Armin Behrem refuses Miodrag Žalica award at Bosnian drama festival

Playwright Armin Behrem has refused to accept the ‘Miodrag Žalica’ award for the best Bosnian drama at the 25th Festival of Bosnian Drama in Zenica. Behrem was recognized for his play ‘Podroom’, produced by the Sarajevo War Theatre (SARTR) and Realstage Sarajevo.

Behrem stated that his decision was not an impulse but a result of a deliberate process. He expressed concerns regarding the composition of the professional jury, noting that, for the first time in the festival's history, the jury consisted exclusively of colleagues from outside Bosnia and Herzegovina. He explained that he could not accept the recognition while remaining silent about the structure of the body awarding it.