MESS (festival)
{{Short description|Annual theatre festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia}}
{{AI-generated|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox film festival
| name = MESS International Theatre Festival
| logo = File:MESS_theatre_festival_logo.png
| logo_size =
| image = File:Festival_mess7.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_size =
| caption = MESS
| location = Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| founded = 1960
| founders = Jurislav Korenić
| artistic_director = Nihad Kreševljaković
| editor_in_chief =
| selector = Dino Mustafić
| play_type =
| date = October
| website = {{URL|http://www.mess.ba/}}
}}
The MESS International Theatre Festival (MESS) is a theatre festival that takes place annually in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/magazin/kultura/u-programu-57-festivala-mess-tri-predstave-nastale-u-produkcijama-domacih-teatarskih-kuca/170615044|title=U programu 57. festivala MESS tri predstave nastale u produkcijama domaćih teatarskih kuća|publisher=klix.ba}} It is the oldest living theatre festival in the Balkans, programming international experimental performances and emerging artists.{{cite web|url=http://befestival.org/about/european-network/|title=European network|publisher=befestival.org}} MESS was the premier experimental theatre festival in the Former Yugoslavia and was named one of Living Theatre's international showcases in 1974.{{cite web|url=https://www.mess.ba/janjekokosorao/MESS2014_JanjeKokosOrao_Katalog_Digital.pdf|title=Digital Catalogue|publisher=official website}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zgkworo2EwUC&q=mess+theatre+festival&pg=PA436|title=Global Changes--local Stages: How Theatre Functions in Smaller European Nations|year=2009|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=9789042026124}} It survived the Siege of Sarajevo, during which it hosted directors such as Susan Sontag and Peter Schumann.{{cite web|url=https://www.oslobodjenje.ba/o2/kultura/pozoriste/57-mess-istina-je-univerzalna-inace-gubi-vrijednost|title=57. MESS: Istina je univerzalna inače gubi vrijednost|work=Oslobođenje d.o.o. |publisher=Oslobođenje |last1=Sekulić |first1=Mirela }} It organized the first edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival in 1993 and still acts as a collective board member today.{{cite web|url=http://www.historija.ba/d/44-odrzan-prvi-sarajevo-film-festival/|title=Održan prvi "Sarajevo Film Festival"|publisher=historija.ba}} Today it is the largest theatre festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the most renowned in Europe.{{cite web|url=http://befestival.org/about/european-network/|title=MESS International Theatre Festival|publisher=befestival.org}} {{not in source|date=May 2025}} In 2009 it expanded its activities to the city of Zenica, which now hosts parts of the regional program.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/magazin/kultura/u-zenici-otvoren-57-internacionalni-teatarski-festival-mess/170930110|title=U Zenici otvoren 57. Internacionalni teatarski festival MESS|publisher=klix.ba}}
History
The festival was founded in 1960 under the name Festival malih i eksperimentalnih scena Jugoslavije (Festival of small and experimental stages of Yugoslavia).{{cite web|url=http://www.mess.ba/2016/arhiva/historijat|title=History|publisher=Official Website}} It was founded on the initiative of Yugoslavian theatre director, Jurislav Korenić.{{cite web|url=http://uwcmostar.ba/living/what-to-do/region/|title=What to do in the region|publisher=uwcmostar.ba}} It was originally conceived as an annual gathering of the country's professional theatre companies with the goal of presenting the best experimental theatre pieces of the previous year. The specificity of the concept quickly garnered a wider audience and secured visits from international experimental theatre companies, such as Living Theater from New York City, that named the festival one of its four major annual show-piece platforms.{{cite web|url=http://balkans.aljazeera.net/vijesti/mess-simptom-ceznje-za-slobodom|title=MESS - simptom čežnje za slobodom|publisher=Al Jazeera Balkans}}
With the start of the Bosnian war in 1992 the festival's run was halted, only for it to be renamed and rebranded by a directorate of Bosnian artists and intellectuals, headed by theatre director Haris Pašović, with the desire to artistically resist the Siege of Sarajevo. Furthermore, the festival organized the first edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival in 1993 under the working title Poslije kraja svijeta (After the end of the world).{{cite web|url=http://www.historija.ba/d/44-odrzan-prvi-sarajevo-film-festival/|title=Održan prvi "Sarajevo Film Festival"|publisher=historija.ba}} During this period in time the festival produced numerous pieces by theatre directors such as Susan Sontag and Peter Schumann, who entered the besieged city to take part in the artistic resistance against the war. With the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords the festival was taken over by a team of young theatre professionals headed by newly named manager Dino Mustafić. The first post-war edition of the festival hosted directors such as Giorgio Strehler, Frank Castorf and Peter Schumann.
In 2008 the festival changed its original format by introducing a handful of new programs. The Mittel Europe MESS program is designed to showcase the most interesting theatre pieces from the Former Yugoslavia and the wider South-Eastern European region. The World MESS program hosts pieces from Africa, Asia and Latin America, while the Future MESS program cultivates the original concept of the festival by showcasing the most experimental and subversive productions from across the globe. Furthermore, a children's program has also been established under the name Children MESS.{{cite web|url=http://www.mess.ba/2016/arhiva/historijat|title=Festival program|publisher=Official Website}}
Theatre directors that have taken part in the festival include: Peter Brook, Giorgio Strehler, Robert Wilson, Peter Schumann, Eugenio Barba, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, Eimuntas Nekrošius, Alvis Hermanis, Olivier Py, Mark Tompkins, Wlodzimierz Staniewski, Simon McBurney, Christoph Marthaler, Frank Castorf, Thomas Ostermeier, Andriy Zholdak, Rimas Tuminas, Emma Dante, Rodrigo Garcia, Heiner Goebbels, Romeo Castellucci, Wim Vandekeybus, Forced Entertainment, Laert Vasili.{{cite web|url=http://www.mess.ba/2016/arhiva/historijat|title=Visiting companies and directors|publisher=Official Website}}
Format and competition program
The MESS International Theatre Festival typically takes place in Sarajevo each autumn, with selected events and guest performances occasionally held in other cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The festival spans over a week and includes a wide range of programming that encompasses both domestic and international theatre productions, experimental works, youth-focused performances, and politically engaged stage pieces.{{cite web |title=Počeo 61. MESS: Festival koji otvara vrata umjetnosti i slobodi izraza |url=https://www.klix.ba/magazin/kultura/poceo-61-mess-festival-koji-otvara-vrata-umjetnosti-i-slobodi-izraza/211002070 |website=Klix.ba |date=2 October 2021 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
The core of the festival is its competition program, which includes a curated selection of contemporary theatrical productions from around the world. The performances are evaluated by an international jury consisting of theatre professionals, critics, and academics. Awards are given in several categories, including Best Performance, Best Director, Best Actor/Actress, and the Audience Award.{{cite web |title=Završen MESS: Proglašeni najbolji, Grand Prix pripao predstavi iz Belgije |url=https://avaz.ba/showbiz/film/779487/zavrsen-mess-proglaseni-najbolji-grand-prix-pripao-predstavi-iz-belgije |website=Dnevni Avaz |date=7 October 2022 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
In addition to the main competition, the festival features off-programme categories, such as:
- World MESS, which presents experimental and avant-garde performances;
- Children MESS, aimed at young audiences;
- Forum MESS, which includes public debates, lectures, and panel discussions on cultural, social, and political topics in contemporary theatre.{{cite web |title=Otvoren 63. MESS: Sjećanje na Mustafu Nadarevića i borba protiv zaborava |url=https://www.oslobodjenje.ba/o2/kultura/pozoriste/otvoren-63-mess-sjecanje-na-mustafu-nadarevica-i-borba-protiv-zaborava-814112 |website=Oslobođenje |date=30 September 2023 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
The festival also includes masterclasses, workshops, and film screenings related to theatre and performance art, contributing to the education and professional development of regional artists and theatre students.{{cite web |title=Festival MESS u pandemijskim uslovima: Manji broj predstava, ali velika imena |url=https://radiosarajevo.ba/metromahala/kultura/festival-mess-u-pandemijskim-uslovima-manji-broj-predstava-ali-velika-imena/393309 |website=Radio Sarajevo |date=3 October 2020 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
Memory Modul
File:Memory_modul,_MESS_festival.jpg
The Memory Modul is a long-standing cultural and educational initiative launched by the MESS International Theatre Festival in 1995. Originally conceived during the final year of the Siege of Sarajevo, its primary goal is to preserve the memory of victims of armed conflicts around the world, through the lens of artistic expression and critical reflection.{{cite web |title=U Sarajevu otvoren Memory Modul: Umjetnost kao alat pamćenja i otpora zaboravu |url=https://radiosarajevo.ba/metromahala/kultura/u-sarajevu-otvoren-memory-modul-umjetnost-kao-alat-pamcenja-i-otpora-zaboravu/455327 |website=Radio Sarajevo |date=12 April 2022 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
Since its inception, the project has amassed an extensive archive of photographs, documents, testimonies, and video materials that commemorate civilian suffering and resistance in the face of violence and injustice. While the Bosnian War remains a significant thematic anchor, the Memory Modul has expanded its scope to include other global conflicts, offering a platform for critical dialogue on memory politics, transitional justice, and trauma representation.{{cite web |title=Otvoren Memory Modul: Sjećanje na sve žrtve ratova kroz umjetnost |url=https://avaz.ba/showbiz/kultura/738660/otvoren-memory-modul-sjecanje-na-sve-zrtve-ratova-kroz-umjetnost |website=Dnevni Avaz |date=10 April 2022 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
The project regularly commissions and hosts a variety of creative works, including documentary films, theatre pieces, exhibitions, and public discussions. Among its most acclaimed productions is the documentary Greta by Haris Pašović, which chronicles the life of Greta Ferušić, a Holocaust survivor and the only person known to have survived both Auschwitz and the Siege of Sarajevo.{{cite web| title = Greta Ferusic| work = Some Jewish Films and Videos| publisher = Jewfilm, Larry Mark| url = http://members.aol.com/jewfilm/jz6.html| accessdate =2008-01-23 }} Ferušić, a distinguished professor of architecture at the University of Sarajevo, became a symbol of resilience and human dignity, and her story remains central to the ethos of the Memory Modul.{{cite web |title=Film "Greta" Harisa Pašovića: Priča o ženi koja je preživjela i Auschwitz i opsadu Sarajeva |url=https://www.klix.ba/magazin/film-tv/film-greta-harisa-pasovica-prica-o-zeni-koja-je-prezivjela-i-auschwitz-i-opsadu-sarajeva/220411106 |website=Klix.ba |date=11 April 2022 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
The Memory Modul continues to collaborate with artists, scholars, survivors, and institutions to create inclusive narratives that challenge silence, revisionism, and cultural amnesia, affirming the role of the arts in post-conflict societies and global remembrance.The Memory Modul is a cultural project initiated by the festival in 1995 with the goal of preserving the memory of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.{{cite web|url=http://balkans.aljazeera.net/blog/izlozbom-rona-haviva-pocinje-modul-memorije-2018|title=Izložbom Rona Haviva počinje Modul Memorije 2018.|publisher=Al Jazeera Balkans}}
MESS Publishing
MESS Publishing is the publishing division of the MESS Festival, focused on theatre-related literature, documentation, and critical reflection. It serves as a platform for publishing works related to contemporary theatre practices, cultural memory, and performance during times of conflict. MESS Publishing contributes to the broader mission of the festival by supporting academic, historical, and testimonial publications.
One of the notable titles published under the imprint is Anti-War Theatre in Sarajevo, authored by Hana Bajrović-Čardaković, a volume that examines the role of theatre during the Siege of Sarajevo and the wider Bosnian War. The publication presents a selection of essays, archival material, and analyses that explore how theatre practitioners responded to the conflict through performance, offering insight into the use of artistic expression as a form of civic engagement and cultural resistance.{{cite web |title=Predstavljena knjiga "Antiratno pozorište u Sarajevu" |url=https://radiosarajevo.ba/metromahala/kultura/predstavljena-knjiga-antiratno-pozoriste-u-sarajevu/473781 |website=Radio Sarajevo |date=6 October 2022 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
Another key publication is Theatre in Besieged Sarajevo 1992–1995: Testimonies, a collection of interviews compiled by Davor Diklić. The volume includes first-person accounts from theatre professionals who lived and worked in Sarajevo during the siege. The interviews document the challenges, motivations, and artistic choices of those involved in theatre production under wartime conditions, offering a unique perspective on the persistence of cultural activity in extreme circumstances.{{cite web |title=Predstavljena knjiga "Pozorište u opkoljenom Sarajevu 1992–1995: svjedočenja" |url=https://www.oslobodjenje.ba/o2/kultura/pozoriste/predstavljena-knjiga-pozoriste-u-opkoljenom-sarajevu-1992-1995-svjedocenja-637227 |website=Oslobođenje |date=10 October 2021 |access-date=22 April 2025}}
MESS Publishing plays a role in preserving the historical and cultural legacy of theatre in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly during periods of social and political upheaval, while also contributing to ongoing discourse within the regional and international performing arts community.
Festival venues
The principal venues of the Festival are:
- Kamerni teatar 55{{cite web|url=http://www.kamerniteatar55.ba/predstave/predstava/fenicanke-undiplomatic-art-festivala-messgostovanje-na-sceni-kamernog-teatra/|title=Feničanke - MESS |publisher=Kamerni teatar Official Website}}
- Sarajevo War Theatre{{cite web|url=https://sartr.ba/zavrsen-54-internacionalni-teatarski-festival-mess/|title=Završen 54. internacionalni teatarski festival MESS|publisher=Official Website}}
- Sarajevo National Theatre{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/festivalmess/docs/mess2011_katalog|title=51st International Theater Festival MESS |work=Issuu |publisher=issuu.com}}
- Bosnian National Theatre
- Sarajevo Youth Theatre
Gallery
File:MESS_festival1.jpg|Chotto Desh, Akhram Khan Company, United Kingdom. Sarajevo National Theatre, 8 October 2023.
File:MESS_festival2.jpg|Alice in Bed, Maladype Színház Theatre, Hungary. Sarajevo War Theatre, 9 October 2023.
File:MESS_festival5.jpg|Caligula, Ivan Franko Theatre, Ukraine. Sarajevo National Theatre, 30 October 2023.
File:MESS_festival6.jpg|FABRIKA za MESS exhibition, 1 October 2017.
File:Mess_festival_8.jpg|Full Moon, choreographed by Josef Nadj - Hungary, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast. Sarajevo National Theatre, 13 October 2024.
File:Mess_festival_9.jpg|JanjeKokošOrao, co-production between MESS, BITEF and ZeKaeM. Sarajevo War Theatre, 23 December 2014.
File:Mess_festival11.jpg|Katër i Radës, Uno spettacolo di Koreja, Italy. Dom Armije, 7 October 2016.
File:Mess_festival12.jpg|MESSpresso panel discussion, 9 October 2019.
External links
- [http://www.mess.ba/ MESS official website]