The women's literary festival "Literature also has a female face" will be held from March 12th to 14th in Berane, and the slogan of this year's, third edition of the event is "Heirs".
The first Montenegrin festival that brings together female creators, as well as those who link their work to literature and its role in women's lives, will bring a diverse program this year, as in previous years, according to the organizers from the Berane-based non-governmental organization "Polygon for Women's Excellence - Sofia".
Given that the festival is of a regional nature, Berane, as the host city, will be the center of some of the most significant female literary names from the country and the region in mid-March. The program includes, among others, Ena Katarina Haler from Croatia, Lejla Kalamujić from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Marina Sokeva from Macedonia, as well as Danica Pavlović i Nadija Rebronja from Serbia.
Executive Director of the NGO "Polygon for Women's Excellence - Sofia", activist and writer Rebeka Čilović, for Vijesti reminds that, during the festival's grand opening ceremony on March 12th at 19 p.m., the "Buntarka" award ceremony - a special recognition for female heroines - will be held at the "Berane" hotel. This year's laureates do not need to be introduced in more detail, their names and well-known works speak for themselves, and they are: Maja Raičević (NGO Center for Women's Rights), a young and brave civic activist Sara Vujisic, Bojana Jokic (NGO LGBT forum Progres), Željka Mirković journalist at Prva television, as well as Dženeta Agović (NVO Impuls Tutin).
"There will also be a ceremony to award statues called 'Rebels', which are awarded to individuals and organizations for their exceptional struggle in the path of affirming women's human rights," she says.
Čilović points out that the goal of this year's festival is to create space for its safe continuity.
"It is very important to have a safe space where women's voices and ideas can be heard. In order to survive on this path, it is also important to support all the factors involved in the topic of art that is engaged, and in the topic of activism that does not exist only as a mere phrase 'Equal opportunities for all', but rather sends strong messages from the north that the fight for women's rights continues and that we are not giving up on rebellion and rebelliousness as the only possible option in a completely patriarchal system that is increasingly eroding our already cracked possibilities," says Čilović, emphasizing in this context:
“Literature is a turning point,” says the activist and writer, and further explains:
"If we are not in literature, we are not in history, and then who will bear witness to our (female trauma) which is our only certain heritage. Everything is connected, as you can see. The slogan of the 'Heirs' campaign touches on the most secure points of patriarchy, because who else would dare to replace the 'Heir' in a society where everything is inherited and everything belongs to a man, or if not to him then to the male principle. Creating the idea of an heiress is a big topic that literature is not immune to. And therefore, yes, only through literature can we sculpt that female face, because it is important that literature also has a female face," Čilović clearly emphasizes.
In the context of the festival's concept and engagement, but also in anticipation of March 8, International Women's Day, Čilović also comments on the position of women, both in society and in literature. The real situation and subjective feeling, she points out, raise the question of boundaries...
"Someone can give me a position or I, you, we, they... can somehow miraculously grab it, earn it... But as long as our female being, in every place, makes excuses for short skirts, inconsistencies, insufficient humility, as long as we hold ourselves to be 'neither a witness nor an accomplice', we will accept a position in which there is no true place for women. Perhaps it is best to say that there is no position," she sums up.
However, Čilović is convinced that things can and must change in this regard, and she is not giving up on that intention.
"Maybe that idea is out of date, maybe it's left only to dreamers and rebels, maybe it's telling us that we've 'gone astray' and that we want to jump into the fog, but take our word for it, if it weren't for that idea that it could and should be better, life would be unbearable," Čilović points out.
The Women's Literature Festival is just one of the ways Čilović fights for progress. In anticipation of the event, the festival will traditionally release promotional videos as part of its campaign, and the organizers, with the support of the Municipality of Berane, have also provided free transportation during the festival for citizens of the neighboring municipalities, Andrijevica and Petnjica.
After the opening ceremony and award ceremony, the Festival continues on March 13th, at 10 am, with a screening of the film “The Dark Daughter” at the Berane Cultural Center. At noon, a panel discussion “Gender Reading of the Film ‘The Dark Daughter’” will follow at the National Library “Dr Radovan Lalić”, with the participation of: Marija Perović, Jovana Radifković, Maja Bogojević, and is moderated by Milena Bubanja Obradovic.
Panel discussion "It's feminine, it's good", moderated by a journalist Damira Kalac, will be held at 13 pm in the Gymnasium amphitheater. The following speakers will be present at the forum: Maja Raičević, Dženeta Agović, Biljana Zekovic, Nina Radulovic, Aida Corovic, Aida Perovic, Katica Maksan.
Poets from the region, guests of the festival, will speak at the panel discussion "Let the Struggles Continue" at 17 pm in the "Brick House" space. The discussion will be moderated by Rebeka Čilović, and will include: Danica Pavlovic, Marina Shokeva, Lejla Kalamujić, Nadija Rebronja, Ena Katarina Heller and Tanja Radjenovic.
A poetry matinee at the “Štab” Pub at 20 p.m., moderated by Čilović, will bring the curtain down on the all-day program on March 13th.
Screening of the film "Women and Wars" Bojana Minovic will begin the next day of the festival, at 10 am at the Berane Cultural Center. At noon, the program "Montenegrin Authors in the Library" will follow, which will be held at the Cultural Center. A guided tour of the city is also organized for all festival guests.
The festival will close on March 20th with the play "In the Embrace of the Forgotten" by Impuls from Tutin, which will be performed at 14 p.m. at the Berane Cultural Center.
"The play deals with women who have contributed to the development of education, healthcare and the improvement of the legal system in our country. These are heroines who have left us forever indebted with their lives and work," it was previously stated.
Summing up impressions from previous editions of the festival, and looking forward to numerous upcoming activities, Čilović emphasizes that all expectations have been justified so far, but also surpassed and surpassed.
"We believe that we are doing a great and important thing, simply because Berane and the festival are talked about with joy and because the invitation to participate is awaited. We are proof that love, enthusiasm and a great desire to gather women's voices in one place can be realized, but more than the maximum must be given," says Čilović.
The festival “Literature also has a female face” is being implemented as part of the project “Festivals for establishing a new partnership and improving cultural cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro” with the support of the British Council. The action is part of the larger project “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” funded by the European Union, which aims to improve dialogue in the region by strengthening the cultural and creative sector and developing its potential for socio-economic impact in this region.
Bonus video:
