The 58th Bitef, with 1664 Blanc as the general sponsor, will take place from 25 September to 4 October under the slogan "The Beauty Will (Not) Save the World." The main programme will showcase ten productions from Germany, France, Switzerland, Bolivia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia.
Carolina Bianchi is a Brazilian theatre creator based in Amsterdam, who captured the world’s attention in July last year with the premiere of the first chapter of this trilogy at the prestigious Avignon Festival. Since then, this intriguing work has been featured at all the major European and international festivals, establishing Bianchi as one of the most important new names in the performing arts.
What is most valuable, and at the same time most exciting about this work, is the author’s radical approach to the theme of sexual violence. Starting from the depiction of rape through the prism of art history - from painting to performance - Bianchi goes even further, expanding this context with her personal experience of sexual violence and placing herself as a performer in extreme circumstances by taking GHB (a substance commonly used to incapacitate victims before an attack) on stage to recreate the situation in which she was drugged during a night out.
“This lecture-performance then transforms into a dance piece, representing an exceptionally thoughtful, brave, and authentic work that, in addition to exploring the theme of sexual abuse, bodily presence, and what an unconscious body (in life or on stage) can communicate, ultimately stands as an artistic manifesto of trauma survival,” states the Bitef selection team.
Following its premiere in Avignon last July, The Stage noted that Carolina Bianchi’s acclaimed piece was undoubtedly the festival’s most controversial event, sparking widespread discussion, with some audience members visibly distressed and others even leaving before the end of the performance.
“Undoubtedly, Carolina Bianchi’s performance deserves a place in the annals of the Avignon Festival’s history and will leave an indelible mark on the audience’s memory,” Le Monde commented in its review.
“As the performance unfolds, both beautiful and terrifying, Bianchi becomes not just a victim to illustrate the story but a physical symbol of the burden of her research,” The Guardian observed, adding that perhaps “it’s the proximity to death in the piece, the boldness, and the risk of the performance, that creates such an ultimate sense of vitality.”
The performance quickly garnered numerous awards, including the French Critics’ Syndicate Award for Best Foreign Premiere in the 2023/2024 theatre season. Bianchi and the Cara de Cavalo troupe have embarked on an extensive tour, which brings them to this year’s Bitef. "Cadela Força Trilogy - Chapter I: The Bride and Goodnight Cinderella" will be performed on October 3 and 4 at the Terazije Theatre.
Patrons of the festival are the Secretariat for Culture of the City of Belgrade and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia. The general sponsor of this year's Bitef is 1664 Blanc, which recognises the festival's significance as a cultural event and contributes to its success. Traditionally, the festival is also supported by the Goethe Institute, Institut français, and the Delegation of the European Union. New Moment New Ideas Company, the festival's creative agency, is also a partner and friend of Bitef. This year’s festival partners include Generali Osiguranje Srbija, Erste Bank a.d. Novi Sad, and Coca-Cola Hellenic Serbia.
