Visit-Montenegro.com : Theatre Tales About Budva

Budva – “This year’s “Grad teatar city Budva-Prva banka Crne Gore” took place under the slogan of an English philosopher, George Moore: ‘Reality can destroy the dream; why not destroy reality with a dream first’. Entire Festival was a success and represents a step forward in comparison to its’ last year’s edition”, director of Public Enterprise “Grad teatar”, Merin Smailagic said at final press conference yesterday.

He emphasized that total of 64 programs have been performed during 51 nights of the festival.

“14 plays have been performed as a part of drama program, out of which three premiers, with total of eight replays, and seven children’s plays.

We had 600 guests from Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, England, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Russian and the United States.

According to our statistics, 10,000 visitors have followed this years’ festival”, Smailagic said.

Four drama-segments, which followed on last year’s concept of the festival, found there place in this year’s program as well as well.

Smailagic stated that segment “Budvanske price” (Tales from Budva) has been marked with three huge co-productions which dealt with Budva’s and Mediterranean topics – play “Kaligula”, based on Camus’ text, directed by Tomaz Pandur; “Kadmopolis-Udaljni pogled“ (Kadmopolis – a look from the distance), directed by Matjaz Berger, based of Becket, Eliar, Hegel, Pavic and Sartre; and, play “Ogovaranje” (Gossip) which has been written by Nebojsa Romcevic and directed by Ljubisa Ristic.

Asked by journalists to comment on the critics of this year’s festival, Smailagic said that they have mostly been positive.

Selector of literature program, Svetlana Ivanovic said that this program, based on the paradigm of the renaissance, got together 14 writers, critics, theorists, philosophers, professors and publishers of different sensibility, who discussed all topics tackled by contemporary literature and modern social thought.

“14 out of 16 programs had been realized. Audience had been addressed by Zorica Becanović-Nikolic, Slobodan Vladusic, Aleksandar Jerkov, Ante Tomic, SciFi-association “Lazar Komarcic”, Goran Skrobonja, Gordana Cirjanic, Lamija Begagic, Vladimir Djurisic, Edvard Lusi Smit, Milos Sobajic, Zarko Paic, Zorica Tomic and Nikola Malovic.

For the first time, selection “Guest and a Guest” had been organized and it proved to be a remarkable success. Also, as a part of the ‘off-program’, a book of children’s poetry ‘Lana Asja sa cvijećem u kosi’ of author, Snezana Dabovic has been introduced”, Ivanovic stated.

In words of selector, Maja Djuric, painting program, which took place under motto “Renaissance – a dream about beauty”, gathered most prominent artists from Montenegro, who presented their works at one group and one individual exhibition.

“Collective works of ‘Shift’ group from Podgorica had been presented, as well as the works of eight artists of “Pizana” gallery, which had been commissioned especially for this occasion, so that this exhibition can be considered as a co-production project. Also, audience could have seen the works of Podgorica’s artist, Milena Mijovic- Durutovic”, Djuric stated.

Music program gathered artists from abroad who are dedicated to Mediterranean musical heritage. 11, out of 14 announced programs, took place.

Smailagic also discussed the issue of this year’s budget, clarifying that the Municipality of Budva has supported work of the public enterprise “City Theater” with Euro 771,000 during 2008.

“‘Prva banka Crne Gore’ has been a general sponsor of manifestation ‘Budvansko ljeto’. Part of this manifestation is also “City Theatre”, which has received Euro 100,000, 40,000 of which had been paid for the branded name”, Smailagic said.

In words of Smailagic, names of this year’s laureates of “City Theater” and “Stefan Mitrov Ljubisa” awards will be known before 1 September, when the jury would decide on who would receive awards for literature and theatre.

Jury for dramatic performance will include: Rajko Mihovic, Bozena Jelusic and Janko Ljumovic, while decision on literature awards would be reached by Dragan Radulovic, Biljana Komarica and Svetlana Kalezic-Radonjic.

(28 August 2008)

By: V.L.