In the tradition of Bitef, it has a social mission as well as an artistic one. The slogan "We are the heroes of our work", which unites the nine performances of the main program of this year's 56th Bitef, suggests the theme of the moment: economic problems as a consequence of the pandemic and war.
"We have chosen plays that deal with social challenges ranging from the miserable survival of Mexican factory workers on their minimum wage, through the fate of world museum guards, among whom there are people who have not found work in their profession, to life in a British shelter where the protagonists ended up due to losing their apartment , homeland or work", says Ivan Medenica, artistic director of Bitef.
He reminds that "those problems arise as a result of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, we already feel it on our own skin, but we should not forget that they have older and deeper roots, that they are the result of the metastases of neoliberal capitalism." We are not suggesting that the work is 'in focus today', if by that we mean that this issue is part of some global discourse. On the contrary, problems related to working conditions, workers' rights, new forms of exploitation are insufficiently discussed both locally and globally, unions are marginalized. In this regard, Bitef is again the vanguard."
During the pandemic, there was an opinion that culture is not necessary. Ivan Medenica says that "the relationship between artistic creativity and the contemporary, capitalist perception of work is very problematic if, for example, we consider the division of non-essential and non-essential professions that appeared during the pandemic." She maliciously suggests that you can do without some professions, and should we be surprised that artistic ones are among them?
On the other hand, adds Medenica, "some developed societies have found ways to support the sector of contemporary artistic creativity during the pandemic, especially the independent scene, which was the most vulnerable." I'm afraid that was not the case here. That's why we felt a great responsibility at Bitef to, in a year when our thematic focus is on work, provide working conditions for our actors of the independent scene", which is why this year's Bitef will realize two co-productions, announces Ivan Medenica.
She is one of them A world without women, about the position of women in Serbian theater, author's project of writers and performers Maja Pelević and Olga Dimitrijević who, Medenica emphasizes, are "known for their uncompromising treatment of social problems" and adds that "the work on it is still in the research phase. We will certainly get a good section, a map of the representation of women in the Belgrade theater, maybe some interesting arguments for or against this kind of political correctness, which is also reflected in the advocacy for gender quotas."
That this social problem is considered important by Bitef is clearly proven by the production of the aforementioned play. "Also, in the selection of plays, we take into account the representation of female authors, so at the 56th Bitef, in addition to Maja and Olga, we have other female directors and writers, such as the leading Slovenian director of the youngest generation, Nina Rajić Kranjac, or one of the world's leading female directors, and who is at Bitef for the first time, the British Katie Mitchell."
It's not only Mitchell's first time at Bitef, but also all other foreign authors. If we ignore Bitef's reputation, which goes without saying, in the context of the fact that Serbia is currently not ranked the best in Europe and the world, the question is - what attracted them? Ivan Medenica says that "Bitef's international reputation cannot be ignored in this regard, I think that is the main reason why we did not have any problems when calling troops due to the fact that Bitef is in a country that has not imposed sanctions on Russia." On the other hand, at the 56th Bitef, we are organizing a plenary meeting (with over five hundred participants) of one of the world's largest theater networks, IETM, and their position on the issue of the war in Ukraine is unequivocal, so that will also be communicated in Belgrade."
"If I may say so myself, I think it is known, both locally and in international organizations, that I, as an individual, perceive this conflict as aggression by Russia and that I unequivocally condemn it."
The Russian invasion drew the world's attention to the artists and culture of Ukraine. "They should certainly be supported and helped to work, in their own country or, if that is not possible, in emigration, but it should not be done sensationally and according to political dictates, as was the case at the Eurovision Song Contest." The concept, theme and almost the entire program of the 56th Bitefa were set before the war in Ukraine started, but we will find a way, primarily within the framework of the IETM gathering, to clearly address this topic."
In the political everyday life of hatred and destruction, where love is the defeated side, a show Love by the famous English director Alexander Zeldin, seems like it is from another movie. Ivan Medenica recalls that the play "was a hit at the world's leading festivals and in the theaters where it was a guest", and explains that it "ultra-realistic, almost documentary-like treatment of the fates of the residents of the homeless shelter, but shows that, despite mutual conflicts and intolerance, they they still have the capacity for empathy and love for others."
"In that regard, Love is similar to most other plays from the 56th Bitef: despite the painful subject matter, it creates a feeling of warmth and even hope, rather than anger, despair and hopelessness. Maybe that's what theater can do in these eerie times?"
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