The play “Scars” by the Youth Theatre Bileća was awarded Grand Prix at the 12th International festival of high school theatre Juventafest, which was organized by the “Medija-Art” Association in Sarajevo from September 6 to 10. This play powerfully, precisely, suggestively, sincerely and with great confidence managed to address a painful generational issue, said the expert jury consisting of actress Ksenija Pajić, dramatist and professor Dragan Komadina and actor Benjamin Bajramović.
The Special Jury Award was awarded to the play “2100: A Tale About Aska” by the Theatre PATOS from Smederevo, which, through an exceptionally engaged and thoughtful concept, playful and precise performance, dramaturgically refined, firm and consistent, offered a vision of a world where games, dance and art in general are banned – a disturbing portrayal of our future and a testament to the awareness, spirit and creativity of our youth, as stated in the jury’s explanation.
The announcement of the winners at the Sarajevo Youth Theatre last night was preceded by a unique workshop presentation, a performance that was the result of the work of the festival participants and their mentors. Over the course of four days, they attended the “Character Masks workshop” led by mentor and actress Dženita Imamović-Omerović, the “Dance Workshop” led by choreographer Belma Čečo-Bakrač, the “Improv Workshop – theatresports or diversity in the community” under the mentorship of Slovenian actress and professor Mojca Dimec, the “Puppetry Workshop” with mentor, actress and puppeteer Josipa Oršolić and the “Musical Theatre Workshop” led by musical artist from Montenegro Irma Mulić.
During the 12th Juventafest, a workshop was also held for professors, drama club leaders in high schools and drama pedagogues titled “Creation of a documentary play – youth for youth; case study of the play “Utopia”. The workshop was led by Ivan Baletić, a graduate director and Phd student at the University of Arts in Belgrade.
As part of the Juventafest Plus programme – Inclusion Movement, the documentary play “Up and Down” was performed at the Sarajevo War Theatre in collaboration with the Association “Life with Down Syndrome” of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The festival also continued its cooperation with the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, and this year’s visual design was created by Ajdin Bradarić, a student of the Department of Graphic Design. Twenty-five young people from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina had the opportunity to volunteer during the festival. As per tradition, the participants of Juventafest arrived at the closing ceremony in a parade, led by the Sarajevo Drum Orchestra, from the Eiffel’s Bridge at Skenderija to the Sarajevo Youth Theatre.
Through the selection of Emina Omerović, the festival presented seven plays from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia. It gathered more than a hundred participants who were greeted with ovations and met the expectations of the audience at the Centre for culture and youth in Municipality Centre Sarajevo and Sarajevo Youth Theatre.
Jasna Diklić, director of Juventafest and president of the “Medija-Art” Association, closed the twelfth Juventafest at the Sarajevo Youth Theatre with the message that imagination and creativity can change everything.
