Artists launch independent “ne:Bitef” festival: “Bitef is wherever we gather”

In a press release, the organizers explained that the Belgrade International Theatre Festival (Bitef) will not be held this year, at least not in its institutional form, which is why this informal group has stepped in - with no funding and very few resources, but fueled by enthusiasm, solidarity, and volunteer work, they are organizing a guerrilla-style festival across the city to demonstrate that the art scene refuses to accept censorship or be silenced.

The group emphasized that, through a series of misguided and unprofessional decisions - drastic budget cuts, abolishing the position of artistic director and, finally, imposing outright censorship on the program - the founder has taken every step to ensure that Bitef does not happen this year. First, the city authorities disempowered it, then postponed and reshaped it, and finally tried to silence it.

“The wiser side doesn’t give in – it gets organized” – this is the lesson we learned from the student movement. By responding forcefully to the censorship of Bitef, we decided not to accept the erasure of an important history and the living legacy of critical theater. ‘ne:Bitef’ is both a resounding ‘no’ to censorship and a non-institutional, independent Bitef – a continuation of the festival that belongs to the community, not to any secretariat, board, or government,” the program statement for the inaugural ne:Bitef reads.

The festival will officially open on December 15 at 6 pm at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade with the performance The Pelico Trial, by Milo Rau and Servane Dècle.