In its 19th year, SEEfest 2024 opens to a sold-out crowd as it showcases new films, filmmakers from South East Europe

By: Robert St. Martin

Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 5/2/2024 – The annual SEEfest film festival in Los Angeles opened Wednesday night to sold-out crowds at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. The festival, now in its 19^th year, features new films from South East Europe, including the Balkans and the nations of the Caucasus.

The night was hosted by Vera Mijojlić, founder and artistic director of the festival, and is co-presented by ELMA, the foundation for European Languages and Movies in America. By presenting and celebrating the cinematic and cultural diversity of 20 countries of the Balkans and Caucasus, SEEfest – which stands for South East European Film Festival – continues to provide a platform in the U.S. for the discovery of new talent from South East Europe.

This event is traditionally opened by KCRW news anchor Hettie Lynne Huertes, but this year acting master of ceremonies Robert S. Spich, recently retired professor of management and international business at UCLA, Anderson School of Management, provided acknowledgment to dignitaries from various consulates of South East Europe in attendance and other significant financial backers of the film festival.

Pascal Ladreyt, head of the ELMA Foundation, which fosters European Languages and Movies in America, was honored with the 2024 SEEFest Legacy Award, before the crowd was treated to a screening of Guardians of the Formula, a Cold War thriller from Yugoslavia from director Dragan Bjelogrlic.

SEEfest runs through May 8 at various theatrical venues in Los Angeles, including the Laemmle Royal Theatre and the Laemmle Town Center in Encino; UCLA James Bridges Auditorium; the Regal Cinemas in Downtown Los Angeles; Goethe-Institut; and 2220 Arts & Archives on Beverly in Los Angeles.

For information about the films and tickets at SEEfest, go to https://seefest2024.eventive.org/schedule. There are a number of films included in the festival line-up which can be viewed online via the SEEfest 2024 Virtual Festival. It is highly recommend that viewers check these options out as well.