Celebrated actor from the former Yugoslavia and well known character actor in the USA, Rade Serbedzija (Shooter, Saint, Macedonian Oscar-nominated Before the Rain, recurring guest star in TV’s 24, with other memorable roles in features such as Eyes Wide Shut, MI2, Snatch, Batman Begins, Broken English, to name just a few) officially opened the South East European Film Festival 2007 this week in Los Angeles.
He was joined by Hettie Lynne Hurtes, KPCC radio personality, who served as the celebrity MC. Other guests included the Honorable Ivo Mouskourov, Consul General of Bulgaria, the Honorable Catalin Ghenea, Consul General of Romania, the Honorable Dr. Christian Stocks, Consul General of Germany and representing the European Union, George Markov, President of the Bulgarian Cultural Center of Southern California, Daniela Istrate, National President of Union and League of Romanian Societies, and Gail Kligman, Director of Center for European and Eurasian Studies, UCLA, among others.
Festival’s founder and director, Vera Mijojlic, greeted the packed Auditorium of the Goethe Institute highlighting the contribution of festival’s supporters, starting 
with the Goethe Institute and including American Cinema Foundation, UCLA, BG Television, Borders Bookstores and Virgin Megamagazine, Rebel Wine and Spirits, Sence, Le Pain Quotidien, Lavazza Coffee, La Espanola Meats, Tokyo Table, Aroma Bosnian Café, with additional support from the Los Angeles Museum of Art, Skirball Cultural Center, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Culture Wrap, Outsider Pictures, Studio Screenings, and 
general sponsor, Sebeka wine of South Africa. Great cadre of numerous UCLA-based volunteers received special recognition, and a warm round of applause.
Cinema Without Borders is the festival’s main media sponsor.
The festival continues Saturday and Sunday with screenings at the Goethe Institute, 5750 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 100, Los Angeles, Ca. 90036. The closing night is on Monday, May 7, at the Fine Arts Theatre, 8556 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, Ca. 90211 featuring Serbian film Seven and a half, preceded by short In the Name of the Son.
For tickets and further information go to www.seefilmla.org, or tickets can be bought through http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ and 800-838-3006