SEE Film Festival - News

ROUSY CHANEV - SEE ACTOR 2025 (BULGARIA)

5/14/2025

Rousy Chanev, also known as Russi Chanev, is a celebrated Bulgarian actor and screenwriter, born on September 18, 1945, in Burgas, Bulgaria. With a career spanning more than five decades, Chanev is recognized as one of Bulgaria's most respected and versatile performers in both theater and film.
After completing his studies at the National Academy of Theater and Film Arts in Sofia (1963–1967), under the tutelage of Professor Boyan Danovski, Chanev began his professional stage career at the Drama Theater in Plovdiv in 1967. He later joined the Drama Theater in Sofia, where he remained active until 1990. From 1990 to 1995, he served as the artistic director of the Little City Theater “Off the Canal” in Sofia. Since 1995, he has been a prominent member of the National Theater “Ivan Vazov,” where he has performed in over 80 roles.
Chanev made his film debut in 1966 and has since appeared in more than 30 Bulgarian and international productions. Among his most acclaimed film roles is his performance in Advantage (1977), directed by Georgi Djulgerov, where he played “the Cock,” an eccentric and poetic con artist. The film won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival. Another notable appearance was in The Color of the Chameleon (2012), a dark comedy directed by Emil Hristov, exploring the absurdities of post-communist surveillance culture.
In addition to his work as an actor, Chanev has contributed to several screenplays, including Mera spored mera (1981), Avantazh (1977), and Hushove (2009). His dual talent as a writer and performer has enriched his contributions to Bulgarian cinema and television.
Chanev's artistic achievements have earned him numerous awards, such as Best Leading Actor at theater festivals in Blagoevgrad and Vratza (1998), the “Ackeer” Award for best supporting male role (1994), and Best Role Award at the Eighth National Drama Festival (1989). In 2015, he received the Bulgarian Film Academy’s Best Actor award for his role in Buffer Zone.
In recent years, Chanev has remained active in the film industry, with roles in productions such as Oxymoron of Eternity and South Wind 2: Speed Up (both released in 2021). Beyond the stage and screen, he is known for his quiet personal life. He is married to Nevena Mandadzhieva, with whom he has two children.
Rousy Chanev's legacy as a powerful performer and insightful storyteller continues to influence contemporary Bulgarian performing arts and inspire future generations of artists.

SEE ACTRESS 2025 - ANICA DOBRA (SERBIA)

5/13/2025

Anica Dobra is a celebrated Serbian actress with a distinguished career in film, television, and theater, both in her native country and internationally. Born on June 3, 1963, in Belgrade, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, she has been a prominent figure in the cinematic and cultural life of the region since the 1980s.
Dobra studied acting at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, graduating in 1987 under the tutelage of Professor Predrag Bajčetić. She made an early impact with her role in Goran Marković’s Već viđeno (Déjà Vu, 1987), quickly followed by performances in Život sa stricem (My Uncle's Legacy, 1988) and Sabirni centar (The Collective Center, 1989), establishing herself as one of the most compelling actresses of her generation.
In addition to her success in Yugoslavia and Serbia, Dobra developed a significant international career, particularly in German cinema and television. Fluent in German, she starred in numerous German-language productions during the 1990s and 2000s, including Rote Erde (1990), Frankfurt Millennium (1998), and the acclaimed Das Trio (1998), in which she appeared alongside Götz George. Her international work highlighted her versatility and appeal across cultures.
Dobra’s Serbian filmography includes key roles in some of the country’s most important modern films, such as Crni bombarder (Black Bomber, 1992), Lepa sela lepo gore (Pretty Village, Pretty Flame, 1996), Munje! (Dudes!, 2001), Klopka (The Trap, 2007), and Montevideo, Bog te video! (2010). She has appeared in over 70 film and television projects, spanning drama, comedy, and thrillers, often portraying strong, complex, and emotionally rich characters.
Throughout her career, Anica Dobra has earned numerous awards and honors. She won the prestigious Golden Arena for Best Actress at the Pula Film Festival, the Sterija Award for her work in theater, and accolades from the Niš Film Festival, among others. Her stage career is equally distinguished, with acclaimed performances at the National Theatre in Belgrade and Atelje 212.
In addition to acting, she has contributed to arts education by mentoring young actors, thus playing an influential role in shaping the next generation of Serbian performers.
Anica Dobra remains a defining figure in Balkan cinema—respected for her artistry, longevity, and ability to seamlessly navigate both domestic and international film industries.

BALKANOFILMOFILIA Paris-Berlin-Washington-Novi Sad 2024

10/23/2024

Exclusive event “Balkanofilmofilija Paris-Berlin-Washington-Novi Sad 2024” had its second edtion in Novi Sad, the first capital of European culture in the region in of Southeast Europe, establishing its prestigious place on the map of Europe and the world.
This manifestation is organized by the SEE a Paris Association, “Cultural center Miloš Crnjanski”, and the Arena Cineplex cinema Novi Sad, supported by the Ministry of Culture of France and the Provincial Government of Vojvodina.
During the three days of the event, in the period between 11 and 13 October, the audience had the opportunity to watch four films, three Novi Sad premieres, “Everything comes to an end” by Rajko Grlić, „Bogey“ by Goran Radovanović, „Granpa Guru“ by Silvio Mirošničenko, and „Alone in front of myself“ by Dragan Elčić, which contributed to the festive atmosphere of the manifestation with the presence of the authors and actors of the films.
The program of the event included a lecture by Prof. dr Ljubomir Kekenovski: “The economy of the Balkans between the old and the new order - challenges and opportunities” at the Faculty of Technical Sciences, promotion of the book by author Dejan Petrović “Cruelty of life requires a gentle view” in The End cafe, as well as a photo exhibition about the filmmaking of Velimir Bata Živojinović’s - “Bata in 90 Pictures” in the lobby of the Arena Cineplex cinema.
The manifestation was closed with a award ceremony for the winning authors at SEE Paris - Berlin - Washington - Novi Sad, among whom were Dragan Bjelogrlić for the film “Guardians of the formula”, Nina Ognjanović for the film “This is where the road will pass”, Danica Ćurčić for the film “Sirin” , Nataša Nelević, for the documentary film “Saint Grigor” (Šagargur) and many others.
The festival will be officially opened by Nenad Šaponja, the director of KCV “Miloš Crnjanski” and Jordan Plevneš, the president and founder of the festival.

SEE FF 2024 AWARDS

6/10/2024

Dear festival friends,

The 14th edition of the SEE FF PARIS-BERLIN-WASHINGTON 2024 is officially closed.
We hope you had a good time with the SEE films.

We like to thank our friends:
CINESQUARE.NET film platform,
for their generous contribution and support, which made this online edition possible.

The members of the European jury of SEE FF 2024:
Frosa Pejoska-Bouchereau, president,
Igor Stanković,
Frederic Fappani von Lothringen, and
Yves Rousslet,

announced their winners:

Best actor : Naum Shopov (WINGLESS) (BUL) / Alexis Manenti (GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA) (SRB)
Best actress : Danica Čurčić (SIRIN) (MNE) / Anne Serra (GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA) (SRB)
Best script : Nina Ognjanović (WHERE THE ROAD LEADS) (SRB)
Best director : Dragan Bjelogrlić (GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA) (SRB)
Best feature film : GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA (SRB)
Best short film : THE THIEF - Matteo Pizzocaro / (GRE)
Best documentary : SHATTERED CHAINS RETURNING FROM ISIS - Sibil Abdiu (MK)
Best animation: FLIP - Ivailo Boliarov (BUL)

The awards of the American jury, consisting of:

Patricia Corbett, president,
Jacqueline Headington, and
Roman Kostovski, are:

Best actor: Radivoje Raša Bukvić / Alexis Manenti - (GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA) (SRB)
Best actress: Danica Čurčić (SIRIN) (MNE)
Best script: Vuk Ršumović, Ognjen Sviličić, Dragan Bjelogrlić (GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA) (SRB)
Best director: Dragan Bjelogrlić (GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA) (SRB)
Best feature film: GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA (SRB)
Best short film: BOXES - Angela Dimoska (MK)
Best documentary: SAINT GREGORY - Nataša Nelević (MNE)
Best animation: RECONSTRUCT - Gabor Ulrich (HUN)

Grand Prix of Academia Balkanica Europeana 2024 - LIGHTS AND SHADOWS - Dragan Elčić (SRB)

The European Young Jury Paris-Berlin
announced their awards:

Best Actor: Alexis Manenti (GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA) (SRB)
Best Actress: Danica Čurčić (SIRIN) (MNE)
Best Script : Nina Ognjanović (WHERE THE ROAD LEADS) (SRB)
Best Director: Dragan Bjelogrlić (GUARDIANS OF THE FORMULA) (SRB)
Best Feature Film: WHERE THE ROAD LEADS - Nina Ognjanović (SRB)
Best Short Film: AMBROZIA - Borimir Ilkov (BUL)
Best Documentary: SAINT GREGORY - Nataša Nelević (MNE)
Best Animation: REZZAN - Özlem Baykuş (TUR)

Congratulations and SEE you next year!

ACCESS TO FESTIVAL ONLINE PLATFORM

5/30/2024

Hello festival friends,
We hope you are all doing well!

The films of SEE FF 2024 will be available for viewers from June 1 to June 6 CET, via our partners of
CINESQUARE film platform on this link :

https://cinesquare.net/onlinefestivals#/seefff

or

CLICK HERE

Sign in with:
Username:SEEFF
Pass:seeaparis

After you enter the Cinesquare platform, choose the films you want to watch from the menu:
FEATURE
DOCUMENTARY
SHORT
ANIMATION

Select the film you want to watch, press on the picture or title, and enter the free ticket code:
SEE2024
If you are seeing "Cannot be watched" button, just wait few seconds or refresh the page.

Make sure you are watching the film from the beginning.
Almost all of the films have embedded English subtitles. In case you do not see subtitles, click on the CC button in the video player, and select subtitles.

Have fun!

EUROPA PRIMA 2024 AWARD - SYLVESTRE CLANCIER

5/29/2024

Sylvestre CLANCIER, born in Limoges (France) 1946, is poet and essayist. As teen ager he was a follower of Surrealism and Grand Jeu, and participate to “avant-gardes” movements: TXT, Generation, Textruction during the sixties and early seventies. His poetry has been translated in many languages. He has published more than thirty books and created with painters many artist’s books. His recents poetry books are: Anima Mia, Dans le noir & A travers les âges, Corps à Corps, Le Témoin incertain. La Source et le royaume, Par ces voix de fougèrers qui te sont familières , published by La rumeur libre. His essay, La Voie des poètes, brings new focus on Artaud, Daumal, Michaux and others famous french poets. He is honored in many anthologies. An essay, Le Voyage et la Demeure, about his poetry world as been written by Christine Bini and published by L’herbe qui tremble in 2016. He was, for years, PEN Internationa board member and is yet chairman emerite of French PEN, president of Mallarmé Academy and Poetry House in Paris.

SEE ACTRESS 2024 - ESZENYI ENIKŐ (HUNGARY)

5/29/2024

Enikő Eszenyi (11 January, 1961) is an acclaimed Hungarian actor, director, theater manager, and member of the executive board of the Hungarian Shakespeare Association. Her career in the theater is intertwined with working with Shakespeare and the Comedy Theater in Budapest, Hungary. During her theatrical carrier, she received more than 40 awards as an actor, director, and manager of the Comedy Theater.

Enikő Eszenyi studied at the Theatre and Film Academy in Budapest, and graduated as an actress in 1983. After graduation, she joined the company of the Vígszínház theatre in Budapest, one of the most prestigious and biggest theatres in Hungary, performing at three venues. In 2009 she was appointed Artistic Director of the Vígszínház. The first production she directed was of Büchner’s Leonce and Lena at the Budapest Chamber Theatre, which received seven awards at the Hungarian Theatre Festival 1991 and remained in the repertoire for five years. The next year, she staged West Side Story, for which she received another Best Theatre Director award. Her next production, Kleist’s Katie of Heilbronn, was similarly well received by the critics and audience alike. Her first Shakespeare production was As You Like It at the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava in 1996, for which she was awarded the Best Director Prize at the International Theatre Festival in Nitra, Slovakia. Five years later she was nominated for the same award for her adaptation of Antony and Cleopatra, which she directed at the Slovak National Theatre. At the beginning of the 2000s, she directed Much Ado About Nothing both at the National Theatre in Prague and at the Vígszínház. Furthermore, she staged The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night in Prague. She continued to work abroad in 2003, when she staged István Örkény’s absurd play The Tot Family at the Bez Zábradlí Theatre in Prague. In 2005, she staged Lope de Vega’s The Dog in the Manger at the National Theatre in Prague. Owing to the international acclaim she had attained, she was invited to the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., where she staged Brecht’s A Man’s A Man in January 2004. In 2014, she staged David Ives’s Venus in Fur at the Arena Theatre in Bratislava and in 2015 Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in St. Petersburg. In the meantime, she continued to direct in Budapest, at the Vígszínház and the Pesti Színház. She staged the productions of Grumberg’s The Workroom, Ostrovsky’s Even a Wise Man Stumbles, Vinterberg-Rukov-Hansen’s Festen, Beaumarchais’s The Marriage of Figaro, as well as Fiddler on the Roof, McCoy’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? and Tracy Letts’s August: Osage County, which gained great critical acclaim and garnered success at the Hungarian Theatre Festival. In 2009, she staged Shakespeare’s Othello, the first production during her tenure as Artistic Director at the Vígszínház, which was also performed at the International Festival of Theatres in Seoul, South Korea. Her most recent Shakespeare production is that of Romeo and Juliet at the Vígszínház, which has been the most popular and most attended Shakespeare performance over the past few theatre seasons in Hungary. Moreover, she has staged Simon Stephens’s Punk Rock, Hanoch Levin’s Suitcase Packers (for the first time in Hungary), Nestroy’s Lumpacius Vagabundus and Péter Nádas’s play Encounter. As an actress, she has appeared in numerous lead roles in drama masterpieces, including as Lady Ann, Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, Rosalinda, Violet, Cordelia and the Fool (King Lear). Other remarkable performances she has given include those in the roles of Joan (Shaw: Saint Joan), Nastya (Gorky: The Lower Depths), Blanche (Tennessee Williams: A Streetcar Named Desire), Margaret (Tennessee Williams: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Alison (Osborne: Look Back in Anger), Nora (Ibsen: A Doll’s House), for the latter of which she was voted Best Actress at the Hungarian Theatre Festival. Other notable roles are Annette (Yasmina Reza: The God of Carnage), Shira (Hadar Galron: Mikveh), the Actress (Ferenc Molnár: The Guardsman) and Shen Teh / Shui Ta (Brecht: The Good Person of Szechwan), for which she received the Best Actress in a Lead Role prize at the Hungarian Theatre Festival and the Hungarian Theatre Critics Award. She has appeared in more than 25 film roles, attaining acclaim on the part of both professionals and audience. In addition, she has had five solo evenings, which were great successes in Hungary. Eszenyi has received several Hungarian state awards. She is the holder of the Jászai Mari Prize, the Artist of Merit and the Kossuth Prize (2001), the most prestigious Hungarian state award. Furthermore, she has received the Hungarian Republic’s Order of Merit. In 2010, she was appointed Ambassador of Hungarian Culture.

SEE LEGEND 2024 - ŽELIMIR ŽILNIK

5/29/2024

Želimir Žilnik (born in 1942; living and working in Novi Sad, Serbia) has written and directed numerous feature and documentary films which have reaped many awards at domestic and international film festivals. From the very beginning his films have focussed on contemporary issues, featuring social, political and economic assessments of everyday life (A Newsreel on Village Youth in Winter (1967), Little Pioneers (1968), The Unemployed (1968), June Turmoil (1968), Black Film (1971), Uprising in Jazak (1972).

The student demonstrations of 1968 and the turmoil that followed the occupation of Czechoslovakia are at the centre of Žilnik’s first feature film Early Works (1969) which was awarded the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and four prizes in Pula that same year.

After facing problems with censorship in Yugoslavia and after completing his next feature film Freedom or Cartoons (1972, produced by Neoplanta Film), Žilnik spent the mid-seventies in Germany, where he independently produced and made seven documentaries and one feature film, Paradise (1976). These films were amongst the first ever to touch on the foreign workforce in Germany, and they continue to be shown to this day at various retrospectives and symposiums.

Following his return to Yugoslavia at the end of the seventies, he directed a substantial series of television films and docudramas for TV Belgrade and TV Novi Sad (The Illness and Recovery of Buda Brakus (1980), Vera and Eržika (1981), Dragoljub and Bogdan (1982), The First Trimester of Pavle Hromiš (1983), Stanimir Descending (1984), Good Morning, Belgrade (1986), Hot Paychecks (1987), Brooklyn – Gusinje (1988), Oldtimer (1989), Black and White (1990) and other). These films received many awards at television festivals, both nationally and abroad.

By the end of the eighties Žilnik was making films through a cooperative production structure of television and cinema, all of them foreshadowing the growing tensions and looming political and social changes that were to affect the country: Second Generation (1984), Pretty Women Walking through the City (1985) and The Way Steel Was Tempered (1988).

Turning to independent film and media production in the nineties, he went on to make a series of feature and documentary films centering around the cataclysmic events in the Balkans (Tito among the Serbs for the Second Time (1994), Marble Ass (1995), Throwing off the Yolks of Bondage (1997), Wanderlust (1998). These films won top awards at national festivals (in Herceg Novi, Palić, Novi Sad and Sopot) and were screened at numerous international festivals. In 1995 Marble Ass won the prestigious ‘Teddy Award’ at the Berlinale.

The breakdown of the system of values in post-transitional Central and Eastern European countries and the problems concerning refugees and migration in the new circumstances of an extended Europe became the focus of Žilnik's most recent films: Fortress Europe (2000), Kenedi Goes Back Home (2003), Kenedi, Lost and Found (2005), Europe Next Door (2005), Soap in Danube Opera (2006), Kenedi is Getting Married (2007), Old School of Capitalism (2009), One Woman - One Century (2011), Pirika on Film (2013), Logbook_Serbistan (2015) and The Most Beautiful Country in the World (2018).

Recently, Žilnik has been the subject of major career retrospectives at Cinemateca Argentina, 2018; Mar del Plata Int. Film Festival, 2017; Anthology Film Archive, New York & Harvard Film Archive, 2017; Ankara Int. Film Festival, 2016; DocLisboa, 2015; Arsenal, Berlin, 2015; Int. Film Festival, St. Petersburg, 2015; Cinusp, Sao Paulo, 2014; Thessaloniki Int. Film Festival, 2014, etc.

Since 2010, his work has been featured in programs of art galleries, museums and art institutes around the world (Documenta, Kassel, Germany; Sharjah Biennial, UAE; Venice Biennale, Italy; ICA London & Nottingham Contemporary, UK; National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA; Museum Moderner Kunst, MUMOK, Wien, Austria; Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, MACBA, Spain; Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; Museo Universitario Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico City, Mexico, etc.

Alongside his ceaseless filmmaking and production work, Žilnik has been active in educational areas, as well: since 1997 he has been a mentor and executive producer in many international workshops for students from all over South Eastern Europe. Since 2006 he has been a visiting lecturer at film schools at universities in USA, Slovenia and UK.

MARIE-MONIQUE ROBIN - FRÉDÉRIC ROSSIF AWARD 2024

5/29/2024

Marie-Monique Robin (born 15 June 1960, Poitou-Charentes) is a French TV journalist and documentary filmmaker. She generally issues books and documentary films together on the topics she investigates, in order to make more people aware of the issues she studies.

Her work has been recognized by numerous awards: the 1995 Albert Londres Prize for Voleurs d'yeux (1994), an exposé about organ theft; best political documentary award from the French Senate for Escadrons de la mort, l'école française (2003), her film about France's transfer of counter-insurgency techniques (including torture) to Argentina; and the Rachel Carson Prize for Le monde selon Monsanto (2008), her film on Monsanto and challenges to the environment from its products, including GMOs.

Marie-Monique Robin was born in 1960 and grew up in the Deux-Sèvres, where her parents were farmers. She studied political science at the University of Saarbrücken and graduated from university teaching journalism center of the University of Strasbourg.

After studying journalism in Strasbourg, she worked with France 3 for a time. Robin went to Nicaragua and worked in South America as a freelance reporter. She traveled to South America more than 80 times, including 30 times to Cuba. She reported on the Colombian guerrillas, and later worked for CAPA news agency.

Voleurs d'yeux (Eye Thieves), 1994, was the name of a book and a film based on it, related to her investigations of organ theft. After her film was shown at the United Nations, the USIA spokesman said that it was a lie. She was subjected to various pressures and personal attacks, but the following year in 1995, she was awarded the Albert-Londres prize for her film. However, the concession was suspended while the jury studied allegations of falsehoods after French physicians discovered that one of the children whose corneas the film said has been stolen still had them. After months of discussions, the commission decided to ratify the concession because they didn't find "bad faith".

Marie-Monique Robin subsequently left CAPA to work freelance. She is doing a report on Cuba for Thalassa, a French television program. Another project is exploring the rise in false allegations of pedophilia being made against teachers.

Robin made a 2003 film documentary titled Escadrons de la mort, l'école française (The Death Squads: The French School) that investigated the little-known ties between the French secret services and their Argentine and Chilean counterparts. (The next year she published a book on the same topic.) Specifically, she documented that the French transferred to Argentina counter-insurgency tactics which they had developed and used during the Algerian War (1954–62), including extensive use of torture and disappearances. The security forces later used them during the Dirty War (1976-1983) and for Operation Condor. She received an award in 2003 for the "best political documentary of the year" by the French Senate, in recognition of this work. Robin said in an August 2003 interview in L'Humanité: "[the] French have systematized a military technique in urban environment which would be copied and pasted to Latin American dictatorships". ...

Mr. Kostadin Kostadinov - SEE Personality 2024

5/28/2024

Kostadin Kostadinov, born on March 22, 1990, in Strumica, is a dedicated leader known for his active involvement in the public service.

In 2017, Kostadinov created history by becoming the youngest Mayor in Europe, managing Strumica Municipality for 10 months. Starting from 2017, he continued making impact at the National level as an MP at the Macedonian Parliament, contributing to important historical decisions, particularly related to Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic future.

Motivated by his belief in Regional development and European principles, Kostadinov was elected as Strumica's Mayor in 2021. Since taking over the Mayor’s Office in October 2021, he has actively worked to drive progress in the Municipality of Strumica.

Kostadinov's tenure has seen notable achievements in economic development, infrastructure enhancement, and community welfare. His dedicated leadership underscores his commitment to the people and the future of Strumica, making him a dynamic and proactive force in local governance.

Led by the premise "From the heart for Strumica | Од Срце за Струмица", Kostadinov creates policies for an inclusive and multicultural Municipality, perhaps one of the few in Macedonia. In this manner, Strumica Municipality's year-round cultural calendar reflects the commitment to nurturing and promoting the arts.
"Strumica Carnival", "International Art Colony", "International Festival of Chamber Theater: Risto Shiskov", "Festival of Aphorism and Caricature", "International Film Festival AsterFest", "Strumica Open Fest", "Festival of Traditional Folk Songs and Serenades: Under the Towers of Strumica"; "Get EXITed" and some more, are the events that provide a platform for local and international artists to showcase their talents and contribute to the cultural richness of Strumica, making it a City that truly comes alive with the spirit of creativity and tradition.

In addition, in the long-term strategy for progress and development of the Municipality, one of the main focuses is dedicated to Regional development of Strumica, according to the principle of equidistance. In this direction, the international cooperation achieved with Greece and Bulgaria dominates in several fields. The Municipality of Strumica keeps permanent social relations with these neighboring Countries, while showing remarkable results.