Underskog

Join us for the opening night at Victoria Kino!

Andrei Sannikov and Natalya Radina are the evening’s guests of honor. In addition to the screening, there will be music, speeches, and a celebration with our organizing partners.

The film Dangerous Acts Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus about Belarus Free Theatre is essentially about how an underground theater is able to fight back on the grave human rights challenges in Belarus: the mass arrests, the lack of freedom of expression, the humiliation and stifling of cultural expressions and the brutality of the regime.

The New York Times has described Belarus Free Theatre as “one of the most powerful underground theaters on the planet.” The acclaimed British playwright Tom Stoppard emphasizes their high artistic standard – “Belarus Free Theatre presents its message by being as artistically interesting as possible.” The theater has also been dubbed the world’s bravest theater.

Belarusian freedom fighters must be brave because they run a great risk by demanding democracy in Europe’s last dictatorship. Two of the most prominent figures of the fight for freedom in Belarus, the opposition leader Andrei Sannikov and the award-winning editor and journalist Natalya Radina have experienced this firsthand. During a demonstration in Minsk on December 19th, 2010, both were brutally arrested and imprisoned. While Radina was released after a short time, but forced into internal exile, Sannikov was severely beaten and sentenced to five years in prison. His wife Irina Khalip was put under house arrest, and the government threatened to take away their little son, Danik.

After huge international pressure, Andrei Sannikov was released in April 2012. He and Radina have chosen, as they say, to temporarily leave Belarus in order to continue the fight for democracy, dignity, and survival.

Their story is Belarus Free Theatre’s lived drama. Meet them during the opening night event.

For more information about the festival program, visit www.hrhw.no

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INTRODUCTION BY: NATALYA RADIINA AND ANDREI SANNIKOV
SLAM POETRY: FREDRIK HØYER
DANCE: HANNAH MJÅVATN
DOUBLE BASS: MORTEN MINOTHI KRISTIANSEN