Romanian Cinema in Focus at SEEfest Los Angeles 2026
- RCI USA
- Apr 15
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 30
Discover bold new voices, award-winning films, and special guest appearances by Romanian filmmakers
About The Event
The South East European Film Festival Los Angeles (SEEfest) returns for its 21st edition, taking place from April 29 to May 6, 2026, continuing its mission as one of the leading platforms in the United States dedicated to cinema from South East Europe. This year’s edition places a special emphasis on Romanian cinema, highlighting a curated selection of films that reflect the originality, depth, and growing global visibility of contemporary Romanian filmmaking, while fostering cultural exchange and amplifying voices that engage with pressing social realities and evolving cinematic languages. The Romanian Cultural Institute in New York is pleased to mark this new edition and to continue its longstanding commitment to this valued partnership.
The festival will officially open with Catane, directed by Ioana Mischie, presented in the presence of the director. Inspired by real events, the film is a sharp and darkly comic exploration of moral ambiguity, social pressures, and the fragile boundary between truth and appearance, showcasing Mischie’s distinctive voice at the intersection of cinema and innovative storytelling.
The Romanian presence continues with Comatogen, directed by Igor Cobileanski, a multilayered narrative that examines the complexities of human relationships in a world shaped by financial interests and hidden agendas. Told from intersecting perspectives, the film offers a compelling and nuanced portrait of contemporary society. Screenings will take place in the presence of actress Daniela Nane.
Complementing these feature films, the program also includes a diverse selection of Romanian and Romanian-affiliated productions: the fiction short The Road Home by Marian Fărcuț, the documentary short Hollowgram by Laura Iancu (Romania / U.S.), and the documentary Electing Ms Santa by Raisa Răzmeriță, a Republic of Moldova–Romania co-production. Together, these works highlight the breadth of voices and formats through which Romanian filmmakers engage with personal, social, and political narratives.
One of the leading platforms in the United States dedicated to cinema from South East Europe, SEEfest continues its mission to showcase compelling, issue-driven storytelling from a region marked by cultural diversity and dynamic perspectives. This year’s edition places a special emphasis on Romanian cinema, bringing into focus a vibrant and internationally resonant body of work.
The Romanian Cultural Institute in New York is a longstanding partner of SEEfest, supporting its mission to promote the cultural diversity of South East Europe and to foster meaningful artistic exchange between the region and the United States. This sustained collaboration reflects a shared commitment to bringing outstanding Romanian cinema to international audiences and to strengthening its presence on the North American cultural scene.
The presence of Romanian directors at this year’s edition is supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York. More details about the festival will soon be available at https://seefilmla.org/.
Discover the Films
CATANE (d. Ioana Mischie, 2025)
In the remote Romanian village of Catane, a community of villagers, long surviving on disability benefits obtained through ambiguous means, faces exposure when a local inquiry descends. What unfolds is not a story of deception, but of unexpected ingenuity. As the villagers band together under pressure, they craft a disarmingly poetic and humorous response to the absurdities of a broken system. In reinventing their way of life, they reveal not only a means of survival—but a radical model of communal resilience in a fractured world.
Ioana Mischie is a Romanian innovative artist, multi-awarded for film, virtual reality, and pioneering concepts. Her creative mission as a transmedia artist (writer/director) and futurist is blending meaningful concepts, groundbreaking technologies, and long-term social impact.
More derails HERE.
COMATOGEN (d. Igor Cobileanski, 2024)
Alina, a modest nurse supporting her son Radu, tries to rekindle a past love with Pavel, a real estate director. When Radu steals €18,000 from Pavel’s office, relationships and ambitions spiral out of control. The coma of wealthy client Mr. Klauss brings his daughter Mihaela into Alina’s life, offering financial help in exchange for a shocking crime. COMATOGEN reveals the characters’ true moral selves, showing how greed, lies, and desire can drive people to betrayal—and even murder.
Born in 1974 in the Republic of Moldova (then part of the USSR), he graduated in 1995 from the National University of Theatre and Film (UNATC) in Bucharest, Romania. He is known for his viral short films, including When the Lights Go Out (2006), Sasa, Grisa si Ion (2006), Inspiration (2007), and The Flavours Collection (2013). His first feature film, The Unsaved (2013), written in collaboration with Corneliu Porumboiu, was widely screened at international film festivals. Since 2014, he has collaborated with HBO Europe. Most recently, he directed the 10-episode series Plaha, which launched on Netflix (Romania and Moldova) on January 1, 2026, reaching #1 in viewership within five days of its release.
More details HERE.
THE ROAD HOME (d. Marian Fărcuț, 2025)
Petre is returning from a farm with a pig he wants to slaughter up for Christmas. In the field he meets Zoli and offers to take him to town. The two spend the night together looking for a way home.
Marian Fărcuț, film director, born on July 29, 1999, in Salonta, Romania, made his debut with the short film The Inheritance, which premiered in the Romanian Film Days section at the Transilvania International Film Festival, where it received the Jury’s Special Mention. The film was subsequently selected for international festivals including Cottbus, IndieLisboa, and Brest. His latest short film, The Road Home, received the Special Mention at the Trieste International Film Festival in 2026. His work has been presented at both national and international film festivals.
More details HERE.
ELECTING MS SANTA (d. Raisa Răzmeriță, 2025)
Politics in Moldova is no longer just a man's game – at least not in Elena’s village. By launching a bold bid for local office, 42-year-old Elena becomes the uncomfortable face of change. Her decision to run is more than just a political campaign; it is the story of a woman daring to dismantle patriarchal boundaries while her entire nation stands on the threshold of historic transformation, edging closer to the European Union.
Raisa Răzmeriță is a journalist and a filmmaker from Moldova. Having worked in the media and in the non-governmental sector on children’s rights, she discovered that documentary filmmaking enables her to connect deeply with her subjects. She sees storytelling as a way to reveal essential truths. She is a graduate of BDC Discoveries (Balkan Documentary Centre) and a Malik Bendjelloul fellow. She is completing her Master’s degree at the State University of Moldova in Philosophy and Cultural Management. Alongside directing with HaiDOC Productions, she collaborates with several Moldovan NGOs on projects addressing social issues such as child abuse, women in politics, and disability inclusion.
More details HERE.
