The Jubilee edition of the International Theatre Festival "50 Years of Fadila Hadžić's Satirical Days" is set to take place in Kerempuh, celebrating one of the longest-running and most prestigious theatre festivals in the region.
The program, curated by dramaturge Vedrane Klepić, includes performances from Zagreb, Osijek, Belgrade, Klanjec, Nova Gorica, Maribor, Subotica, and Podgorica. The festival offers a diverse selection, ranging from satire and black comedy to political and authorial theatre.
The festival will be opened by the Slovenian National Theatre Nova Gorica with the performance "Sve što se je dalo," a project by Tereza Gregorič, Borut Šeparović, and Jakob Šfiligoj, directed by Tereza Gregorič.
From Belgrade, two notable performances will be presented: Boris Liješević's authorial project "Moje kazalište" by Atelje 212 and "Muška suza" based on Chekhov, performed by the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, directed by Aleksandar Popovski.
From the international selection, "Trilogija Lehman" by Stefan Massinij and Ben Power will be performed by the National Theatre of Subotica, directed by Igor Pavlović. "Bollywood" by Maja Pelavić, performed by the Podgorica City Theatre, directed by Kokan Mladenović, and Nušićev's "Gospođa ministrica" by the Maribor National Theatre, directed by Veljko Mićunović, will also be featured.
The jubilee edition also includes a new side program. Public readings of new satirical works created at Kerempuh's Satire Club residency will be held, along with a roundtable discussion titled "Satire as the Last Line of Defense," focusing on the role of satire today and its social relevance.
The festival will conclude with a gala performance by Vlatko Stefanovski Trio, followed by the award ceremony. The jury will be composed of director Ana Tomović, dramaturge Zinka Kiseljak, and actor Enes Vejzović.
This jubilee edition of the festival is a testament to the enduring power of satire in the Balkans. It's inspiring to see such a diverse lineup, but why isn't there more international representation? Does the Balkan region need to step up its game in attracting global talent?