They Are All Gone Directed by Andrej Nosov Performed at the International Theatre Festival MESS in Sarajevo

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The production They Are All Gone, written by Doruntina Basha and directed by Andrej Nosov, was performed on 10 October as part of the 66th International Theatre Festival MESS in Sarajevo, one of the most prominent and longest-running international theatre festivals in this part of Europe. The cast includes Mirjana Karanović, Svetozar Cvetković, Alban Ukaj, and others.

Since its inception, the International Theatre Festival MESS has hosted some of the most influential theatre directors in history, including Peter Brook, Giorgio Strehler, Robert Wilson, Eugenio Barba, and many others. This year’s programme featured recent productions by Oliver Frljić, Milo Rau, alaa minawi, Dino Mustafić, Amila Terzimehić, Tara Manić, and others.

Through an intimate story of loss, memory, and life after trauma, They Are All Gone offers an artistic exploration of the fates and consequences of the wars in the former Yugoslavia. The production focuses on lives that have disappeared, families torn apart, and futures that never came to be. Through memories and personal belongings, the protagonist Sadika struggles to preserve what she has lost, while the play raises the question of what it means to survive and what life looks like when the fear of forgetting is ever-present.

The production was developed through an international collaboration between Heartefact, Sarajevo War Theatre SARTR, and My Balkans, in cooperation with La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York, Ibsen Scope in Norway, and Allianz Foundation in Germany. Following its premiere in Belgrade, the production was also performed in Sweden, Norway, and New York, with its appearance at MESS marking another chapter in its international journey.

MESS is one of the oldest and most significant international theatre festivals in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Founded in 1960 as the Festival of Small and Experimental Stages of Yugoslavia, it has been dedicated to innovation and new theatrical practices from the very beginning. During the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, operating under the name International Theatre and Film Festival MES Sarajevo, it continued to serve as an important space for cultural resistance and international artistic exchange – a tradition that MESS continues to uphold today.

Following its appearance at MESS, They Are All Gone will be performed in Skopje in mid-October, before returning to the stage of Heartefact House in Belgrade on 12, 13, and 14 November. Tickets are available online at tickets.rs and at Tickets sales outlets.

Velija Hasanbegović

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They Are All Gone Directed by Andrej Nosov Performed at the International Theatre Festival MESS in Sarajevo

The production They Are All Gone, written by Doruntina Basha and directed by Andrej Nosov, was performed on 10 October as part of the 66th International Theatre Festival MESS in Sarajevo, one of the most prominent and longest-running international theatre festivals in this part of Europe. The cast includes Mirjana Karanović, Svetozar Cvetković, Alban Ukaj, and others.

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The grants for cultural and artistic projects are awarded for the development and implementation of socially relevant contemporary art projects that contribute to the enrichment of culture and promote diversity in artistic practices and expressions, address critical social issues, and encourage community development.

Young Artists and Activists from Serbia Visited Festivals in Pristina and Prizren as Part of Heartefact’s Visiting Program

As part of Heartefact’s Kosovo–Serbia Visiting Program, we organized a visit in early August to festivals in Pristina and Prizren for a group of young artists and activists from Serbia. During the visit, the participants had the opportunity to attend three major cultural events in Kosovo – the 24th edition of the DokuFest International Documentary Film Festival in Prizren, the 6th edition of the Sunny Hill music festival in Pristina, and the 5th edition of the Autostrada Biennale, an international contemporary art festival.

OPEN CALL: GRANTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING (REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA)

Public presentation of the play Doughnuts held as part of the New Voices workshop

On Sunday, July 6, a public presentation of the play Doughnuts (Buhtle) was held at Heartefact House, marking the conclusion of the four-day Playground for New Voices workshop. The workshop took place within the European project Fabulamundi: New Voices, which Heartefact implements with partners from nine European countries. It was led by director and playwright Patrik Lazić, in collaboration with emerging playwright Jelena Krdžavac, the acting ensemble, and translator Olja Petronić.

Exploring and developing contemporary drama through process: Doughnuts by Jelena Krdžavac in the spotlight of the Playground workshop

As part of the Fabulamundi project, implemented by Heartefact in collaboration with partners from nine European countries, the Playground workshop is taking place in Belgrade from July 3 to 6. Led by director and playwright Patrik Lazić, the workshop brings together a cast of actors and emerging playwright Jelena Krdžavac to explore and further develop her play Doughnuts (Buhtle), which was shortlisted in last year’s Heartefact Competition for Best Contemporary Socially Engaged Drama.

Culture for Democracy: Supported Projects within the Call for Cultural and Artistic Project Implementation in Serbia

An exceptional response—totaling 273 applications—reflects the critical position of the cultural sector in Serbia in the context of the current political and social climate. Based on the Commission’s evaluation, 22 projects have been selected for support, with a total budget of 21,500,000.00 RSD. Although this amount exceeds the originally planned budget for this call, we believe that, amid the ongoing crisis and with public calls for cultural funding either canceled or indefinitely postponed, such support is more necessary than ever.

Artistic Residency and Public Presentation of Gaelle Axelbrun’s Play Held as Part of the Playground Project

From June 22 to 28, 2025, an artistic residency of French playwright Gaelle Axelbrun took place at Heartefact House in Belgrade, as part of the European project Playground. During this intensive seven-day working period, Gaelle, together with director Tara Manić, translator Olja Petronić, and the acting ensemble—Nevena Kočović, Jana Bjelica, and Andrej Nježić—explored the dramaturgical and performative potential of her play Far from the Mud in Which We Sink into Sleep.

Residency of French Author Gaelle Axelbrun in Belgrade as Part of the Playground Project

From June 22 to 28, 2025, the Heartefact House in Belgrade will host a residency for French playwright Gaelle Axelbrun as part of the European project Playground. This intensive seven-day residency, organized by Heartefact, is part of an international collaboration focused on the development of contemporary dramatic texts by emerging European authors.

First Seminar for Youth from Serbia Held as Part of the Regional VIBE Program

From June 20 to 22, 2025, Heartefact organized a three-day seminar for young people from Serbia in Belgrade as part of the regional program VIBE – Connecting Young People. The program brings together youth from Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and exchange. Designed as a space for learning, dialogue, and connection, it focuses on human rights, regional cooperation, the shared history of the region, and reflections on the future that young people wish to shape through activism and civic engagement.