Los Angeles was recently treated to “Slovenia Begs to Differ,” a unique
retrospective of Slovenian films, 1945-present.

The film series took place over three weekends in September 2011 at the Hammer Museum’s 295-seat Billy Wilder Theater, which was consistently full or 2/3 full every night. Many film aficionados showed up to see films shown from archival 35mm prints. The films were curated by Vera Mijojlic, artistic director of the South East European Film Festival, and Shannon Kelley, head of oublic programs of UCLA’s Film and Television Archive. Special thanks to Nerina T. Kocjancic of the Slovenian Film Center.

The series featured some of the most influential and fascinating Slovenian films from mid-century forward, offering lyrical, poetic and free-spirited stories of endearing misfits. Highlights included Valley of Peace, which won Best Actor at Cannes in 1957; Vesna (1953), one of Slovenia's most popular films; Dance in the Rain (1961), an elegant and enigmatic love story that often tops national critics' polls; and a concluding double bill with an ironic comedy Gravehopping (2005), and a psychological thriller 9:06 (2009). One of the leading contemporary filmmakers from Slovenia, Igor Sterk (9:06) attended the closing night screenings.