17. 10. 2010.

HAPPY 50th MESS, EVERYONE! - 50th Anniversary Edition of the MESS Opened

The 50^th edition of the MESS Festival, taking place under the motto “Forever Young”, was officially launched by Čedo Kisić, one of the initiators and founders of the MESS Festival, and Selma Spahić, a young theatre directress and the selector of this year’s Future MESS program. The ceremony itself made all the more special by 70 youngsters from the SOS Kinderdorf Children’s Village, who walked into the venue with 50 little birthday cakes, and blew out 50 candles with the audience.

In this inaugural speech, MESS Festival Director Dino Mustafić said that, through the years, the MESS had changed, had its ups and downs, its crises and dilemmas, but that it has always remained faithful to its audiences, which have loved, cherished and protected the MESS from all those who have been against modernism, exploration, the avant-garde and artistic issues that have incited courage, civil audacity and responsibility. “Dear MESS lovers, allow me to thank you, on behalf of the organisers of our oldest and biggest international theatre festival, for all the laughter and tears, the emotions and applauses you have supported us with for five decades, for encouraging us to continue doing what we do. Happy 50^th MESS Festival to us all!” said Mustafić.  He also reminded us of the fact the MESS had resisted during the siege of Sarajevo, without interrupting its efforts, and even staging some historically significant plays, as well as the first film festival entitled “After the End of the World”.

In his address to the audience gathered at the National Theatre, Čedo Kisić reminded us of the Festival’s earliest days, citing the words of Ivo Andrić, which he said during a flight on his journey from Sarajevo to Stockholm, to the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony: “Reminiscing about the last time he was in Sarajevo, Andrić told me: “I am pleased that Sarajevo is the host of a Festival which has a future, and manifold significance''. Kisić also wished the Director of the MESS the good fortune to open the 100^th edition of the Festival, mentioning that the official birth date of the MESS is in fact 23 March 1960, when the first Festival play, John Presley’s “Take the Fool Away”, was staged. It was directed by Jurislav Korenić, one of the founders of the Little Theatre and initiators of a permanent festival of chamber and experimental stage plays.