10 Sep KROKODIL exceeded expectations @ International Literature Festival Berlin!
Last weekend was both exciting and inspiring!
On Friday and Saturday, September 6 and 7, the KROKODIL Association presented its program entitled “Spaces of Freedom: Unlearning History – Showcasing Female Literary Creativity of the Western Balkans” at the Berlin International Literature Festival, one of Europe’s most significant literary events. Both sessions were fully sold out, and the auditorium was packed with an interested, engaged, and knowledgeable audience, demonstrating a clear interest in literature from the Western Balkans and its place in a broader international context. We are grateful to everyone who joined us, whether live or online, and for those who missed the events, here are a few photos capturing the vibrant atmosphere at Haus der Berliner Festspiele. Official photos will be coming soon!
During the dynamic 130-minute program on September 6, six female authors were showcased: Diana Çuli from Albania, Adelina Tërshani from Kosovo, Rumena Bužarovska from North Macedonia, Lejla Kalamujić from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Barbara Delać from Montenegro, and Barbi Marković from Serbia/Austria. The program featured a combination of live readings in the authors’ original languages, supported by English subtitles, and short onstage interviews. A break in the program highlighted Croatian musical innovator Ane Paška and her unique music-scenic ritual that merges theater, music, text, and video into new performance forms, showcasing her distinctive and authentic style. The program was presented by Mima Simić, an accomplished author, translator, and dedicated LGBTQI activist, who is also a beloved and idiosyncratic presenter of the KROKODIL Festival in Belgrade, Serbia.
This event was live-streamed and you can check it here: https://www.youtube.com/live/EgRKfiIvQc4
The following day, September 7, featured two debates on female (cultural) activism in the Western Balkans. The first debate, titled “Revolution and Democracy are Feminine…,” was moderated by Milena Berić and included participants Rumena Bužarovska, Diana Çuli, Mima Simić, and Adelina Tërshani. The second debate, which followed the first, was titled “…And so are Culture and Participation.” It was moderated by Frauke Seebass, with Barbara Delać, Lejla Kalamujić, Barbi Marković, and Ivana Sajko participating. During the break between the debates, Ivana Sajko presented an excerpt from her performance entitled “This is Not a Performance about Your Beauty,” which addresses the prejudices women face in the patriarchal societies of Southeastern Europe and the continent as a whole.
The program was co-funded by the European Union. The discussions on female (cultural) activism in the Western Balkans were made possible through a collaboration between the KROKODIL Association from Belgrade and the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) in Berlin.
