FESTIVAL POZORIŠTA SLAVIJA
Razvijajući ideju pozorišta kao zajedničkog kulturnog i umetničkog prostora koji spaja ljude, teatar Slavija pokrenuo je marta 2002. godine Međunarodni pozorišni festival Slavija.

I od te 2002. godine u programima Festivala učestvovali su najznačajniji pozorišni umetnici s prostora nekadašnje Jugoslavije, a zatim iz okruženja, da bi se lista zemalja učesnica proširila i danas obuhvatala 20 država.

Kada govorimo o Festivalu, valja istaći da ovde nije reč o nekoj jugonostalgiji (premda je i nostalgija sasvim prirodno čovekovo osećanje) i pokušaju sentimentalnog prizivanja nekadašnje ljubavi, jer iz iskustva znamo da su bivše ljubavi danas tek banalna sećanja. Pre će biti da je reč o potrebi uzajamnog upoznavanja nekadašnjih prijatelja i saradnika i njihovih današnjih umetničkih ostvarenja, dometa i uspeha. Glumcima je potreban veći prostor za delovanje od lokalnih sredina, njihova umetnost je po prirodi stvari nomadskog porekla, oni imaju ogromnu unutrašnju potrebu da kao i njihov praotac Tespis čergare i publici u raznim podnebljima prikažu svoju predstavu. Pozorišna umetnost je umetnost trenutka, ona se dešava sada i ovde, ona je živa i usmerena ka sadašnjosti. Ona se u svojoj suštini ne poziva na prošlost, ali njeni vrhunski dometi pamte se godinama i čuvaju poput dragocenosti u sećanjima gledalaca. Upravo zbog te akutne potrebe da se ogledaju u sadašnjici, glumcima je neophodno potrebno da svoje delo prikažu u raznim nacionalnim i socijalnim sredinama, da bi osetili uzajamnost delovanja, odnosno međusobnog davanja. Pa ako ostvare tu povratnu spregu s gledaocima, ako uspeju da uklone jezičke i druge barijere, ako ih razumevanje i podrška publike ponese u toj meri da osete radost davanja i prisnost umetničkog doživljaja, glumci će biti ispunjeni saznanjem da je njihova misija ostvarena, da su uspeli da barem za kratko vreme spoje – na nivou recepcije umetničkog ostvarenja – ljude različitih kultura, nacija i jezika i da su time ostvarili mogućnost zajedništva poštujući međusobne razlike. U isti mah, novi gledaoci će sa glumcima iz drugih sredina ostvariti poznanstvo, a stari ga obnoviti i produbiti. Možda uz nostalgična prisećanja, a možda bez njih.

Da je Festival Slavija do sada uspešno ostvarivao zadate ciljeve, svedoče i neki podaci koji svedoče o valjanosti i opravdanosti nauma; među njima treba spomenuti da je u takmičarskom delu do sada prikazano 47 predstava, da je prikazano 10 glumačkih potreta, da su kao prateći događaji organizovane izložbe, koncerti, itd.

Dovoljno za prvih pet godina!

Radomir Putnik

“SLAVIJA” THEATRE FESTIVAL
Having developed the idea of the theatre as a cultural and artistic place that connects people, the SLAVIJA Theatre established International Theatre Festival SLAVIJA in March 2002.

And since that 2002, the Festival programs have included most eminent artists from the region of the former Yugoslavia, then from the neighbouring countries and finally the list of countries has been expanded to twenty.

When speaking of the Festival, we should say that here we do not deal with Yugo-nostalgia (though nostalgia is a quite natural human feeling) or the attempt to invoke former loves, because we know from the experience that former loves are just frivolous memories. It is rather the mutual need of one-time friends and associates to know each better and to learn about each other’s artistic work, achievements and successes. The actors need larger space for work than their local environments. Their art is of nomadic origin and they have the internal need, just like their forefather Thespis, to roam and present their performances to the audiences in various places. Theatre art is the art of the moment, it happens now and here, it is alive and oriented towards the present day. In its essence, it does not invoke the past, but its best achievements are remembered for years and kept like jewels in the memories of the spectators. In that acute need of the actors to prove themselves in the present time, there is a wish to present their work to different national and social environments, to feel interaction, i.e. reciprocal giving. And if they achieve the interactive communication with the spectators, if they manage to remove language and other barriers, and if understanding and support of the audience carries them away to the extent that they feel the joy of giving and intimacy of artistic experience, the actors will feel that they have completed their mission and, at least for a while, managed to connect – on the level of reception of the artistic work – people of different cultures, nations and languages, and thus achieved the possibility of cooperation respecting mutual differences. In the same time, new spectators will become acquainted with the actors from different places, and the old ones will refresh and deepen their acquaintance. Perhaps with nostalgic memories or without them.

The SLAVIJA Festival has successfully achieved its objectives, which is supported by some facts speaking in favour of the value and justification of the purpose; from among them, it is worth mentioning that 47 performances have been given in its competitive part, that 10 actor’s portraits were presented, and also exhibitions, concerts, etc, were organized as additional events.

It is enough for the first five years!

Radomir Putnik