Teatro Praga from Lisbon announced today on their Instagram that they are withdrawing the show Audition sa program of the 59th BITEF.
In the press release they published on Instagram, it is written that "with deep regret, but also with firm conviction, Teatro Praga announces its withdrawal from the 59th edition of BITEF - Belgrade International Theater Festival".
Reason: censorship
As a reason, they cite "the current political and cultural situation in Serbia and the interference of the authorities and public institutions in culture."
They emphasize that "censorship, pressure on artists and independent organizations, exclusion of critical voices, deterioration of working conditions and gradual weakening of autonomous cultural structures, are not compatible with what we consider the basic principles of a democratic society: freedom of artistic expression and thought, human dignity, equality and the right to dissent. In these circumstances, our participation could be interpreted as a form of legitimization, or complicity with a context that does not serve either the artistic community or the wider civil society".
Spasoje Ž. Milovanović, selector of this year's program and president of the Bitef Board, tells "Vreme" that "preparations of the announced program for the 59th Bitef are going according to plan", and then confirms the decision of Teatro Praga from Portugal:
"It is true that one of the invited troops has decided to cancel their participation in this year's Bitef. That is their right and I have no intention of disputing it. But a political assessment is not the same as a fact."
"What I consider important is that this year's Bitef is seen as a separate festival edition, to make a clear difference between last year's Bitef and this year's Bitef. I am not asking anyone to change their opinion about the events of 2025. But now we are talking about a new city secretary for culture, a new Board, a new Board president, a new selector and a program that was created without any political conditions or interventions in artistic decisions," emphasizes selector Milovanović and points out:
"No troupe was asked to make any changes to the play, nor was anyone subjected to pressure or censorship of any kind."
Chronology of events
According to him, the chronology of events is indicative.
"The invitation to participate was accepted. Only after the announcement of the program, according to their own statements, were there contacts from Serbia warning them about the situation in Serbia, then asking about last year's Bitef, and then the decision to cancel. This shows that their position was not based on the experience of cooperation with this year's festival, but on the basis of a subsequent assessment of the wider social and political context."
Spasoje Z. Milovanović sees in this "one logical inconsistency. If the communication with the organizers was professional, if there were no political conditions, restrictions or interference in the artistic content, then the claim that participation alone would represent the legitimization of censorship cannot be derived from the experience of cooperation. It arises from a previously adopted interpretation of the context. It is a legitimate political assessment, but not a fact about this year's Bitef".
"It is equally interesting that at the same time they talk about the need for dialogue and give up participation in the festival, the main purpose of which is precisely international artistic dialogue. This does not expand the space for conversation, but rather narrows it. And by deciding not to come, they gave up the opportunity to enter into a dialogue with the audience, artists and society in Serbia through their performance. It is difficult to accept the logic according to which the space of dialogue is defended by stepping out of it."
And, finally, Spasoje Ž. Milovanović emphasizes that "it is not good to equate this year's Bitef with the events of 2025 in advance. Each festival should be evaluated according to the program it has chosen, the way it is organized and the relationship it has with the artists and the audience. Everything else belongs to political interpretations, and not to the direct experience of this year's edition."
According to the program of the 59th Bitef, a performance Audition is planned to be shown on September 17 on the stage of the theater "Duško Radović".
That, now vacant slot, will be replaced by a new play, says Spasoje Ž. Markovic. Negotiations are ongoing.
An act of solidarity
Teatro Praga from Lisbon points out that this decision is primarily "an act of solidarity with Serbian artists, cultural workers and independent organizations".
They are aware that participation in a festival like Bitef "would be of particular importance for an experimental company from a peripheral country like Portugal, which itself has experienced the structural inequalities that shape the cultural sector."
They believe that solidarity must prevail and therefore hope that this decision "will serve as a thought-provoking gesture among other artists and organizations and will contribute to the strengthening of international solidarity with the Serbian artistic community."
This is the second cancellation.
Just before the management of Bitef announced that they would announce the program of this year's edition, by chance, thanks to a question at the press conference, it became known that the British-German troupe Gob Squad had canceled their appearance.
It was said in the media that they do not want to give legitimacy to the selector/Board that leads Bitef, because they are directly connected to censorship and the cancellation of freedom of expression for artists, thus compromising a festival that has a huge reputation and historical importance.
Spasoje Z. Milovanović believes that this is a misinterpretation, and that they have nothing against the current management of Bitef, but the one that caused the cancellation of Milo Rau's performance last year.
The 59th Bitef festival will be held in its traditional time, from September 14 to 20. It was announced that the program will include seven performances from Argentina, Lebanon, Slovenia, Portugal, Italy, Montenegro and Serbia.
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