September 6, 2023.

The Bosnian National Theater in Zenica announced a new European project

On the occasion of the announcement of the 74th theater season, a press conference was held at the Bosnian National Theater Zenica, where the following spoke: director of the Bosnian National Theater Zenica Miroljub Mijatović, artistic director Lajla Kaikčija, director of the Children's, Youth and Puppet Stage Ermina Nišić and executive producer Denis Krdžalić.

In addition to the announcement of many new projects and performances, a new international project was announced, which will be supported by the Zenica Theater.

As Denis Krdžalić, Executive Producer of the Bosnian National Theater Zenica, said, it will be the first project supported by the European Union, which is supported by the Bosnian National Theater Zenica, and the project includes four partner countries. The project was supported by Bh. "Creative Europe" desk. Krdžalić said that the name of the project is "Sexual Theater - Feminist Reading of Classics" and it implies the cooperation of young writers and young directors, who will travel through Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, Montenegro and France and work with local actresses and actors, and write new texts and analyze and deconstruct the gender stereotypes found in the well-known literary works of those countries. As a result of this project, four new plays are expected, which will form festivals that will also be digitized, and a book with four dramatic texts will be published. The plan is to start work in January 2024, and the plan is to finish it in 2026.

February 20, 2024.

The project "The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics" is starting soon

At a press conference held at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, the beginning of the Creative Europe project "The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics" was announced, with the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica as the project leader.

Executive Producer Denis Krdžalić presented the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist Reading of Classics" led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica and supported by Creative Europe. Krdžalić stated that this is the first project led by a public cultural institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be supported by the European Union. The project began in January 2024 and will be completed in December 2025, with project partners: Teatro Circo de Braga from Portugal, City Theatre Budva from Montenegro, and Paul-Valéry University Montpellier from France. The aim of the project is to enhance theatre themes and narratives through a feminist interpretation of national classics. This project includes sixteen activities that will be carried out, resulting in four new theatre festivals, four new dramatic texts, and four new plays. The plays are planned to be performed in all four partner countries as part of the four festivals, and finally, a book will be published that will compile all the goals and results of this project.

March 8, 2024.

In Zenica Theatre, the project "The Sexual Theatre (Feminist Reading of Classics)" has begun

Today, on March 8th at 10 AM, the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica officially launched the project "The Sexual Theatre (Feminist Reading of Classics)," led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica and supported by Creative Europe.

The project was inaugurated with welcoming remarks by Miroljub Mijatović, Director of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, who extended a warm welcome to visiting artists to Zenica Theatre and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He expressed his happiness and satisfaction that Zenica Theatre is hosting and leading this significant Creative Europe project. He hopes that through this project, the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica will continue its decades-long commitment to engaged theatre that fosters critical thinking.

Also present at the official launch was Sumea Mujkanović, Assistant Mayor for Social Welfare, Housing Affairs, and Social Activities. Mujkanović expressed her pleasure in welcoming artists to Zenica and its National Theatre, emphasizing the honor that the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica is the lead on this major project bringing together artists from around the world. She has no doubt that artists from Montenegro, France, and Portugal will be pleased with what they see and accomplish with local artists in our esteemed theatre institution.

This is the first project led by a public cultural institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be supported by the European Union. The project started in January 2024 and will conclude in December 2025, with project partners: Teatro Circo Braga from Portugal, City Theatre Budva from Montenegro, and Paul-Valéry University Montpellier from France. The project aims to enhance theatre themes and narratives through a feminist interpretation of national classics. It includes sixteen activities to be implemented, resulting in four new theatre festivals, four new dramatic texts, and four new plays. The plays are planned to be performed in all four partner countries as part of the festivals, and finally, a book will be published summarizing all the goals and outcomes of this project.

April 18, 2024.

The visual identity of the major international project "Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics" has been published

Following successful workshops held in March at the Bosnian National Theatre, where partners from Portugal, Montenegro, and France participated in the project "Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics," led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, the project has now published its visual identity, which will be used throughout its duration.

After initial workshops where colleagues from partner institutions had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the project and meet their counterparts from other partner theatres, the project's continuation is expected to resume in early July at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica.

This is the first project led by a public cultural institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be supported by the European Union. The project began in January 2024 and will conclude in December 2025, with partners including Teatro Circo de Braga from Portugal, City Theatre Budva from Montenegro, and Paul-Valéry University Montpellier from France. The project aims to enhance theatre themes and narratives through a feminist interpretation of national classics. It encompasses sixteen activities to be implemented, resulting in four new dramatic texts, four new international co-production plays, and four new theatre festivals. The plays are planned to be performed in all four partner countries as part of these festivals, and finally, a book will be published that consolidates all newly created dramatic texts and the methodology behind their creation.

June 26, 2024.

The artistic residency as part of the project "The Sexual Theater – Feminist Reading of Classics" is starting

Next week at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, an artistic residency will begin as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics." On Tuesday, July 2nd, the residents will arrive: director Júlio Cerdeira, representing Teatro Circo Braga from Portugal, and author Aïcha Euzet, representing the University Paul-Valery Montpellier from France.

Within the artistic residences in the Bosnian National Theater Zenica, guest writer and director will work with specific groups on deconstructing the classics. The idea is to deconstruct gender stereotypes in well-known national books in light of the specific gender-based challenges women/men face in partner countries. In addition, Workshop Casting will be held at the Bosnian National Theater Zenica - an audition for actors and actresses for a new play. Artistic residents will have the opportunity to research and talk with local organizations, foundations and associations. All this will lead to a new dramatic text, a new international co-production and a new theater festival.

Júlio Cerdeira is a dance, performance, theatre and multidisciplinary creator. In 2015 he graduated in Theatre at Universidade do Minho. In 2018 he obtained a Masters degree in Scenic Arts at ESMAE. In 2019 he co-founded BANQUETE – Associação de Investigação e Criação em Artes Performativas. He is currently teaching in the Theatre program and the Scenic Arts Masters degree at ESMAE. As creator and performer he has collaborated with artists and institutions such as Né Barros, Elisabete Magalhães, Rogério Nuno Costa, Sandro William Junqueira, Ballet Contemporâneo do Norte, Festival DDD, Hosek Contemporary, Centro de Arte Oliva, Festival TRÊSPÊ, among others.

Aïcha Euzet is a writer, actress and director. She holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and a Master's degree in Creation of Live Performances. She joined the playwriting department at ENSATT in 2018. NJËL - Aube à Thiaroye, her first play, was awarded the Beaumarchais-SACD grant and the ARTCENA national grant for the creation of dramatic texts. Route sans nom, the second text in the NJËL triptych, is a Collisions committee prize-winner. From January to June 2023, she was awarded an Artist-in-Residence grant by the Théâtre National de la Colline to write the final part of the play, Les Porteuses, which examines the little-known role of Senegalese riflemen during the first French colonial conquests. She is also the author of the text Se Plier, commissioned by the En ACTE(S)-Les Contemporaines festival held at the TNP Villeurbanne in May 2022. Her first text, A cette terrasse en béton qui n'existe plus, was published by Le Pôtichat. Her staging of the NJËL triptych will be performed in Saint-Louis, Senegal, in May 2024.

"The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics" is the first international project led by a public cultural institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, supported by the European Union. The project began in January 2024 and will conclude in December 2025. In addition to the Bosnian National Theater Zenica, the project's partners are: Teatro Circo Braga from Portugal, City Theater Budva from Montenegro, and the University Paul-Valery Montpellier from France. The aim of the project is to enhance theater themes and narratives through a feminist interpretation of national classics. The project includes sixteen activities to be carried out, resulting in four new dramatic texts, four new international performances, and four new theater festivals. The performances are planned to be staged in all four partner countries as part of the four new theater festivals. Finally, a book compiling all newly created dramatic texts and the methodology of their creation will be published.

July 4, 2024.

A Workshop Casting was held as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre –Feminist Readings of Classics".

On Wednesday, July 3rd, at 5 PM, a Workshop Casting was held at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Readings of Classics". The casting took place within the artistic residency of this project and was led by director Júlio Cerdeira, representing Teatro Circo Braga from Portugal, and author Aïcha Euzet, a representative of Paul-Valery University Montpellier from France.

The director and author mentioned that this is their second time in Zenica. In March, they engaged in reading and researching classics, placing them in a feminist perspective. Now, their artistic residency includes casting and auditions that will aid in the realization of a new play, utilizing all theatrical potentials. The entire project is based on the reconstruction of classics, focusing on the relationship between women and, unfortunately, the events that occurred during the war that Bosnia and Herzegovina experienced. Additionally, the focus is on the general position of women in Zenica and throughout the country.

The artistic residents will have the opportunity to explore and converse with local organizations, foundations, and associations. This will lead to the creation of a new dramatic text, a new international co-production, and a new theatre festival.

"The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Readings of Classics" is the first international project led by a public cultural institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, supported by the European Union. Besides the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, project partners include Teatro Circo Braga from Portugal, the City Theatre Budva from Montenegro, and Paul-Valery University Montpellier from France. The project's goal is to improve theatrical themes and narratives through a feminist interpretation of national classics.

October 10, 2024.

After a successful artistic residency, a new phase of the project will soon begin at the BNP Zenica

After a successful artistic residency as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist Reading of Classics", during which artistic residents stayed at the Bosnian National Theater Zenica - director Júlio Cerdeira, representing Teatro Circo Braga from Portugal and author Aïcha Euzet, representative of the University of Paul-Valery Montellier from France, a new phase of this European project will begin soon, which is work on a new theatre play. Cerdeira and Euzet returned to their countries and theaters after a ten-day research of the theater, city and country, and began to actively work on writing and creating a new theater piece.

According to Aïcha Euzet, author of the new play: "I was very impressed during my residency in july by meeting again Sabiha Husić. This meeting inspires me a lot, especially the location of the Medica Zenica center. In the heights, outside the city. Sabiha herself seems to be a frontier, a wall, protecting this sanctuary of peace and reconstruction for women. I also had the feeling if an army of women when I met the Cure fondation in Sarajevo. But an army of love. We also walked for a long time around the site of the former Winter Olympics, and the contrast between the surrounding calm and what I imagined war to be like here really made an impression on me. I also understand that Zenica was a place of refuge during the War. This refuge motif is a great inspiration to me. I see obvious links with Mara's story of Ivo Andrić. Mara is surrounded by violence, in a world where the order of men reigns. She seeks refuge but wherever she goes she's confronted with niew violence. I'm interested in life, in how to live again after beeing multi-traumatized. How still feel joy and love. I'm more interested in peace than war. For the moment, I've many intuitions and sensations after this residency in National Theatre Zenica that i'm trying to integrate into the text. I still have a lot of work to do, but there is already a first sketch."

Director Julio Cerdeira added: "Our first week of residency in Bosnia & Herzegovina revealed incredibly good for our creative process, with great insights in woman rights and feminist perspectives on national literature. For this project, I am taking a deep dive into a poetic original play written by Aïcha Euzet about the journey of Bosnian women in war and in their efforts to find peace after trauma. For that, we selected a very good and young group of performers from BNP Zenica that will bring this text to life in a post-dramatic approach that involves the usage of choreography, movement, and singing as an integral part of the show."

"The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics" is the first international project led by a public cultural institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, supported by the European Union. The project began in January 2024 and will conclude in December 2025. In addition to the Bosnian National Theater Zenica, the project's partners are: Teatro Circo Braga from Portugal, City Theater Budva from Montenegro, and the University Paul-Valery Montpellier from France. The aim of the project is to enhance theater themes and narratives through a feminist interpretation of national classics. The project includes sixteen activities to be carried out, resulting in four new dramatic texts, four new international performances, and four new theater festivals. The performances are planned to be staged in all four partner countries as part of the four new theater festivals. Finally, a book compiling all newly created dramatic texts and the methodology of their creation will be published.

December 13, 2024.

New Dramatic Texts Completed – Production Phase of the Project Begins

After successful artistic residencies that took place in four countries - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, France and Portugal, the authors have successfully finalized new dramatic texts that will be produced in four different theatres, all within the framework of the European project "The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics" led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica.

The production phase of the project will begin in early 2025. The Bosnian National Theatre Zenica will stage a play based on the dramatic text "Les Vivantes" by French author Aïcha Euzet, directed by Portuguese director Júlio Cerdeira. The production of this play is planned for January 2025, with the premiere performance scheduled for February 28, 2025.

In March 2025, the Paul-Valéry University of Montpellier from France will start work on the play "Imaš (lijep) glas" by the author Nedžma Čizmo from Bosnia and Herzegovina, directed by the Montenegrin director Minja Novaković. In April of the same year, the Budva Theatre City from Montenegro will stage the dramatic text "No Woman's Land" by Portuguese author Cátia Faísco, directed by French director Laurent Berger. At the same time, the Teatro Circo in Braga (Portugal) will work on the play "Izađi i bori se" by the Montenegrin author Stela Mišković, directed by the Bosnian director Lajla Kaikčija.

January 30, 2025.

Rehearsals for the play "The Living" have begun in The Bosnian National Theatre Zenica as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre – Feminist reading of classics"

Today, on January 30, the Bosnian National Theater Zenica held the first reading rehearsal for the play "The Living" (Les Vivantes) based on the text of the French author Aïcha Euzet, directed by the Portuguese director Júlio Cerdeira, and produced by the Bosnian National Theater Zenica. With the work on this play, the production phase of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist reading of classics" officially started, which is supported by the Zenica Theater.

According to the author Aïcha Euzet: „Mara is the heroine of Ivo Andric's short story 'Mara Milosnica', and a key character in my play 'LES VIVANTES'. I was commissioned to write this text, which was to be based on this classic piece of Bosnian literature, but with a contemporary twist. Mara's unfortunate story immediately echoed the horrors suffered by Muslim women locked up in 'rape houses' by soldiers of the Serbian armed forces in the 1990s. Adila's character mirrors Mara's life. This duality exists despite time and space. Adila is sequestered in a house by 'The Man with the Piercing Eye', a Serbian soldier. She suffers the worst tortures, and time dilates and transforms, entering a kind of hallucinatory trance in which she imagines the Miljacka River swelling and overflowing to flood Sarajevo. How can we create silence within words so the living can unleash their love?“

The play stars: Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić and Mirza Bajramović. The translation from French to Bosnian was done by Melisa Begović. The director is Júlio Cerdeira, and the costume design is by Ena Begičević-Čeliković. The music collaborator is Igor Kasapović.

The premiere performance of the play will be held on Thursday, February 27 at 8 pm at the Bosnian National Theatre in Zenica.

The goal of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist reading of classics" is to improve theatre themes and narratives through the feminist interpretation of national classics, and as a result of the project, four new dramatic texts, four new international plays and four new theater festivals will be created. It is planned that the plays will be played in all four partner countries within the framework of four new theater festivals, and at the end, a book will be published that will unite all the newly created dramatic texts as well as the methodology of their creation.

February 25, 2025.

On Thursday, the premiere performance of the play "The Living" will be held at the Zenica Theatre

A press conference was held today on the occasion of the premiere performance of the play "The Living" based on the text by Aïcha Euzet, directed by Júlio Cerdeira, as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist reading of classics" and co-produced by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, Teatro Circo de Braga (Portugal), City Theatre Budva (Montenegro) and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier (France).

As the director Júlio Cerdeira stated that it is an honor to work at the Bosnian National Theatre in Zenica, especially with this team, which gave great support to him and the author Aïcha Euzet in their work. Also, meetings with representatives of “Medica” from Zenica were important to him, which facilitated the work on the creation of the play. As he said, the experience of working in a second language is extremely specific, because Bosnian is neither his primary nor secondary language, nor is it a language he knew at all, but he believes that a good play has been created that will be enjoyed by audiences in BiH and Europe.

Actresses and actors from the ensemble of the play Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić and Mirza Bajramović thanked them for the beautiful work process, despite the fact that they had a language barrier during the process, because English is not a primary language for any of the three of them, but in the end, it did not interfere much with their work. As they said, it was a pleasure to experience a different way of working and to bring a play to the stage that speaks about important topics of women's equality in society.

The play stars: Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić and Mirza Bajramović. The costumes for the play are by Ena Begičević-Čeliković, and the music is by Igor Kasapović.

The premiere performance of the play will be on Thursday, February 27 at the Bosnian National Theatre in Zenica. The repeat performance is scheduled for March 7 on the home stage in the Zenica Theatre.

February 27, 2025.

The Bosnian National Theatre Zenica premieres the play "The Living"

On Thursday, February 27, the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica hosted the premiere performance of the play "The Living" based on the text by Aïcha Euzet, directed by Júlio Cerdeira, as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist reading of classics" and co-produced by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, Teatro Circo de Braga (Portugal), City Theatre Budva (Montenegro) and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier (France). The premiere performance was organized as part of the celebration of the 75th birthday of this theatre company.

In the words of director Júlio Cerdeira: "Working on the text of Aïcha Euzet's 'The Living' means recognizing that one of the most important feminist activities in this project is listening to the life stories of Bosnian women and getting their perspectives on their rights and desires. Mara and Adila are fictional characters based on the principle of real victims of systemic forms of violence in different historical contexts - in the context of the Ottoman Empire or in the context of the war of aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina. These stories are the result of a strong socio-political and religious tension that shows us real and open wounds in women’s bodies and in men’s character. The intention is also to show, examine and dismantle the archetypal model of masculinity as the perpetrator of violence against women, proposing the idea that there are roles that really need to stop playing on stage and in life. ‘The Living’ is a play that opens a window of light and sisterhood so that women who are victims of violence can continue to live supporting and caring for each other. The depth of spirituality, the elasticity of non-linear time and the influence of silence allow us to hear the voice of the living and those who are no longer part of the tangible world so that, in a striking chorus, freedom and hope can resonate.”

The play stars: Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić and Mirza Bajramović. The costumes for the play are by Ena Begičević-Čeliković, and the music is by Igor Kasapović.

A discussion with the audience is organized after the play.

The repeat performance is scheduled for March 7 on the home stage in the Zenica Theatre.

May 5, 2025.

The play "The Living" in Braga (Portugal) as part of the Sexual Theatre Festival

The play "The Living" based on the text by Aïcha Euzet, directed by Júlio Cerdeira, as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist Reading of Classics" and co-produced by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, Faz Cultura Braga (Portugal), City Theatre Budva (Montenegro) and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier (France) will be performed in Braga (Portugal) on May 7 as part of the Sexual Theatre Festival.

From May 6 to 9, Braga will host the first international festival as part of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist Reading of Classics", which is supported by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica and which is included in the program "Braga 25" in the Portuguese capital of culture. An international duo of directors and playwrights collaborated in 2024 with local actors and women's rights organizations to create four new plays, based on original texts, which will now be performed in Braga. During 2025, the plays will travel in the format of a traveling festival to other partner countries.

In the words of Júlio Cerdeira, the director of the play "The Living": "Working on the text 'Žive' by Aïcha Euzet means recognizing that one of the most important feminist activities in this project is listening to the life stories of Bosnian women and getting their perspectives on their rights and desires. Mara and Adila are fictional characters based on the principle of real victims of systemic forms of violence in different historical contexts - in the context of the Ottoman Empire or in the context of the war of aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 'Žive' is a play that opens a window of light and sisterhood so that women who are victims of violence can continue to live by supporting and caring for each other. The depth of spirituality, the elasticity of non-linear time and the impact of silence allow us to hear the voice of the living and those who are no longer part of the tangible world so that, in a striking chorus, freedom and hope can resound."

The play features: Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić and Mirza Bajramović. The play's costume design is by Ena Begičević-Čeliković, and the music is by Igor Kasapović.

The goal of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist Reading of Classics" is to improve theater themes and narratives through the feminist interpretation of national classics, and as a result of the project, four new dramatic texts, four new international plays and four new theater festivals were created. After the Festival in Braga (Portugal), the performances will be played at international festivals in partner countries - in France in June, in Montenegro in July and finally, in October, in the Bosnian National Theatre in Zenica. Finally, a book will be published that will bring together all newly created dramatic texts as well as the methodology of their creation.

May 7, 2025.

Sexual Theatre Festival in Braga, Portugal

The festival phase of the project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist Reading of Classics" led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, began this week in Braga, Portugal, as part of the year-long cultural event “Braga 25”. The Portuguese capital of culture is hosting the first international festival created through the collaboration of four European partners: Bosnian National Theatre Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina), City Theatre Budva (Montenegro), Paul-Valéry University Montpellier (France), and Faz Cultura de Braga (Portugal).

Last night, on May 6, the festival opened with the premiere of the play „Come Out and Fight?“ by Montenegrin author Stela Mišković, directed by Lajla Kaikčija, a director at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica. Tonight, May 7, the play „The Living“, written by French author Aïcha Euzet and directed by Portuguese director Júlio Cerdeira, will be performed by the acting ensemble of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, featuring Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić, and Mirza Bajramović. On Thursday, May 8, the play „No Woman's Land“ by Portuguese author Cátia Faísco, directed by French director Laurent Berger, will be on the program. The premiere of the play „A Beautiful Voice“ by Nedžma Čizmo, dramaturge at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica and directed by Montenegrin director Minja Novaković, is scheduled for Friday, May 9.

All the plays were created in a co-production between Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, City Theatre Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga.

In 2024, international duos of directors and playwrights collaborated with local acting ensembles and women's rights organizations to create four new plays based on original scripts, which are now being performed in Braga. In 2025, the productions will tour the partner countries in a traveling festival format. After the festival in Braga (Portugal), the plays will also be performed at international festivals in the partner countries — in France in June, in Montenegro in July, and finally in October at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica. A book compiling all the newly created plays and the methodology behind their development will be published at the end.

May 12, 2025.

The first edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival in Braga, Portugal has successfully concluded

The first edition of the international theatre festival "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist Reading of Classics" successfully concluded on May 9 in the city of Braga, the Portuguese Capital of Culture, as part of the “Braga 25” programme. Over the course of four days, audiences had the opportunity to see four contemporary theatre productions from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, Montenegro, and France, each offering an innovative feminist reinterpretation of classical literary works.

The festival opened on May 6 with the play „Come Out and Fight?“ by Montenegrin author Stela Mišković, directed by Lajla Kaikčija, director of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica. On May 7, the Bosnian production „The Living“ by French author Aïcha Euzet was performed, inspired by the short story „Mara milosnica“ by Ivo Andrić, directed by Júlio Cerdeira and produced by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica. This was followed by the play „No Woman's Land“, a Montenegrin production based on a text by Portuguese author Cátia Faísco, directed by French director Laurent Berger. The festival closed on May 9 with the French production „A Beautiful Voice“ by Nedžma Čizmo, dramaturge of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, directed by Montenegrin director Minja Novaković. All performances reaffirmed the power and relevance of feminist approaches in contemporary performing arts.

The festival in Braga marked the first in a series of international gatherings organized as part of the two-year project "The Sexual Theatre - Feminist Reading of Classics", supported by the European Union through the Creative Europe programme. The project brings together four partner institutions: Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, Faz Cultura de Braga, City Theatre Budva and Paul-Valéry University Montpellier.

Organizers emphasized that the festival exceeded expectations both artistically and socially, bringing together authors, performers, researchers, and audiences in a shared exploration of gender equality, freedom of expression, and reinterpretation of cultural heritage.

The next editions of the festival are scheduled to take place in Budva, Montpellier and Zenica in 2025.

June 9, 2025.

Montpellier, France Hosts Second Edition Of The Sexual Theatre Festival

Last night, on June 8, the second edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival officially began. The second festival phase of the project "The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics", led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, opened last night in Montpellier, France, and will run until Wednesday, June 11.

The play "Come Out and Fight?" by Montenegrin author Stela Mišković, directed by Lajla Kaikčija, a director at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, was performed last night. In the upcoming festival days, the program will also include the following plays: "Beautiful Voice" by Nedžma Čizmo, a dramaturge at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, directed by Montenegrin director Minja Novaković; "The Living" by French author Aïcha Euzet, directed by Portuguese director Júlio Cerdeira and performed by the acting ensemble of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica – Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić, and Mirza Bajramović; and "No Woman's Land" by Portuguese author Cátia Faísco, directed by French director Laurent Berger. All plays were created as part of a collaborative co-production between the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, the City Theatre Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga.

In 2024, an international duo of directors and playwrights collaborated with local acting teams and women’s rights organizations to create four new plays based on original texts. After being performed in Braga (Portugal), they are now being staged in Montpellier (France). In 2025, the plays will tour as part of a traveling festival, continuing in the remaining partner countries – in Montenegro in July and finally in Bosnia and Herzegovina in October, at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica. The project will conclude with the publication of a book compiling all the newly created dramatic texts, along with the methodology used in their development.

June 10, 2025.

Montpellier Hosts Two Performances of “The Living”

The play “The Living”, written by French author Aïcha Euzet, directed by Portuguese director Júlio Cerdeira, and produced by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica in collaboration with City Theatre Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga, will be performed in two showings in Montpellier, France. Montpellier is currently hosting the second edition of the international festival developed as part of the project “The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics.” “The Living” is on the program tonight, June 10 at 20:30, and again tomorrow, June 11 at 15:00 at Hangar Theatre.

According to director Júlio Cerdeira: “The Living” is a play that opens a window of light and sisterhood, allowing women who are victims of violence to continue living by supporting and caring for one another. The depth of spirituality, the elasticity of nonlinear time, and the impact of silence allow us to hear the voices of the living and those who are no longer part of the tangible world, so that, in a powerful chorus, freedom and hope can resonate.”

The cast includes Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić, and Mirza Bajramović. Costume design is by Ena Begičević-Čeliković, and original music is composed by Igor Kasapović.

The project “The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics” aims to enrich theatrical themes and narratives through feminist reinterpretations of national classics. As a result, the project has produced four new dramatic texts, four international productions, and four new theatre festivals. Following previous performances in Braga (Portugal) and now in Montpellier (France), the festival will continue in the remaining partner countries – Montenegro in July, and finally Bosnia and Herzegovina in October, hosted by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica.

June 11, 2025.

Audience Talk Held After the Second Performance of the Play „The Living“ in Montpellier

As part of the second edition of the international festival realized through the project The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics, the second performance of the play The Living was held on June 11 at the Hangar Theatre in Montpellier. After the performance, an audience talk took place featuring actors Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić, and Mirza Bajramović, the playwright Aïcha Euzet, and the executive producer of the Project and the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, Denis Krdžalić.

The play The Living is based on a text by French author Aïcha Euzet, inspired by Ivo Andrić’s story Mara the Mercy-Giver. It is directed by Portuguese director Júlio Cerdeira and produced by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, in partnership with the City Theatre Budva (Montenegro), Paul-Valéry University Montpellier (France), and Faz Cultura de Braga (Portugal). The play explores the experiences of women who have survived violence, with a special focus on how they find support, undergo spiritual renewal, and embark on introspective recovery.

The Montpellier festival is part of the project The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics, led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica. The project includes the creation of four new dramatic texts and four international theatre productions, presented as part of a traveling festival across the partner countries: Portugal, France, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The post-performance discussion provided an opportunity to exchange views on the production process, international collaboration, and the themes addressed within the project. Participants reflected on the challenges and specificities of intercultural co-productions, as well as the approaches used in working with ensembles and authors from different countries.

June 12, 2025.

Second Festival Segment of “The Sexual Theatre” Project Concludes in Montpellier

The second festival segment of the international project “The Sexual Theatre – A Feminist Reading of the Classics”, led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, has successfully concluded in Montpellier, France. The French edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival lasted four days, from June 8 to 11. As part of the festival program, four performances created in international co-production were staged at Hangar Theatre, including “The Living”, a production of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, based on a text by French author Aïche Euzet and directed by Portuguese director Júlio Cerdeira.

In addition to “The Living”, the festival lineup featured: “Go Out and Fight?” (Portugal), written by Stela Mišković and directed by Lajla Kaikčija; “A Beautiful Voice” (France), written by Nedžma Čizmo and directed by Minja Novaković and “No Woman’s Land” (Montenegro), written by Cátia Faísco and directed by Laurent Berger

The productions were realized in co-production with the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, City Theatre Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and the Portuguese organization Faz Cultura de Braga.

The festival in Montpellier represents the second stage of the traveling theater festival that will continue in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina during the summer and autumn of 2025. The project will be concluded in October at the Bosnian National Theater in Zenica.

July 25, 2025.

Third Edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival in Budva

The third edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival, organized within the project “The Sexual Theatre – A Feminist Reading of the Classics” led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, will begin on Sunday, July 27 in Budva. The festival will run until July 30 and will feature all four plays created as part of the project.

The program opens on Sunday, July 27 at 9 p.m. in the space between the churches in Budva’s Old Town with the performance of No Woman's Land by Portuguese author Cátia Faísco, directed by French director Laurent Berger. The following day, July 28 at 9 p.m. in Mogren Fortress, the play Go Out and Fight? by Montenegrin author Stela Mišković, directed by Lajla Kaikčija of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, will be performed. On Tuesday, July 29 at 9 p.m., also in Mogren Fortress, the play A Beautiful Voice by Nedžma Čizmo, dramaturge of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, directed by Montenegrin director Minja Novaković, will be staged. Finally, on Wednesday, July 30 at 9 p.m. in the Red Commune in Petrovac, Montenegrin audiences will have the opportunity to see The Living by French author Aïcha Euzet, directed by Portuguese director Júlio Cerdeira and performed by the ensemble of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica: Adna Kaknjo, Tamara Miličević-Stilić, and Mirza Bajramović.

All the plays were produced as part of a partnership co-production between the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, the City Theatre Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga.

In 2024, an international duo of directors and playwrights collaborated with local acting troupes and women’s rights organizations to create four new plays based on original texts. After premiering in Braga (Portugal) and later being staged in Montpellier (France), the productions are now coming to Budva (Montenegro). In October, they will also be performed in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, as part of the fourth edition of the Festival. To conclude the project, a book will be published bringing together all the newly created plays as well as the methodology behind their development.

September 30, 2025.

The Fourth Edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival Begins in Zenica

A press conference was held today at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica to announce the upcoming fourth edition of The Sexual Theatre Festival, which will take place from October 1 to 6, organized by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica in cooperation with partners from Grad Teatar Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga.

Director Miroljub Mijatović emphasized that the festival continues the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, bringing new theatrical interpretations of classic texts from a feminist perspective. The project “Sexual Theatre: Feminist Reading of the Classics,” funded by the Creative Europe program, connects artists from four countries and presents four co-productions, which will be performed not only in Zenica but also in Kakanj and Visoko.

Executive producer Denis Krdžalić explained that the project is inspired by Kate Millett’s book “Sexual Politics,” one of the most important works of feminist cultural criticism, and aims to promote a feminist approach to art and to explore gender relations through contemporary theatre.

The project seeks to: establish a European network of professional theatres and festivals that develop feminist approaches in art and culture; enhance gender awareness and encourage artists and audiences to critically examine gender roles and stereotypes through theatre; support feminist education and social engagement of artists through international workshops, residencies, and co-productions; promote gender equality, inclusion, social justice, and democracy in the partner countries by using theatre as a space for dialogue and change; and develop new audiences, especially among young people, capable of recognizing and understanding contemporary feminist and cultural narratives.

The project has encompassed 16 international activities, including trainings, artistic residencies, four new co-productions, and four festivals. It has involved over 30 artists, directors, and theatre managers, and the performances have been seen by thousands of audience members across partner countries. The project has also resulted in a publication featuring four new dramatic texts and a detailed description of the methodology used.

October 1, 2025.

As Part of the Sexual Theatre Festival — Performances in Zenica, Kakanj, and Visoko on Thursday

As part of the Sexual Theatre Festival program, organized by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica in cooperation with Grad Teatar Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga, three performances created within the framework of this Festival will be presented on Thursday, October 2.

At 20:00, the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica will host the performance “The Living”, written by Aïcha Euzet and directed by Júlio Cerdeira. The cast includes Tamara Miličević-Stilić, Adna Kaknjo, and Mirza Bajramović. The play is inspired by Ivo Andrić’s short story “Mara the Charitable.”

At the same time, 20:00, the Center for Culture, Sports and Information Visoko will present the play “No Woman’s Land”, written by Cátia Faísco and directed by Laurent Berger. The cast features Anđelija Rondović, Marija Liješević, Milica Šćepanović, Milica Kekić Martinović, and Mirjana Spaić. The play is based on Stefan M. Ljubiša’s short story “The Cliff Maiden.”

Also on the same evening at 20:00, the Cultural and Sports Center Kakanj will host the performance “A Beautiful Voice”, written by Nedžma Čizmo and directed by Minja Novaković. The cast includes Pauline Auzuret, Sandy Ghazarian, Manon Guettaf, Ximena Primera, and Elsa Trehen-Giacobazzi. The play is inspired by Denis Diderot’s novel “The Nun.”

All performances were produced in co-production between the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, Grad Teatar Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga.

October 2,. 2025.

Two Performances in Zenica on Friday as Part of the Sexual Theatre Festival

The fourth edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival opened on Thursday, October 2, at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica with the performance “The Living”, written by Aïcha Euzet and directed by Júlio Cerdeira. After the performance, a discussion between the artistic team and the audience was held.

On the same evening, at the Center for Culture, Sports and Information Visoko, the play “No Woman’s Land” by Cátia Faísco, directed by Laurent Berger, was performed, while at the Cultural and Sports Center Kakanj, the play “A Beautiful Voice” by Nedžma Čizmo, directed by Minja Novaković, was staged.

As part of the fourth edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival, organized by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica in cooperation with Grad Teatar Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga, two performances created within this Festival will be presented on Friday, October 3, at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica.

At 17:00, the Zenica Theatre will host the play “No Woman’s Land”, written by Cátia Faísco and directed by Laurent Berger. The cast includes Anđelija Rondović, Marija Liješević, Milica Šćepanović, Milica Kekić Martinović, and Mirjana Spaić. The play is inspired by Stefan M. Ljubiša’s short story “The Cliff Maiden.”

Later that day, at 20:00, the same venue will present the play “A Beautiful Voice”, written by Nedžma Čizmo and directed by Minja Novaković. The cast features Pauline Auzuret, Sandy Ghazarian, Manon Guettaf, Ximena Primera, and Mathilda Levy-Backes. The play is based on Denis Diderot’s novel “The Nun.”

After the performances, audience members will have the opportunity to participate in a discussion with the artistic teams.

All performances were produced in co-production between the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, Theatre City Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga. The project is supported by Creative Europe.

October 3, 2025.

Book Launch and Another Performance on Saturday as Part of the Sexual Theatre Festival at BNP Zenica

The fourth edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival continued on Friday, October 3, at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica with two performances.

At 17:00, the play “No Woman’s Land”, written by Cátia Faísco and directed by Laurent Berger, was performed. The play is inspired by Stefan M. Ljubiša’s short story “The Cliff Maiden.” Later that night, at 20:00, the play “A Beautiful Voice”, written by Nedžma Čizmo and directed by Minja Novaković, was staged. This play is based on Denis Diderot’s novel “The Nun.” After the performances, audience discussions were held with the artistic teams, moderated by dramaturge Emina Kovačević-Podgorčević.

On Saturday, October 4, at 19:00, a book launch will take place for “Sexual Theatre: Feminist Readings of Classics”, edited by Laurent Berger. The event will be moderated by dramaturge Emina Kovačević-Podgorčević. The book collects the four texts on which the festival performances are based and provides a detailed methodology of the creative process. It was published as part of the Publishing Activity of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica.

Later that night, at 20:00, the play “Come Out and Fight?”, written by Stela Mišković and directed by Lajla Kaikčija, will be performed. The play is inspired by “New Portuguese Letters” by Maria Isabel Barreto, Maria Velho da Costa, and Maria Teresa Horta. The cast includes Inês Filipe, Inês Lago, David Salvado, and Joana Maria.

The fourth edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival is organized by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica in cooperation with TheatreCity Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga. The festival is led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica and supported by Creative Europe.

October 6, 2025.

Fourth Edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival Successfully Concludes at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica

As part of the fourth edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival, two program activities took place on Saturday, October 4, at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica. These were also the final events of this edition of the festival at BNP Zenica.

At 19:00, the book launch of “Sexual Theatre: Feminist Readings of Classics”, edited by Laurent Berger, was held. The event was moderated by dramaturge Emina Kovačević-Podgorčević. The book collects the four texts on which the festival performances are based and provides a detailed methodology of the creative process. It was published as part of the Publishing Activity of the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica.

Later that night, at 20:00, the play “Come Out and Fight?”, written by Stela Mišković and directed by Lajla Kaikčija, was performed. The play is inspired by “New Portuguese Letters” by Maria Isabel Barreto, Maria Velho da Costa, and Maria Teresa Horta. The cast includes Inês Filipe, Inês Lago, David Salvado, and Joana Maria.

The fourth edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival was organized by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica in cooperation with TheatreCity Budva, Paul-Valéry University Montpellier, and Faz Cultura de Braga. The festival is led by the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica and supported by Creative Europe. During this edition, four performances were staged in Zenica, Kakanj, and Visoko.

October 10, 2025.

New Publication Available for Download: "Sexual Theatre: Feminist Readings of Classics"

The book Sexual Theatre: Feminist Readings of Classics, edited by Laurent Bergent, has been published as part of the international project The Sexual Theatre – Feminist Readings of Classics. This edition brings together four contemporary dramatic texts created within the project, each inspired by classical works and reimagined through feminist perspectives.

Alongside the plays, the book provides a comprehensive overview of the project’s working process — highlighting feminist reinterpretations of classical narratives, the questioning of gender norms on stage, and the role of experimentation in performance and digital contexts.

Through research, collaboration, and artistic creation, The Sexual Theatre project opens new feminist dialogues within European theatre, engaging partners from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, France and Montenegro in exploring themes of sexuality, identity, and representation.

The publication is available for free download at Sexual Theatre (pdf book)

October 16, 2025.

Digital Edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival Available from October 17 – Four Performances Streaming for Free

Following the successful completion of the fourth edition of the Sexual Theatre Festival at the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, this unique project continues to thrive in the digital space.
From October 17 to November 17, 2025, audiences around the world can stream all four festival performances free of charge.

• No Woman’s Land – written by Catia Faisco, directed by Laurent Berger

• The Living – written by Aïcha Euzet, directed by Júlio Cerdeira

• A Beautiful Voice – written by Nedžma Čizmo, directed by Minja Novaković

• Come Out and Fight? – written by Stela Mišković, directed by Lajla Kaikčija

The digital edition aims to make contemporary theatre more accessible to audiences everywhere — presenting works that question gender, sexual, and social norms while celebrating artistic freedom and courage.

Throughout the month, viewers can enjoy performances that explore themes of feminism, identity, freedom, and social constraints. Beyond the performances themselves, the project promotes the values of social engagement, gender equality, and the visibility of diverse identities — reaffirming Sexual Theatre as a platform for dialogue and artistic resistance.

The digital festival reminds us that theatre is not only a space of performance, but also a space of understanding, solidarity, and transformation — no matter where we are.

Sexual Theatre – Feminist Reading of Classics is the first international project led by a public cultural institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, funded by the European Union through Creative Europe. Alongside the Bosnian National Theatre Zenica, project partners include Faz Cultura Braga (Portugal), City Theatre Budva (Montenegro), and University Paul-Valéry Montpellier (France).

The project aims to enhance theatrical narratives through a feminist reinterpretation of national classics. It encompasses sixteen activities, resulting in four new dramatic texts, four international theatre productions, and four new festivals.
Finally, a book compiling all newly created plays and the methodology behind their creation has been published.