Drama "Elena of Savoy" by the author Maria Sarap won the award for best dramatic text, while the play of the same name also triumphed as the best at the "Actor of Europe" Festival in Prespa, North Macedonia.
Sarap, a playwright and screenwriter, currently the artistic director of the Montenegrin National Theatre (CNP), skillfully moves between historical factography and the psychologically rich inner world of her characters in this text. In "Jelena Savojska", the author does not simply offer a linear reconstruction of a forgotten life, but subtly depicts the struggle of a woman torn between duty and her own voices, internal crossroads and fragments of power.
It is precisely this voice - at once vulnerable and determined - that distinguishes the author's poetics. There is nothing superfluous in her lines; silence has the same weight as words, and every detail carries meaning. This drama is not just a tribute to a historical figure, but a lucidly written drama of identity, belonging and freedom.
The play "Elena Savoyska", directed by Zoran Rakočević, premiered last year at the "Makado" festival in Podgorica.
The text of the award-winning play has also been translated into English, thanks to the efforts of professors and students of the University of the Mediterranean.
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