Битеф

13

Nastojala sam da verujem (ne kažem da sam u tome uspela!) da pozorište stvarno može da umesi kolač od magle i oblaka i da taj kolač može da nahrani svet - ili makar neki njegov deo. U tom periods ponosim se time. Bitef je uradio mnogo na ponovnoj integraciji post-jugoslovenskog kulturnog prostora, mada je on u geografskom smislu i danas, vise umetnička fikcija nego politička realnost. Posle „krize identiteta" koja je nastala raspadom bivše države koja ga je osnovala, posle nokdauna iz devedesetih i skorog gašenja, Bitef se trgao i ušao u novu fazu postojanja. Ta faza još uvek nije sistematizovana, jer i dalje traje, all verujem da će budućim istraživačima istorije Bitefa, svakako biti zanimijiva. Ja se ponosim što sam bila deo baš tog perioda Bitefa. I sada, kao što prilika nalaže: zahvaljujem Jovanu, što me je pozvao da radim sa njim i što je bio tako dobar učitelj, prijatelj i veoma pažljivi i radoznali slušalac. Zahvaljujem svim dragim bitefovcima na lepoj i toploj saradnji, na širokim osmesima i vrednom radu, a posebnu zahvalnost dugujem malom timu iz još manje kancelarije sa tri stola i jednom foteljom - operativnoj direktorki Jeleni Knežević i Izvršnoj producentkinji Aleksandri Delić, na tome što su uvek znaie da nađu meru izmedu magle i oblaka i reainosti, koju su, alhemijskom igrom sa brojevima, uprkos svemu, uspevale da naprave boljom nego što jeste. Ivanu želim, pre svega, radosti u budućem radu na Bitefu. Sigurna sam da će uvideti da je ona najvažniji sastojak za pravljenje dobrog kolača, čak i kada ponestane drugih sastojaka. A svima nam želim i mnogo sreće u ovome-što-nam-se-dešava i onome-što-će-nam-se-tek-desiti.

Istorija vreme jaši, Od jeda joj žuč u čaši, Usne joj krvare! Ovaj svet je prepun strave! Ovaj svet je rep bez glave! Ovaj svet je san bez jave!

selektorka

Anja Suša,

Druga vrata levo, 1985

'Aleksandar Popović,

as a citizen of Europe. Naively? I don’t know. During the past ten years I have also seen many things. I’d like to forget some of them but there are more things I should like to remember forever. When programming Bitef with Jovan Ćirilov and then on my own, I endeavoured to think beyond real temporal and geographic coordinates and that was a rare privilege indeed, I endeavoured to believe (I am not saying that I succeeded in doing it!) that theatre can indeed make a cake out of fog and clouds and that that cake can feed the world - or a part of it at least. During that time - and I am proud of it - Bitef did a great deal to re-integrate the post-Yugoslav cultural space even though, geographically speaking, it is still more of an artistic fiction rather than a political reality. After the ‘identity crisis’ that set in when the former state which founded it, fell apart, after the knockdown in the Nineties and threatening demise, Bitef roused itself and entered a new stage of its existence. This stage has not been systematised yet because it is still ongoing, but I believe that for future researchers of Bitef history it will undoubtfuly prove interesting, I am proud that I was a part of precisely that phase in Bitef life. And now, as the occasion bids it, 1 wish to express my gratitude to Jovan who invited me to work with him and who was such a good teacher, friend and a very attentive and inquisitive listener. I should like to thank all my dear Bitefians for their nice and warm cooperation, broad smiles and hard work, and in particular the small team in an even smaller office with three desks

and one armchair - the outstanding Operational Director Jelena Knežević and the equally outstanding Executive Producer Aleksandra Delić who always knew how to strike a balance between fog and clouds and the reality, which they, by doing some alchemistry with figures, knew how to make better than it is in spite of everything. To Ivan, I wish, first of all, joy in his future Bitef work. I am sure that he will see that it is the most important ingredient if one is to make a good cake even when other ingredients have all been used up. And to all of us I wish a lot of luck in this-that-is-happening-tous and this-that-is-only-waiting-to happen.

History astride the time Rancour exudes bilious slime, Its lips are dripping blood! This world is pure dread! This world is a tail with no head! This world is a dream and no way ahead!

Anja Suša, Curator

Second Door to the Left, 1985

'Aleksandar Popović,