The international festival of alternative theater Korifej, ninth in a row, started last night in Kolašin, with the performance of the play "The Fan" by the Royal Theater Zetski dom from Cetinje. The festival, whose theme and title this year is "No Censorship", was opened by the President of the Municipality, Vladmir Martinović.
He recalled the importance of Corypheus and announced future support from the local budget for that and other events.
"It is a great pleasure to open the ninth edition of Corypheus, which is of great importance in Kolašin and during its existence has gone through numerous artistic, financial and other trials. Kolašin has the potential to recognize culture and I am glad that the Municipality contributes to such events as much as possible. Corypheus is one of the most important cultural manifestations, not only in the north, but also in the wider area. If we take into account the international character of the festival and the fact that 20 performances will be performed this year, it means that those that started nine years ago have reached a high new quality," said Martinović.
According to the artistic director of the Festival, Zoran Rakočević, Korifej grew up in the desire "to communicate with the audience, not with illustrative, but with universal theatrical language and concrete engaged Tatar means".
"It is very important that the Festival has found its refuge in the budget of the Municipality in the last years, because in the beginning we worked "guerrilla" with the help of the Society of Friends of Kolašin. It was necessary to raise everything to a level and from a small amateur ensemble to an association that is serious and has professionals ", he said.
The guest of the Festival, actress Branka Femić Šćekić, speaking on the topic of this year's edition, said that "the truth is needed to dispel the darkness." The search for the truth, she said, for an artist is what "the entire creative process revolves around."
"Fearing for personal survival, the system implements censorship, in the need to unravel the darkness, show the direction of progress, the creator speaks the truth. Censoring a work of art means that the system feels that the work brings danger for it, which is a compliment to the work, because it means that it has influence. Throughout history, films, theater plays, and posters have been banned in Montenegro, and the consequences of censorship were borne even by the authors of texts on social networks. In the conglomerate of communication channels, based on the quasi-freedom that liberal capitalism carries, it seems that today it is difficult prohibit anything. However, communication channels, no matter how diverse they are, are sometimes unable to convey the essence of art - experience, emotion and reaction," said Femić Šćekić.
This is why, the actress explained, participation in festivals such as Corypheus is "important, stimulating and nurturing" for creators. Femić Šćekić wanted Coryfej to be "a leader in giving artistic, creative, spiritual and thought freedom, a leader in the fight for the truth..."
This year's selection of the Kolasin festival consists of 20 plays and performances, and the accompanying program of six projects. Among other things, the audience will be able to see a performance by the Montenegrin National Theater (CNP). An integral part of the Festival are two performances by the Polish theater Terminus a Quo.
A theater from Spain will perform its award-winning play, as well as an independent production from Slovakia. Reflektor theater will perform a corpoduction performance with the Kraljevo association Grupa Grupa. Part of the festival is a conversation about Islam, with Koran collector Edin Smailović, and the audience will have the opportunity to see an exhibition by Macedonian artist Zoran Kardula, dedicated to the characters of the anti-fascist struggle. Two cabarets come from Serbia and Croatia, and the performance Ro&Rosenkurtz and the Concert for spoons and guitar will be performed. Montenegrin independent scene will be presented with the projects of Coryfej Theater, Empty Space, Bunt Scene, Youth Theater and several ad hoc associations of young artists.
At this year's festival, the Hercegnov Theater will also perform, when actress Tanja Bošković, after a long time, will perform in front of the Kolašin audience. An integral part of this year's Korifej are also student projects, this time from academies from Cetinje and Belgrade. The festival is produced by the Municipality and the NGO "Korifej Teatar", with co-financing from the Ministry of Culture and Media. The project is implemented with the help of the Cultural Center of Kolašin, the Tourist Organization (TO) of that city, the Ski Center 1600, the National Park (NP) Biogradska gora...
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