"The Beauty Will (Not) Save the World" is this year’s Bitef slogan. What does it inspire in you? If not beauty, what could possibly save this world?
I’m not sure I’m fond of the world we live in today, for my family and myself. It takes immense mental strength, energy, optimism, and faith in a better tomorrow that never seems to arrive, just to keep oneself intact. We are living in a political, economic, ecological, and socio-cultural chaos, with a planet beset by various forms of physical and psychological violence, hostility, and anger—towards both ourselves and others. As a species, we’ve truly brewed up a storm, swiftly evolving from creators and pioneers to victims of our own words, decisions, and actions. My grandmother used to say that the world must first collapse to evolve again. But even if her words prove true, I’m not convinced that anything would fundamentally change, as we fail to learn from our mistakes and only see fragments of the world around us, rather than the whole picture.
On the other hand, it is precisely those fragments of our microcosm in which we move that preserve the tiny bit of sanity we have left, and we can influence that small world of ours, making it better, smarter, healthier, and more beautiful. I truly make an effort, believe me, with every fibre of my being, to find something beautiful in each day, some small delight, something to nourish the inside, for the heart and soul. And then I savour it slowly, bit by bit, until the next day. So, beauty may not save the world, but it will certainly save me.
We’ve revealed all the highlights of this year’s main festival programme. Has any performance already caught your eye? Which one are you particularly excited about?
We've been closely connected for years now, and it's clear that I've been a Bitef devotee ever since my student days. So, I'll answer this question first as a passionate audience member, and as such, my top pick is “Softening” by the Dance On Ensemble from Berlin. The ensemble itself is fascinating, composed of dancers over 40 years of age, who, by all traditional standards, should be in retirement. Yet, these are the years when they can contribute the most with their life and professional experience, knowledge, and skill. I appreciate how the ensemble defies the stereotype of the mental and physical decline of ballet dancers at a certain age, advocating for a different view on dance “maturity”—with a more inclusive approach, that honours and respects the generationally distinct presence on stage. As someone once said, while our skin may wrinkle with age, our soul, passion, and love for dance do not. I believe “Softening” will enlighten us and highlight the need to reduce the negative effects of prejudices and misconceptions about older age.
Apart from this performance, as devoted friends of the festival in the delightful dilemma of choosing what to see, we’re also excited about “Hecuba, Not Hecuba” by the Comédie Française from Paris. This brilliant performance combines an ancient myth with a contemporary, true story of a woman’s quest for justice. We particularly recommend Hecuba because it offers a rare opportunity to witness, firsthand, the ensemble of France's oldest theatre company. For us, this is not just the theatre event of the season but much more—a historical moment.
When we spoke a year ago, just before the 57th Bitef, you mentioned Mira Trailović, her courage and audacity as your first association with Bitef. This year, we are marking a century since her birth with a programme full of strong female characters, both mythical and contemporary, facing a wide array of challenges. What do you see as the greatest challenge facing women today? And do you have any advice on how to overcome it?
Mira was and remains synonymous with Bitef—a theatrical revolutionary and a remarkable woman in every sense. I firmly believe she directly influenced generations of young women, her contemporaries, giving us the encouragement to boldly move forward, fight for our place under the sun, and develop critical thinking while uncompromisingly standing by our personal beliefs. She truly empowered us through her example. As for today, life itself is a challenge.
However, the good news is that since Mira’s time, when she was the one and only brilliant guiding star, the sky over Serbia has become filled with hundreds of new shining stars. Strong, capable, intelligent, hard-working, confident, competent, brave, and talented Miras are all around us—in culture, in the arts, and in many other fields. I believe we can do even better and do it with greater excellence, but to go further and reach higher, we need genuine understanding and support from society, the environment in which we work, along with mutual support among ourselves. And most importantly, we need faith in ourselves and reliance on our abilities and personal capacities. Beauty may not change the world, but women certainly will.
Erste Bank and Bitef are continuing their friendship this year, to the mutual satisfaction of both parties. How does Erste Bank perceive the role of culture, art, and festivals like Bitef within the community?
We love culture and art and have lived it with all our hearts and souls throughout all these years of Erste Bank’s presence in Serbia. It’s a part of our identity, a part of our sustainable efforts to contribute to the accessibility and promotion of cultural and artistic content through support for various projects, programmes, initiatives, and festivals, both large and small. How could we not support something that influences each of us, something that inspires and motivates us to be different, more aware, stronger, more positive—to be better? Bitef is also our unique cultural heritage, a pioneer of theatrical avant-garde, and a catalyst for societal change. And by society, I mean the world. It’s a festival that fosters dialogue, creativity, as well as empathy and beauty. A festival that connects the unconnectable, shapes awareness, empowers artists, instils hope, and gives opportunities. Though now in its mature years, it still retains the same youthful energy, charisma, and passion as on its very first day. I believe Mira would be pleased.
To conclude, perhaps beauty cannot save the world, but culture and art certainly can.
