In recent years, big world stars are happy to present their work to the Montenegrin audience, but most of them mostly come from the music world. However, since last year, the situation is slowly changing thanks to the Rubix festival, which is one of the newest additions to the festival scene in the Balkans.
This event, which will be held from August 8 to 10 in Porto Montenegro, has already attracted visitors from the entire region and beyond for the second year in a row, considering that it also brings numerous world stars to Tivat. The festival is designed as a multidisciplinary event that combines theater, music, art and technology, creating a unique platform for creative expression and cultural exchange. With a rich program that includes performances by renowned artists, performances by big music stars, contemporary art exhibitions, workshops and interactive installations, the Rubix Festival offers an unforgettable experience for all visitors, becoming recognizable for its innovation and dynamic atmosphere, positioning itself as an important cultural event in the region. .
After last year the audience had a unique opportunity to watch the play "Paklena Komedija" John Malkovic who has won numerous awards and accolades around the world accompanied by 25 members of the orchestra, this year a celebrated actress and former model is coming to Rubix Isabela Rossellini.
On the first day of the festival, she will perform the monodrama "Darwin's Smile" in front of the audience, with which she managed to combine art and science. It is a piece that Roselini premiered in 2020, and since then she has performed on numerous prestigious stages around the world. This play combines her passion for biology and acting, exploring the connections between art and science through the lens of evolutionary theory. Charles Darwin.
"Darwin's Smile" explores how evolutionary theories have shaped our understanding of emotion, behavior and communication. Rossellini uses a combination of acting, educational segments, humor and visual effects to introduce audiences to the world of natural history and behavioral science. In the play, she also appears in various animal costumes, and critics have positively evaluated this piece of hers, praising Isabella for her unique ability to combine science and art in an entertaining and educational way. Reviewers highlight her charming and intelligent performance, as well as her ability to bring complex scientific concepts to a wide audience.
The show is also appreciated for its interactivity and innovative approach, which encourages viewers to rethink their understanding of nature and evolution. Critics have praised Rossellini for her courage to bridge the gap between different disciplines and to bring something completely new and refreshing to the stage, while the audience in Montenegro will have the opportunity to watch it all on August 6 at the Synchro stage in Porto Montenegro. Despite decades of experience, as well as numerous countries where she has played, this will be the first time for Izabela to visit Montenegro, and she says about her expectations in an interview with "Vijesti":
"I have never been to Montenegro. One of the pleasures of the acting profession is that I have many opportunities to travel and discover new places. I perform in English with subtitles and I hope the audience will be able to follow along. Of course, I say my lines in response to the attention of the audience, and sometimes it is clear to me that I have to slow down my speech so that the audience can read the subtitles", said Roselini at the beginning of the conversation with "Vijesti", who continues to show her versatility in the play "Darwin's Smile". and a deep interest in the world around her, combining her rich experience in acting and passion for science to create a unique theatrical experience.
In this performance, she managed to reconcile two worlds - art and science.
"I come from a family of filmmakers, and I have been an actress for more than 50 years. I also have a master's degree in ethology (the science that studies animal behavior) and nature conservation. My professional life as an actress and my studies at the University were the basis of this monologue," said Roselini.
Izabela Rossellini, known for her versatility as an actress, model and director, graduated in ethology, the science of animal behavior. It was her education in this field that further enriched her artistic projects, enabling her to combine science and art in a unique way. The passion for the study of animal behavior comes to the fore not only in the "Darwin's Smile" project, but also through the series of short films "Green Porno" in which he explores the sexual behavior of animals in a humorous and educational way. In both projects, Roselini uses her knowledge of ethology to educate and entertain the audience.
"I wouldn't have been able to write properly about science, evolution and Darwinian theory if I hadn't studied them at university," admits Rossellini.
She was inspired to write this piece by a book Charles Darwin "The Expression of Emotions on Man and Animals", and while preparing the piece, she also researched how much empathy is necessary for the study of animal behavior. Animals are the ones who always sense the owner's mood, but about how much we have evolved and whether we are empathetic towards animals, Roselini says:
“Actors express emotions and there are studies on the art of acting that are mostly based on empathy. Animals also have emotions, but they have been studied by different people. Ethologists don't pay much attention to empathy, because it is difficult to determine in animals. It is a private, intimate feeling. But, as an actress and ethologist, I felt that I could compare and draw parallels, and emphasize differences and similarities," she emphasizes.
The combination of Izabela's acting skills, her passion for ethology and her humorous approach to education about evolution and natural history, made the play "Darwin's Smile" a special and well-received theater experience. The play provides the opportunity for the viewer to learn, but also laugh during it. Somewhere, the task of art is to question society, and to shape and form it through critical observation, and Roselini describes what she particularly wanted to emphasize when creating the piece and what she would like the audience to learn or feel after watching the play:
"I always say that I would like the audience to react with 'HA' and 'OH'. That 'Ha' is for laughs because I'm an entertainer and my monologues are comical. While 'Oh' is a reaction to the admiration of nature".
The description of the play also mentions empathy, which is the basis of acting. Namely, in order for an actor to play a role in the right way, he must understand and justify the character he is playing in order to be more convincing in the final product. However, today there are more and more "actors" in real life, who play this "empathy" much better than professionals on screen. When asked if there is something like that in the animal world, Roselini answers:
“If you mean lying or simulation, it's a very interesting topic for me. Do animals pretend? Could they be lying? If so, that would mean they want to trick someone's mind. They are able to imagine what is in another's mind and want to change it. This requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that we don't usually attribute to them," says Roselini.
Most actors never go beyond their acting career, but this is not the case with Izabela. Namely, Izabela is one of the most versatile and recognizable personalities in the world of film and fashion. The daughter of a legendary Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman and an Italian director Roberto Rossellini, Izabela grew up in an environment rich in creativity and artistic heritage. She started her career as a model, where she quickly became one of the most sought-after faces on the world fashion scene, becoming the face of the "Lancôme" brand.
In addition to modeling, Izabela also stood out as a talented actress, collaborating with renowned directors such as David Lynch, with whom she shot the cult film "Blue Velvet". Her acting career spans a variety of roles, from art house films to Hollywood productions, which is testament to her ability to transform and adapt to different styles and genres.
In addition to acting and modeling, Izabela writes, directs and produces. Her works often explore the themes of ecology, feminism and sexuality.
“I don't want to be a film director, nor do I want to work on an ordinary feature film one day. I'm interested in ethology and since films generally don't deal with this topic, I have to do it myself," she concludes.
In addition to Izabela's performance on the first day of the festival, the audience will have the opportunity to enjoy the joint performance of the opera singer Petre Radulović, scholarship holders of the 'Miloš Karadaglić' foundation, with the string quartet 'New era', as well as a performance by a Berlin composer and producer David Augustus. The second day is reserved for the performances of the French band "Nouvelle Vague", the English electronic band Crazy P, as well as another scholarship recipient of the "Miloš Karadaglić" foundation - Aleksandre Prelevic Palladino, artistic name Dolce Hera and “Sly the band”.
On the last day of the festival, the program is designed for fans of electronic music, and the performances of the world star of electronic music, whose career spans more than three decades, Hernan Cattane, are announced, with the support of local forces represented by DJ and producer Novak (Notsoserious).
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