Word of the author:

“I am writing this while I’m reading the daily papers. In them – yesterday’s news: Two smiling, cheerful old man are carelessly walking into the building of the Special Court in Belgrade, where they are supposed to testify about the participation of the secret police in the murder of the journalist Slavko Curuvija. Both of them were in high positions, both participated in the most horrific crimes, and now these cheerful grandpas are facing justice without fear, and laughing in its face. And I cannot even say their names, because of para-police organizations to which they belong, which are stronger than ever, even stronger than my life.

Here, Crna Ruka is, for more than a century, fighting with all that is noble, revolutionary and progressive. It liquidates, it mobilizes, it indoctrinates, it rules. This piece speaks of the suffering of the revolutionaries and the kidnapping of their noble ideas in the darkest purposes of Crna Ruka. It is my confrontation with them. It is my participation in the Young Bosnia movement of rebellion against losses we have suffered, and do not even know about. It is my secret tamburitza society and the Sokol movement. It is my shield from a third bullet, never fired in Sarajevo, still wandering the Balkans, preying on its last victim.

Princip is neither a terrorist nor a hero. He is a victim just like all of us.”

Word of the director:

“History and destiny are relentless for people in the Balkans, binding us to graves and memories, constantly leading us into a national necessity and duty to reconsider our positions. Art is not interested in historical facts, but human destiny, fears and hopes as those in Young Bosnia who had not reconciled with the present world, but wanted to change it and dreamed of freedom for the South Slavic people. While I was reading this text, I could hear the heartbeats of these kids, because they had their own utopia and remained faithful to it and its intentions, but still carried with them the dilemma, security and doubt, peace and temptations, and finally, punishment and sin. This is not a political or historical drama, but it is socially engaged, because it leads us toward the reality we recognize, while its artistic language raises ethical questions that are remembered. And those who are remembered are never alone. Therefore, this drama will have an important place in the history of the South Slavic drama. I believe that this play will show how important the path which we chose is, and we must remember to illuminate and awaken our present through our past.”