The ne:Bitef festival, a significant cultural event in Belgrade, is set to take place on September 20, 2026, across 60 locations in the city. This festival, organized as a form of cultural resistance, will feature international artists such as the German collective Gob Squad and the Italian theater troupe Motus. These groups had initially canceled their participation in the official Bitef festival to show solidarity with the local art scene and the festival’s libertarian spirit. However, they will now engage with audiences in Belgrade through the ne:Bitef festival, which is organized to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Bitef and to promote discussions on themes of freedom, censorship, and the role of art in society.
The festival will consist of a series of micro-scenes, each curated by a selected artist or cultural worker nominated by the cultural community. These micro-scenes will present works and discussions that have marked the history of Bitef. Gob Squad will showcase their work at the Center for Cultural Decontamination (CZKD), curated by Ana Vujanović, where audiences will have the opportunity to watch recordings of their performances, including “Before Your Very Eyes,” and engage in public discussions with the artists. Similarly, Motus will be presented by curator Aleksandra Jovićević at the Rectorate of the University of Arts in Belgrade, offering a platform for interaction with the troupe’s founders, Danijela Nikolo and Enriko Kasagrande.
The festival will also feature Slovenian artist Dragan Živadinov, who will perform at a micro-scene hosted by Irena Ristić. Other notable participants include Slovenian director Tjaša Črnigoj, who will engage in discussions about the significance of Bitef for young Slovenian authors and feminist struggles in the cultural field. Swiss director Milo Rau, whose censored play “Proces Peliko” was a catalyst for the first ne:Bitef, will also return with a special program alongside former Bitef artistic director Nikita Milivojević.
Anja Suša, a former Bitef selector and recipient of the Grand Prix “Mira Trailović” in 2023, will discuss Bitef’s role as a platform for regional theater on the international stage. Her session will include virtual participation from directors Oliver Frljić and Borut Šeparović, as well as playwright Ivana Sajko. Additionally, Eugenio Barba, a prominent European director, will join the festival online, with a conversation hosted by curator Dijana Milošević at DAH Theatre.
The ne:Bitef festival is a collective, horizontally organized event, reflecting a spirit of civil disobedience and creativity in response to the perceived authoritarianism and occupation of cultural spaces by the government. This year’s edition follows the inaugural ne:Bitef held in December 2025, which was organized in challenging conditions as a grassroots effort supported by students and the broader cultural sector. The festival aims to revive the avant-garde tradition of Bitef, offering a platform for artistic expression and dialogue in the face of censorship and political pressure.
Attendees of the ne:Bitef festival will have the opportunity to explore various micro-scenes throughout the city, creating their own personalized “Bitef walk” by choosing which scenes to visit and how long to stay. This innovative format allows for a dynamic and interactive cultural experience, emphasizing the festival’s commitment to artistic freedom and community engagement. The event’s success could have significant implications for the local cultural scene, potentially influencing future discussions on the intersection of art, politics, and society in Serbia.
