a tragicomedy that climaxes with the bang of a firecracker in a highly unlikely pair of hands, effectively kicking off the revolution.
Under the patronage of the honorary chair, Bulgarian-American actress and entertainer Irina Maleeva, the festival highlights stories of resilience and hope, adding a touch of Eastern European flair and humor.
" I met Vera twelve years ago, when I was asked to support the attendance of a Bulgarian director at her festival. Since then, I’ve proudly been part of SEEFest as an Honorary Chair—a title that means a lot to me.
I love this festival because it’s unique. It brings together the countries of Southeastern Europe. As a Bulgarian-Italian, that’s deeply meaningful to me. These films are powerful. They reflect the reality of life in these countries—something we in America must see, understand, and support. Especially now, in today’s political climate, we have a responsibility to help protect democracy and not let these countries down.
I’m proud of what SEEFest has become, and of Vera—the incredible force who started it all. I will keep supporting SEEFest and do my part to raise awareness of its importance."
Among the competition titles are also: this year's Sundance winner of the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision and Audience Award, North Macedonia's DJ Ahmet directed by newcomer Georgi M. Unkovski steals our hearts with a tale of a young shepherd boy's love of music and his first experience with love; Ukrainian Olga Chernykh's layered album of a family life and fractured memories in the borderlands, A Picture to Remember; Serbian-Canadian co-production Cat's Cry, director Sanja ?ivkovi?'s assured sophomore feature about an ordinary man quietly but persistently fighting bureaucratic social services; Bulgarian director Niki Iliev's Wingless, underdog tale of a disabled young man overcoming the odds to triumph in Paralympic competitions; and a powerful documentary examining parenthood, Our Children from Croatian director/cinematographer Silvestar Kolbas, a riveting journey through both sides of adolescence. Also showing is the most-awarded Eastern European film of the season, from Croatian director Nebojša Slijep?evi?: The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, which 'does in 13 minutes what many movies fail to do in two hours, creating an authentic sense of dread and moral complexity in a story set entirely on a train that's been stopped by armed militants in the countryside.' (The Hollywood Reporter). The film won Palme d'Or in Cannes last year, EFA Best European Short in December, French César Award, and Oscar nomination this Spring - in addition to more awards at festivals around the world.
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