Filip Gajić, acting director of the Bitef Theater, canceled four plays even though they were previously approved by the Board of Directors and their premieres were scheduled for the beginning of the 2026/27 season, in order to replace them with projects of his choice.
Vladimir Aleksić, president of the Board of Directors of Bitef Theater, told "Vreme" that "The Board of Directors did not approve the cancellation of the four already planned premieres or new titles that would replace them."
Photo: Tanjug/Dragan KujundžićVladimir Aleksic
He adds that on that occasion, "he just called a meeting of the Board of Directors so that a decision could be made." He expects it to be held soon.
No explanation
Filip Gajić refused to speak for "Vreme" because he does not want to communicate with the media which, as he said, reported on his appointment as acting director "in a tabloid manner" and which "was against him a priori", and which, Gajić is sure, will "write a lie" whatever he says.
On the remark that it is his duty to explain to the public how he spends the money entrusted to him, he repeated that he is not obliged to explain anything to Vremena.
It remains for us, therefore, to interpret for ourselves what is happening in the Bitef theater these days, based on the given facts and the statements of the authors whose performances Filip Gajić canceled. The canceled shows are: Lysistrata: Sex and Strike, project by Mina Milošević, Compromise Jelena Kajgo, The Powers of Citizen Chaplin Davor Špišić directed by Robert Raponja and Greenhouse Aleksandar Jugović directed by Jelena Bogavac.
In the announcement of the Community of Arts and Culture (ZUK) about this case, it is stated that "the new season of the Bitef Theater will be marked by projects directed by Filip Gajić himself, actress Dina Vucaj and Marko Nikolić, the importance of which has not been explained to the public."
Gajic is bothered by feminism.
Mina Milošević, author of the project Lysistrata: Sex and Strike, tells "Vreme" that she asked for a meeting with the new acting director with the intention of getting to know him.
"Then I found out that my play will not be realized."
Photo: Tanjug/Jadranka IlićMina Milosevic
Mina Milošević says that during that conversation, other authors also called Gajić on the phone in order to check whether the information about the cancellation of performances, which had spread throughout the theater, was correct.
"He confirmed to everyone. Neither I, nor as far as I know the others, were informed about it in writing."
She says she was "surprised to say the least" because "we have started the process of realizing the play, and the actresses and collaborators have booked dates for rehearsals."
"Gajić said that my Lysistrata doesn't fit because it's too feminist, so he offered me to write a new text in which there will be no activist ideas. He explained to me that he is changing the concept of the Bitef theater, and that it will be based on the theater of Africa, Asia and South America, primarily on non-verbal theater. I interpret it as an intention to remove every socially relevant and important topic from the theater".
Mina Milošević says that she explained to Gajić that her Lysistrata corresponds to his concept, and then she subsequently explained it to him in writing on several pages, but she failed.
Signed contract
Jelena Kajgo has even signed a contract with the Bitef Theater on the production of the play Compromise, in which Branislav Trifunović, Milan Marić, Nina Janković and Miona Marković were supposed to star, and the first rehearsal was scheduled for the day after Gajić confirmed the change of repertoire. Compromise is a co-production with the Association of Citizens of Culture of the World, which means that its realization for the Bitef Theater would be materially profitable.
"Empty" competition
That Filip Gajić is serious, that he is throwing away the already planned repertoire and setting up a new one that he has not presented to anyone, he showed with a casting announcement on social networks. It said "for collaborators on new projects". It is not specified which projects these are, as well as which collaborators are needed.
According to reports, more than 200 candidates from different professions applied. The fact that people applied for an "empty" vacancy speaks of the desperate need for work of the local people.
It was announced on Instagram on Monday that the audition was over and that Gajić chose the best. Again no details.
Who makes decisions and spends public resources
In the mentioned statement, ZUK emphasizes that "the casting was announced without clear information about the plays and author teams. Artists who apply for such invitations have the right to have full information about the projects they are applying for."
"Unfortunately, this case opens up a broader issue of how decisions are made in domestic theaters about the repertoire and distribution of public resources. That is why we demand greater transparency in the work of management boards, clear decision-making procedures and greater responsibility towards artists and the public."
Public theaters belong to citizens and the cultural community. Decisions that shape their repertoire must be made transparently, responsibly and in the interest of the public, not individuals in positions of power," the ZUK statement reads at the end.
The members of the Board of Directors are now in a position to decide what will happen to the plays they previously approved, for which the budget was approved and which were included in the repertoire of the Bitef Theater for the 2026/27 season, and which Filip Gajić canceled.
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