Tiago Rodrigues, Director of the Festival d'Avignon, has responded to the Belgrade International Theater Festival (BITEF)'s board's decision to reject the program proposed by the Festival's Artistic Direction team, and therefore block Milo Rau from attending for the 59th edition and presenting the 'Pelicot Trial'. He comments (automatic English translation below):
"“Le Festival d’Avignon est solidaire avec la direction artistique et l’équipe du BITEF, à Belgrade, au moment où la liberté artistique de ce très important festival européen est de nouveau attaqué. Le projet « Pelicot Trial », coproduction du Festival d’Avignon avec le Wiener Festwochen, était annulé et l’artiste Milo Rau interdit de participer au BITEF. Comme producteur du projet censuré, le Festival d’Avignon est aussi ciblé par cette décision inacceptable et exige des explications aux autorités responsables"
"The Festival d'Avignon stands in solidarity with the artistic direction and team of BITEF in Belgrade at a time when the artistic freedom of this very important European festival is once again under attack. The Pelicot Trial project, a co-production between the Festival d'Avignon and the Wiener Festwochen, was canceled and artist Milo Rau was banned from participating in BITEF. As the producer of the censored project, the Festival d'Avignon is also targeted by this unacceptable decision and demands explanations from the responsible authorities.”
You can read Milo Rau's statement here , and ETC Executive Director Heidi Wiley's statement here.
