SEEfest

09/15/2026

New on SEEfest Review: Antigone: In the Language of Kings

Amanda L. Andrei reviews this powerful adaptation of Sophocles’ Antigone, reimagined in pre-conquest Tenochtitlan and performed in English, Spanish, and Nahuatl at the Getty Villa’s outdoor theater.

With haunting music, movement, striking visuals, and a story that confronts state violence, moral courage, and the abuse of power, Antigone: In the Language of Kings brings an ancient tragedy into vivid contemporary focus.

Photos by Craig Schwartz

Read the full review: https://seefilmla.org/review-antigone-in-the-language-of-kings/

09/11/2026

In remembrance of Tshombe Sampson ❤️

Tshombe’s beloved Burning Man community is gathering this Sunday, September 13, at Bates Beach in Carpinteria to celebrate his life, share stories, and remember him together. We’re grateful to his friends in the Burning Man community for organizing this gathering and for sharing these details so we could pass them along to the SEEfest community.

Rest in peace, Tshombe. You will be deeply missed.

09/10/2026

In Memoriam: Tshombe Sampson ❤️

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend Tshombe Sampson, who was such a beloved part of the SEEfest community for many years.

Tshombe was a true rock for SEEfest and one of those rare people who made a festival feel like a community. He was kind, humble, generous, curious, and completely without airs. His genuine smile, dry sense of humor, and easygoing nature could make any room or meeting feel a little better.

He was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about film and creative expression, but always approachable and generous with what he knew. He gave so much of his time to SEEfest, whether volunteering, photographing the festival, participating in Q&As, associate programming, or simply helping wherever he could.

We will deeply miss seeing Tshombe around SEEfest with his camera, his smile, and his unmistakable presence. He was one of the people who made SEEfest feel welcoming, and we are so grateful to have known him.

May he rest in peace. ❤️

Pictured here is Tshombe with his niece on Opening Night of SEEfest 2018 — and, fittingly, for once, he’s not the one behind the camera.

09/08/2026

New on SEEfest Review: Meet Ryan Radusinovic, the founder of Balkan Comedy Night, a nationally touring comedy showcase bringing Balkan culture, identity, and community together through laughter.

In her latest spotlight, Tanja M. Laden explores Radusinovic’s journey from aspiring screenwriter to stand-up comedian and the story behind a show that celebrates the wonderfully chaotic Balkan experience!

Photo of Ryan Radusinovic by Kayla Adanalian

Read the full spotlight:

Ryan Radusinovic, founder of Balkan Comedy Night. Learn how his Balkan heritage inspired a touring comedy showcase built on culture, identity, laughter.

08/25/2026

🎭 New on SEEfest Review: Allie Rigby reviews Green Corridors by Ukrainian playwright Natalka Vorozhbyt, now on stage at City Garage Theatre in Santa Monica.

The production runs til' Sunday, September 27th, with performances Fridays & Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 4 PM.

Photos by Paul Rubenstein.

Read the full review: https://seefilmla.org/review-green-corridors/

08/17/2026

Submissions are OPEN for SEEfest 2027!

The 22nd annual South East European Film Festival returns to Los Angeles April 28–May 5, 2027, celebrating bold voices and cinematic stories from Southeast Europe and the Caucasus.

Use code SEE27dc for 40% off your submission fee. Limited time only.

Ready to share your film with SEEfest? Submit now via FilmFreeway or link in bio.

08/10/2026

Congrats to filmmaker and SEEfest alumnus Leon Ristov, who has been awarded a 2026 National Board of Review Student Grant for his short film Nikola, Nikola. Leon also joined us this year as one of SEEfest's shorts programmers.

Nikola, Nikola follows a Macedonian teenager who sneaks out to meet a 40-year-old man he’s been messaging online. When their car gets stuck in the remote woods, isolation strips away fantasy, forcing him to reckon with power, desire, and the possibility of real danger.

We're thrilled to see Leon's work recognized and celebrated, and even more proud to have him as part of the SEEfest family!

Congratulations, Leon!

07/28/2026

FIUME O MORTE! is now streaming on Kanopy!

Igor Bezinovic’s film about one of the most bizarre episodes in the early days of fascism in the 20th century won Best European Documentary 2025 at the European Film Awards and the inaugural FIPRESCI Documentary Grand Prix.

The film explores Italian poet and proto-fascist Gabriele D'Annunzio's 16-month military occupation of Fiume (modern-day Rijeka, Croatia) in 1919.

It is now available to stream FREE on Kanopy — all you need is your library card! SEE this film!

07/27/2026

Also last week, the Venice Festival unveiled its lineup, including several films from Eastern Europe: Alina Șerban’s I MATTER feature debut (Romania) - SEEfest fans might remember her short film by the same name, which we showed a few years back. I MATTER is premiering in Venezia Spotlight, where Georgian comedy Guria by Levan Koguashvili is also getting the spotlight treatment.

In the Orizzonti section, Venice will premiere the hotly anticipated Serbian protest drama "Until the Day Ends" by Jelena Maksimovic, a well known editor making her feature debut; and an intriguing Polish film by Grzegorz Debowski, What Belongs To Others.

Films screening out of competition include: The Pervert’s Guide to Utopias, a documentary directed by Sophie Fiennes, yet another installment in the Slavoj Žižek's ongoing examination of our human complexities through the lens of cinema. Belarusian Letters From The Silenced Country by Andrei Kutsila, Russian exiles stories by Julia Loktev, My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 — Exile; and Sergei Loznitsa's Ukrainian documentary Imperium will also be shown.

Credit image: labiennale.org