International theater festival opens in Sarajevo

SARAJEVO

On Saturday night, the international Theater Festival MESS, was opened under the Old bridge in Mostar with the play "The conquest of Happiness" by Haris Pasovic. 

It was for the first time in its 53 years old history that MESS was opened in a city other than Sarajevo. 

Dino Mustafic, director of the MESS, describes this year's Festival as conquest for happiness and hope. 

“Almost two deades after the war and the horrible events in the Balkans, we believe that some of the plays the MESS will show, are asking - sometimes in a very radical way, very brave and courageous - the question about one person's right to happiness,” Mustafic said. 

Mustafic, one of the most important theater directors in the region, tells AA that the theater in the Balkans is "struggling to survive."

“Despite that fact, we have very brave authors, very good actors and directors. Outside of that, there is some type of the general indifference toward the theater,” Mustafic said adding that situation like this, reflects a lot on the MESS. Over the last five years, MESS' budget was reduced 73 percent, he stressed.  

“When you ask me how do we manage to survive, it is because of our enthusiasm, passion and love for the theater and the Festival that was reborn after the war, in 1997, and rebuilt by the same group of people who are still working for the MESS.”

Even this year, MESS will award the best plays, the best actors and directors, as well as writters. President of the main MESS jury is Maurizia Settembri, a well know theater critic from Italy, Ronald Rand, an American actor, and Safet Zec, Bosnian painter. 

The Festival, that will host 25 plays from 18 countries, will end on October 7.

englishnews@aa.com.tr