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Table of contents

Press release .............................................................................................................. 2

Festival concept .......................................................................................................... 4

Programme ................................................................................................................. 5

Programme overview ................................................................................................ 16

Complementary activities.......................................................................................... 17

Practical information ................................................................................................. 19

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Press release

Balkan Trafik, a four-day exploration of the Balkans

For the sixth edition of Balkan Trafik, authenticity is the watchword. No fewer than 200 artists

present a mix of music, cinema, dance, and workshops in a unique atmosphere. Celebration

and emotion, from 12 until 15 April at the Centre for Fine Arts.

Balkan Trafik is a meeting place for the finest artists from the region and the diaspora, performing

in their distinctive genres and disciplines. The festival offers a sample of the different cultures and

communities of south-eastern Europe. Last year, this enticing mix attracted no fewer than 7,500

visitors to the Centre for Fine Arts.

Music

Top of the musical bill is Band of Gypsies, a collaboration between Taraf de Haïdouks (Romania)

and the Kočani Orkestar (Macedonia), two of the Balkans' most important gypsy ensembles. The

rockers of Jericho, who have become popular throughout the former Yugoslavia, combine rock and

electronics with elements of traditional Albanian folk music. The Amsterdam Klezmer Band has been

playing klezmorim for more than 15 years; its powerful reputation for live performance has taken it to

28 different countries. And there is plenty more to discover: from the brass band duel with the winner

of the annual Guca festival and the Orchestre International du Vetex, to Albanian iso-polyphony, folk

dancing, and musical entertainment both inside and outside the Centre for Fine Arts.

This year, Balkan Trafik presents two festival creations under the name 100% Balkan Trafik. Last

year both groups set Couleur Cafe alight. Bulgarian clarinettist Ivo Papasov, who has been called the

Miles Davis of the Balkans, celebrates his 60th birthday by assembling an array of guests for the Ivo

Papasov Balkan Project. The group, put together specially for the festival, includes, among others,

the jazz percussionist Okay Temiz (TR), saxophone wonder "King" Ferus Mustafov (MK), master of

the plaintive Albanian clarinet Josif Shukallari (AL), cimbalom virtuoso Kalman Balogh (HU) and

accordionist Roberto de Brasov (RO) – the King of Carpathian swing. The second project, Brussels

Underground, under the leadership of Nicolas Hauzeur of the Brussels Balkan group Zongora (who is

also appearing at the festival with his own band), brings together an array of street and wedding

musicians. Without any management, and sometimes without a clear status, they play on the streets,

in the metro, at weddings and for associations they are members of. The names include Marian

Raducan, Costel Ursulets, Pecho Elmazov, Aurel Budisteanu, Nikolai Alexandrov, Fericel Stan,…

Authentic cafes

This year, three authentically decorated music cafes – with accompanying food stalls presenting

specialities from the region – will have a central place at Balkan Trafik. In the Greek Rembetiko Kafe,

Michel Hatzi (of Aka Moon) will lead a project featuring the bouzouki virtuoso Manolis Pappos. In the

Kabaret Manouche gypsy cafe regular festival guest Tcha Limberger will host musical friends,

including the guitarist and Django specialist Fapy Lafertin, to showcase Roma-music from the

diaspora. New this year is the Sevdah Kafana, with its melancholic folk music from Bosnia. The Old

Bridge, a project that builds bridges between traditional Balkan music and other genres, plays sevdah

music, sometimes called the fado of the Balkans.

Cinema

As usual, Balkan Trafik starts and ends with cinema. The festival opens on Thursday with the

premiere of a Greek film, Alps, in the presence of the director, Yorgos Lanthimos. Following his

outstanding Dogtooth, this preview of his new film promises to be another extraordinary experience.

Sunday's Balkan Trafik Film Day – On the Road to the Balkans presents two feature films and a

documentary. Dina Iordanova, specialist in world cinema, will also give two masterclasses on the

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cinema of the Balkans. The Romanian film Loverboy, a moving account of human trafficking directed

by Cătălin Mitulescu, was selected for Cannes. The Serbian documentary Cinema Komunisto, by

Mila Turajic, traces the history of the legendary Avala Studio, founded by Tito in order to make

propaganda films. The cherry on the cake will be the screening of Do You Remember Dolly-Bell?,

Emir Kusturica's first film, which has never been screened in Belgium before!

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Festival concept

Balkan Trafik stands for an exchange of culture and experience, where the doors are opened to

integration, communication, sharing experiences, and opening up to others. The festival wants to

dispel prejudice against the Balkan countries by showing the cultural richness and diversity of the

region. In an atmosphere of unity and companionship the real Balkans are truthfully presented to the

audience.

The Turkish word balkan means 'wooded mountain'. Although all wooded mountains could therefore

be called balkan, 'the Balkans' refers to the impressive mountain range that extends east-west across

Bulgaria, joining the Carpathian Mountains to the North of the Danube. It is also the name given to the

region made up of the various European states that emerged out of the disintegration of the Ottoman

Empire.

The Balkan region became characterised by a huge diversity of expression linked to its very

diverse ethnic backgrounds. This also created music that was a mixture of local sounds: Turkish

rhythms, brass sounds, traditional Albanian dances, rebetiko, Bosnian sevdah, Roma gypsy songs,

and fast accordion melodies. The Eastern inspiration in Balkan music is easily recognised and

explained when you know that many Roma gypsies scattered themselves throughout the whole

of the Balkans. And wherever they go, they adopt words and other cultural characteristics from the

local inhabitants, adding them to their own language and their own culture. Hence the influence of

each country they visited can be heard in the rhythms and tones of their music. At the heart of

everything, however, in the centre of this complex mosaic, it is the Ottoman tradition that shines

through.

In order to succeed with an artistic programme such as that of Balkan Trafik, BOZAR and 1001

Valises are developing a growing network in the Balkan countries and the Diaspora in this country. A

close link between the history and the current artistic reality of the region is thus guaranteed. In the

Centre for Fine Arts all art forms are given a place: music, film, theatre, dance, workshops,

exhibitions, and animation.

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Programme

THURSDAY 12 APRIL – Opening night

MUSIC 19:00 & 22:15 Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo (MK – Horta Hall)

CINEMA 20:00 Première Alps – Yorgos Lanthimos (Hall M)

In the presence of the director

A nurse, a paramedic, a gymnast and her coach have formed a

service for hire. They stand in for dead people by appointment, hired

by the relatives, friends or colleagues of the deceased. The

company is called Alps. Their leader, the paramedic, calls himself

Mont Blanc. Although Alps members operate under a disciplined

regime demanded by their leader, the nurse does not.

With Aggeliki Papoulia, Aris Servetalis, Johnny Vekris, Ariane Labed Greece, 2011, 93’, Greek – Subtitles: English Venice International Film Festival 2011, Competition Yorgos Lanthimos was born in Athens, where he studied directing for film and television. Since 1995,

he has directed a series of videos for dance-theatre companies, television commercials, music videos,

short films and theatre plays. In 2011, he staged Chekhov's Platonov at the Greek National Theatre.

His first film Kinetta (2005) screened at the Toronto and Berlin Film Festivals to critical acclaim. His

sophomore feature Kynïdontas (Dogtooth) won the Un Certain Regard prize at the 2009 Cannes Film

Festival, followed by numerous awards at festivals worldwide. It was also nominated for the Best

Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 2011 Academy Awards.

FRIDAY 13 APRIL

MUSIC 18:45 Ensemble Dropulli of Gjirokaster & special guest Josif Shukallari (AL – Hall M)

The folk arts group Dropulli comes from the southern city of

Gjirokastër, the centre of Albanian iso-polyphony, a strange

form of part-singing that is closely related to the polyphony

found over the border in Greece. It is no coincidence that the

members of Dropulli all belong to the Greek minority in Albania.

They are joined for the occasion by Josif Shukallari, the

Albanian master of the plaintive clarinet, who comes from the

Permet district, where he livens up weddings and all sorts of

festivities.

Video: http://youtu.be/CXJMOhjQ2nU

© 2012 Strange Milena - SOFAM Belgium

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19:30 Zongora (BE – Horta Hall)

The members of this Brussels-based Belgian-Romanian-

Bulgarian outfit have one thing in common: a passion for the

music of the Balkans. Orthodoxy is not really their thing, so

they blend a variety of styles and influences. They serve up

infectious melodies and lively dance music from different

regions in a way that sometimes comes close to jazz. Last

year, Zongora released the album Doverie, but is known,

above all, for its superb live performances. Brace yourself for a

concert that is sure to bowl you over!

Video: http://youtu.be/KvExSIxaCcI

20:30 Roberto de Brasov Quintet (RO – Hall M)

Ion Faur was born in Brasov in Romania, where he learned all there was

to know about the accordion at an early age. His wanderings eventually

took him to France, where he settled down as Roberto de Brasov – and

the rest is history. The king of Carpathian swing mixes ballads, Turkish

dance tunes, gypsy capers, and asymmetric aksak rhythms in an

infectious, highly individual blend of Balkan music, jazz and blues.

Web: http://www.robertodebrasov.com

Video: http://youtu.be/y3dK9AbfiCs

21:30 Kirika (TR – Horta Hall)

Kirika raises the banner of the culture of the Aegean Sea, in and

around the cities of Istanbul, Smyrna/Izmir, and Thessaloniki. Eating,

drinking, zinging, dancing, the raptures of Dionysus… The music in

question emerged in the late 19th century in the cosmopolitan centres

of the Ottoman empire and flourished in cafes and cabarets until the

1960s. Without nostalgia, but inspired by the tradition, the musicians

of Kirika translate the pleasures of the beach and of wine into

contemporary urban folk.

Web: http://www.myspace.com/kirikasmyrna Video: http://youtu.be/sb0eomNxJpM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYcnMPqZYlw

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22:30 Band of Gypsies ft. Taraf de Haïdouks & Koçani Orkestar (RO/MK – Henry Le Bœuf Hall)

This all-star band is a collaboration between two of the most popular

gypsy groups around, who previously set Couleur Café and Ancienne

Belgique on fire. It is 20 years now since Taraf de Haïdouks from

Romania first conquered the world with their atmospheric ballads and

dance numbers. The Koçani Orkestar from Macedonia is one of the

funkiest brass bands on the planet right now. The two bands recently

recorded a full studio album together, on which the violins and

accordions of Taraf make a splendid contrast with the brass and percussion of Koçani.

Belgium's Stéphane Karo put both bands on the map: he met Taraf de Haïdouks back in the late

1980s in the "music village" of Clejani in Ceausescu's Romania. After the fall of the Iron Curtain he

brought them to Western Europe, where they toured successfully and recorded a number of albums

for Crammed Discs. In 2001 he brought out the successful live album Band of Gypsies, which included

three tracks featuring the Koçani Orkestar. Both bands have been drastically rejuvenated over the last

few years, following the deaths of a number of their older musicians.

Web: http://www.divanoprod.com

Video (live @AB, december 2010): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvOdjAL3Ffk

00:30 Amsterdam Klezmer Band (NL – Horta Hall)

Mix a generous serving of klezmer with a pinch of ska, a dash of

Balkan music, and a sprinkling of gypsy music. Season with jazz

and punk and put the mix through the blender. The result is the

festive dance music of which the Amsterdam Klezmer Band has

the secret recipe. Their new live CD, Mokum, is the crowning

glory of a 15-year career that began as a way of passing the time

for a bunch of friends. On Mokum – the Yiddish word for "‘city"

and slang for "Amsterdam" – the band shows it has lost none of

its inspiration and positive energy.

The story of the Amsterdam Klezmer Band goes back to 1996, when a few Amsterdam lads with

Jewish backgrounds started playing on the streets, inspired by the infectious sounds of klezmer and

Balkan music. Since then the band has grown into a seven-strong combo that has already performed

in 28 different countries. They have played at the Sziget Festival in Budapest, for example, at the Cité

de la Musique in Paris, at Lowlands, and even at Hong Kong Jazz.

Web: http://www.amsterdamklezmerband.com

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JypdepVtX1s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c_EFx1W9xw

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02:00 Dejan Lazarević Orkestar (SR – Horta Hall)

The Dejan Lazarević Orkestar, winner of the 51st trumpet festival

in Guča, performs a wide variety of music: from local melodies,

via the fast-paced chain dance kolo, marches, and characteristic

South-Serbian cocek dances, all the way to tunes that have

emerged more recently, but always taking care to respect the old

harmonies. The Dejan Lazarević Orkestar has already set alight

stages in Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Russia, and Belgium.

It is almost impossible to resist their adrenalin-rush rhythms and

melodies, which simply compel you to jump to your feet and

dance.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKEzcKbMbhw

THREE AUTHENTIC CAFES Following the success of the festival's two music cafes – the Rembetiko Kafe and Kabaret Manouche

– last year, we have added a third, Bosnian-inspired cafe: the Sevdah Kafana. These cafes, with their

distinctive interiors and intimate stages, allow audiences to travel through the Balkans while

discovering musical gems.

REMBETIKO KAFE ft. Michel Hatzi & guests

Rembetiko is a popular Greek music genre that emerged in the 1920s; it is sometimes called "the

Greek blues". In those days it was also a way of life: in their music the musicians explored

fundamental themes such as love, suffering, and death.

Michel Hatzi (Hatzigeorgiou, to give him his full name) is well known to Brussels concertgoers. The

adventurous bassist has been with Aka Moon for nearly 20 years and has also played with the greats

of Belgian and international jazz. Less well known are his Greek roots and the fact that as a youngster

he used to play the bouzouki, an instrument that he took up again a while back. For this project

focusing on rembetiko (the Greek blues) he works with the bouzouki virtuoso Manolis Pappos, the

singer Anatoli Mariola, and the guitarist Nikos Giras.

Programme 21:00 & 23:45 Michel Hatzi & Rembetiko Project 01:15 Kirika KABARET MANOUCHE ft. Fapy Lafertin, Tcha Limberger & Les Violons de Bruxelles

In the Kabaret Manouche Tcha Limberger brings together the

best Belgian Roma musicians. The spotlight this year is on Fapy

Lafertin, a master guitarist in the tradition of Django Reinhardt,

who favours heartfelt musicality over virtuoso dexterity. He has

played with musicians such as Koen De Cauter, Stéphane

Grapelli, and Charlie Byrd. Limberger, Lafertin, and Co. transform

the Kabaret into an intimate concert venue where you can seek

some respite from the decibels outside while enjoying first-class

musicians.

Programme 18:15 Trotsky Tulsky 20:15 & 00:30 Violons de Bruxelles ft Tcha Limberger & Fapy Lafertin

Violons de Bruxelles © Bernard Rosenberg

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Video (Tcha Limberger): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN7VRa0KX_s Video (Fapy Lafertin): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF9HC69wgx4 Video (Les Violons de Bruxelles): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDzxVcRd3Mw NIEUW: SEVDAH KAFANA ft. The Old Bridge (BIH)

Sevdah or sevdalinka has been likened to Portuguese fado. In

Bosnian, sevdah means "love" or "caress". In this pre-eminently

female genre the songs are full of the pains of love and lovelorn

yearning. In the Sevdah Kafana, however, the musical tone will

be set by The Old Bridge, a duo of (male) guitarists, and a singer,

Cerkez. The duo's name is a reference to the bridge in Mostar

that connects the Muslim and Christian parts of the town. Their

music – at once virtuoso and emotional – combines Balkan music

with blues and flamenco.

Programme

21:45 & 02:00 The Old Bridge

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT WINE BAR VINO ZIRKUS (more info on p17)

Zmei Trei (RO)

The harmonica virtuosos of Zmei Trei add a new dimension to Romanian

music. This unique-sounding trio, whose founder members have been

together for the last 30 years, is a perfect combination of Romanian roots,

groovy Balkan-style sounds, and traditional sounds. The band combines

beautiful old traditional Romanian songs with suburban Romanian music

and old gypsy songs.

Liquidation Band (BE)

This Balkan jazz ensemble is made up of musicians from very diverse backgrounds, united by a

shared passion for the Balkans. Since its launch in 2008, the band’s repertoire has evolved quite

significantly: it includes some traditional pieces, but is mostly made up of original compositions, on the

frontiers of traditional Balkan music and jazz, played with great energy.

The Old Bridge

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SATURDAY 14 APRIL

MUSIC - DANCE

14:30 & 16:15 Workshops

A number of workshops will be held during the festival. This year the spotlight is on dance, with Roma of Brussels and Folkdance Xheladin from Tetovo (from Macedonia). The workshops are an ideal opportunity for members of the public to take their first dance steps! 14:30 Dance with Roma of Brussels 16:15 Dance with Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo 15:00 Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo (MK – Henry Le Bœuf Hall)

Xheladin Zeqiri is known in Macedonia and neighbouring countries as one of the finest music and

dance companies around. Since its foundation in 1949 in the town of Tetovo, it has developed into a

multidisciplinary company involved in music, theatre, visual art, and literature, but still specialises in

traditional Slav dance. Though almost unknown in Western Europe, the company has already

performed 5,000 times in the Balkans and Turkey and has won numerous prizes.

17:15 Brussels Underground (BE – Henry Le Bœuf Hall) FESTIVAL CREATION 100% BALKAN TRAFIK

Brussels Underground, specially put together for the festival

under the leadership of Nicolas Hauzeur of the Brussels Balkan

group Zongora (who is also appearing at the festival with his own

band), brings together an array of street and wedding musicians.

Hauzeur (Kopanica asbl) was involved in previous editions of

Balkan Trafik as artistic leader of RomAroma (2009), Nadejda

(2010), and the Balkan Accordion Project (2011). For Brussels

Underground he has worked with socio-cultural organisations that

have close links with the Roma community: the Belgian-Romanian centre, the borough of Sint-

Joost/Saint-Josse-ten Noode, La Maison des Cultures et de la Cohésion Sociale de Molenbeek and

De Centrale in Ghent.

For this project Nicolas Hauzeur has brought together Roma musicians who work outside the

traditional music circuit, on the streets or at wedding festivities. The difficult economic circumstances in

their own countries led many street musicians to emigrate. Some were well-known soloists in their own

countries, with extensive careers behind them. Without any management, and sometimes without a

clear status, they play on the streets, in the metro, and for associations they are members of. The

‘wedding musicians’ confirm Europe’s current migration movements: they are new nomads who move

around at the demand of emigrated communities.

Without being able to represent all cultures, the music of this project encompasses a vast region, from

Moldavia to Timisoara, from Istanbul to Skopje via Sofia. The Bulgarian dancers of the Antwerp-based

group Svetulka, Romanian singer Sanda de la Curcan, and Greek dancer Areti Prosilia assure a touch

of femininity and grace. The other names include Marian Raducan, Costel Ursulets, Pecho Elmazov,

Valeri Velikov, Martin and Borko Assenov, Zdravko Zdravkov, Aurel Budisteanu, Nikolai Alexandrov,

Fericel Stan, Stefan Marian,…

© 2012 Strange Milena - SOFAM Belgium

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18:45 Choir Hazreti Hamza (BiH – Hall M)

The choir, named after the mosque in Sarajevo where its

members used to meet, was established during the war in the

former Yugoslavia. It specialises in the Ilahije i Kaside, religious

songs of the Bosnian Sufi Muslims, but its repertoire also includes

sevdah and pop music. It is known as one of the pioneers of

Muslim New Age (a mix of religious music and new-age elements)

and performs all over the world. The 15-strong choir will perform a

programme of "heavenly" Sufi songs.

Video: http://youtu.be/nuCE64lhAu4

http://youtu.be/XAwofS5naL4 19:45 Orchestre International du Vetex (OIV) (BE – Horta Hall)

What started as a local brass band now travels the world and has

even played in Sarajevo and Belgrade. The Orchestre

International du Vetex brings together musicians from Flanders,

Wallonia, and northern France, as well as a few unguided missiles

from elsewhere. On their recent double album, Total Tajine, they

draw once again on the same sources: red-hot party music from

the Balkans mixed with tarantella, reggae, Afro-beat, and cumbia.

Tajine to get your teeth into!

Web: http://www.vetex.org

Video: http://youtu.be/z0rKKYdrOYo

20:30 Koprulu of Berat (AL – Hall M)

The singers, musicians, and dancers of Koprulu of Berat carry on

the traditions of the Berat region in southern Albania, an important

centre for Albanian folklore. Koprulu will treat Balkan Trafik to the

traditional party music of this region's Roma community.

21:30 Ivo Papasov "Balkan Trafik Klarinet Project" (TR/MK/GR/AL/RO/HU – Henry Le Bœuf Hall) FESTIVAL CREATION 100% BALKAN TRAFIK

The Bulgarian clarinet virtuoso Ivo Papasov is the uncrowned king

of "wedding band music", an exuberant mix of Balkan folk and

contemporary elements. Specially for his 60th birthday, the Miles

Davis of the Balkans has put together a group of musicians, fans

one and all: the percussionist Okay Temiz, the saxophone marvel

"King" Ferus Mustafov, the accordionist Roberto de Brasov, the

Hungarian cimbalom virtuoso Kálmán Balogh, and Josif Shukallari

(the master of the plaintive Albanian clarinet). The complex

rhythms of Bulgarian folk music fuse with jazzy improvisation

thanks to Papasov's lyrical timbre, which leaves nobody unmoved.

© 2012 Strange Milena - SOFAM Belgium

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It was back in 1974 that Papasov and his Trakija Band began playing what would later become known

as "wedding band music". His work and his worldwide tours won international recognition for Bulgarian

wedding music. He has worked with many famous musicians and with the producer Joe Boyd (Pink

Floyd, REM, etc). Frank Zappa was a fan.

Web: http://www.myspace.com/ivopapasov http://www.elen-music.com/art014en.php

Video: http://youtu.be/WbJAklOdx58

22:45 Ovidiu Lipan & Fanfare Zece Prajini (RO – Horta Hall)

Ovidiu Lipan is what you would call a musical all-rounder. He first made a

name for himself as a drummer and percussionist in a series of Romanian

rock and jazz-rock groups (amongst which Phoenix), before moving to

Germany, where he leads his own big band and collaborates with just

about everyone – even the Scorpions. After the fall of Ceauşescu he

returned to his homeland and explored his own musical roots. His new

project with the Fanfare Zece Prajini is a development of the music of the

festive local brass bands of eastern Romania.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJv03jZ_JJQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNhS7Y41zAI

00:15 Jericho (KS – Horta Hall)

With their classic line-up of singer, rhythm and solo guitar,

bass, and drums, they look like your standard rock group, but

there is more to these Kosovan rockers than that. They are

not afraid to use traditional instruments too – or to sing in

their local Gheg dialect, not exactly a major international

language. But their powerful cocktail of rock, grunge,

electronica, and folk has won them a growing army of fans in

the former Yugoslavia and further afield.

Web: https://www.facebook.com/JerichoKS Video: http://www.youtube.com/GrupiJERICHO

01:30 Brass Band Duel: Dejan Lazarevic vs OIV (SR/BE – Horta Hall)

True to tradition, once again two brass bands take each other on; the winner is decided by the

audience's applause. The Dejan Lazarević Orkestar from Serbia, winner of the latest Guča festival,

faces the challenge of the Belgian-based Orchestre International du Vetex.

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THREE AUTHENTIC CAFES – see FRIDAY (p8-9) Rembetiko Kafe Programme 20:00 & 23:45 & 01:30 Michel Hatzi & Rembetiko Project

Kabaret Manouche

Programme

18:00 & 00:30 Violons de Bruxelles ft. Tcha Limberger & Fapy Lafertin

Sevdah Kafana Programme 20:45 & 22:45 & 02:30 The Old Bridge

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SUNDAY 15 APRIL

Balkan Trafik Film Day - On the Road to the Balkans (Studio)

Sunday's Balkan Trafik Film Day – On the Road to the Balkans presents two feature films and a

documentary. Dina Iordanova, specialist in world cinema, will also give two masterclasses on the

cinema of the Balkans.

14:30 Loverboy by Cătălin Mitulescu

Luca is 20 years old and lives in a small town by the Danube. He

seduces girls and sends them to a human trafficking network in

the Black Sea port Constanta. His life seems to change when he

meets Veli. The sudden death of an ex-girlfriend and his new love

for Veli make him wonder whether he should continue or not to

be a loverboy.

Romania, 2011, 93’, Romanian spoken, French subtitles

Cannes 2011 Official Selection, Un Certain Regard

Sarajevo Film Festival 2011, Best actress (Ada Condeescu)

16:30 Cinema Komunisto by Mila Turajlic

Followed by a masterclass on Cinema Komunisto by Dina Iordanova (18:15-18:45)

For 32 years, Leka Konstantinovic was the personal film projectionist

for Yugoslavian president and noted film enthusiast Josip Broz Tito.

Comprised of interviews with Konstantinovic and other important

figures in the brief but glowing history of Yugoslavian cinema, as well

as archival clips from more than 60 films, this award-winning

documentary chronicles the 40-year history of Avala Studio. The

studio was built by Tito to crank out well-made propaganda films in

order to shape and control his country’s image in a post-war world. A

vibrant, fascinating celebration of a film industry-and a nation-that no

longer exists.

Serbia, 2010, 101 min, Serbian, French subtitles

Chicago International Film Festival 2011, Gold Hugo for Best Documentary

http://www.cinemakomunisto.com/

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19:30 Do You Remember Dolly-Bell? by Emir Kusturica

Introductory masterclass on Kusturica by Dina Iordanova at 19:00

Set over a single early-1960s summer in one of

Sarajevo's neighbourhoods, the plot follows the

fortunes of a school boy nicknamed Dino. The lad is

enthralled with a life that flashes before his eyes and

ears in the local cinema and youth centre (where,

among other things, he watches Alessandro Blasetti's

Europa di notte and listens to Adriano Celentano's 24

mila baci), while at the same time getting a taste of the

world inhabited by local thugs and petty criminals.

However, when he is rewarded via a liaison for

providing a hiding place for prostitute Dolly-Bell, his world is turned upside down as he falls in love with

her.

First feature film by Emir Kusturica!

Bosnia, 1981, 105, Bosnian spoken with English subtitles Venice International Film Festival 1981, Golden Lion first feature film, FIPRESCI Award Pula Film Festival 1981, Best scenario São Paulo International Film Festival 1982, Critic Award http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of9XbhEu0uQ

Masterclasses with Dina Iordanova (18:15 & 19:00)

Dina Iordanova (born 1960) is a notable specialist in world cinema, with special expertise in the

cinema of the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Europe in general. Her research approaches cinema on a

meta-national level and focuses on the dynamics of transnational film; she has special interest in

issues related to cinema at the periphery and in alternative historiography. She has published

extensively on international and transnational film art and film industry, and convenes research

networks on film festivals and on the dynamics of global cinema. Amongst her books are Cinema of

Flames: Balkan Film, Culture and the Media, The Cinema of the Balkans and Emir Kusturica.

http://www.dinaiordanova.com/

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Programme overview

Thursday 12 april

CINEMA – Opening night

20:00 Première Alps – Yorgos Lanthimos (Hall M)

Friday 13 april

MUSIC 18:45 Ensemble Dropulli of Gjirokaster & special guest Josif Shukallari (AL – Hall M) 19:30 Zongora (BE – Horta Hall) 20:30 Roberto de Brasov Quintet (RO – Hall M) 21:30 Kirika (TR – Horta Hall) 22:30 Band of Gypsies ft. Taraf de Haïdouks & Kocani Orkestar (RO/MK – Henry Le Bœuf Hall) 00:30 Amsterdam Klezmer Band (NL – Horta Hall) 02:00 Dejan Lazarevic Orkestar (SR – Horta Hall) Three authentic cafés: Rembetiko Kafe 21:00 & 23:45 Michel Hatzi & Rembetiko Project 01:15 Kirika Kabaret Manouche 18:15 Trotsky Tulsky 20:15 & 00:30 Violons de Bruxelles ft Tcha Limberger & Fapy Lafertin Sevdah Kafana 21:45 & 02:00 The Old Bridge

Saturday 14 april

MUSIC - DANCE 15:00 Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo (MK – Henry Le Bœuf Hall) 17:15 Brussels Underground (BE – Henry Le Bœuf Hall) 18:45 Choir Hazreti Hamza (BiH – Hall M) 19:45 Orchestre International du Vetex (OIV) (BE – Horta Hall) 20:30 Koprulu of Berat (AL – Hall M) 21:30 Ivo Papasov "Balkan Trafik Klarinet Project" (TR/MK/GR/AL/RO/HU – Henry Le Bœuf Hall) 22:45 Ovidiu Lipan & Fanfare Zece Prajini (RO – Horta Hall) 00:15 Jericho (KS – Horta Hall) 01:30 Brass Band Duel: Dejan Lazarevic vs OIV (SR/BE – Horta Hall) Three authentic cafés: Rembetiko Kafe 20:00 & 23:45 & 01:30 Michel Hatzi & Rembetiko Project Kabaret Manouche 18:00 & 00:30 Violons de Bruxelles ft. Tcha Limberger & Fapy Lafertin Sevdah Kafana 20:45 & 22:45 & 02:30 The Old Bridge WORKSHOPS 14:30 Dance with Roma of Brussels 16:15 Dance with Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo Sunday 15 april

CINEMA: Balkan Trafik Film Day – On the Road to the Balkans (Studio) 14:30 Loverboy by Cătălin Mitulescu 16:30 Cinema Komunisto by Mila Turajlic 19:00 Do You Remember Dolly-Bell? by Emir Kusturica

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Complementary activities

INSIDE

Vino Zirkus

At the Vino Zirkus wine bar you can enjoy a selection of the best wines from south-eastern Europe as

well as performances by a whole range of bands and dance groups.

Friday 13.04 20:00 Koprulu of Berat (AL) 19:30 & 21:15 Zmei Trei (RO) 20:00 & 00:00 Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo (MK) 22:00 Liquidation Band (BE) 00:40 Ensemble Dropulli of Gjirokaster & Josif Shukallari (AL) 01:15 Zongora (BE) 02:45 Taraf de Haïdouks (RO) Saturday 14.04 16:30 & 21:15 & 23:15 Zmei Trei (RO) 18:00 & 22:30 Ensemble Dropulli of Gjirokaster & Josif Shukallari (AL) 19:30 & 00:00 Brussels Underground (BE) 00:45 Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo (MK) 01:30 Koprulu of Berat (AL) 02:15 Kosovo Traditional (KS)

Photographic exhibition Milena Strange

Relive the first five years of Balkan Trafik at Milena Strange's photographic exhibition! Strange

portrayed artists in action, onstage under the spotlights, immortalising unique performances and

conveying the audience's experience: the atmosphere, the relationship that developed with the

musicians, and the emotion of the moment.

Gastronomy

Balkan cuisine is extremely attractive, with authentic local products and culinary traditions that are an

important element of the region's culture and have been influential far beyond its frontiers. The Trilogia

restaurant will present Greek specialities (such as traditional pita and patisserie) in the Rembetiko

Kafe. Traditional Bosnian cuisine will be represented too – there will even be a barbecue! The

Gratiartis non-profit association will sell specialities such as burek and mezze, while the Hungarian

Dreams and Plitvice restaurants will serve Hungarian and Croatian specialities.

Organisations present at Balkan Trafik

Le Courrier des Balkans publishes articles and analyses from the Balkan press and makes them

available on the Internet. Via Le Courrier there are a number of books to be won and the public can

discover these specialists' numerous publications.

The National Tourism Organisation of Serbia and Time To Travel promote Serbia as a tourist

destination. At their stand you can win sports holidays and city trips that offer opportunities to discover

the region's cultural heritage.

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JUST OUTSIDE THE CENTRE FOR FINE ARTS

Balkan Bazaar

This year's Balkan Bazaar will be just outside the Centre for Fine Arts, not inside. It will feature music

and dance groups, as well as Tania Magy's Roma caravan, the Banc à palabres, a bar, and a

barbecue. The Bazaar, with its characteristic decoration, brings to life the atmosphere and aromas of

the old districts of Balkan towns. A place for partying, meeting, and discovering.

Concerts & performances Friday 13.04 18:00 Koprulu of Berat (AL) 19:30 & 00:00 Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo (MK) 20:00 & 22:00 Zmei Trei (RO) 21:15 Liquidation Band (BE) 00:40 Ensemble Dropulli of Gjirokaster & Josif Shukallari (AL) 01:15 Zongora (BE) 02:45 Taraf de Haïdouks (RO) Saturday 14.04 16:30 & 21:15 Zmei Trei (RO) 19:30 & 00:00 Brussels Underground (BE) 22:30 Ensemble Dropulli of Gjirokaster & Josif Shukallari (AL) 23:15 Kosovo Traditional (KS) 00:45 Folkdance Xheladin Zeqiri from Tetovo (MK) 01:30 Koprulu of Berat (AL)

Art Rom Caravane

The Caravan museum was founded in 2004 by the visual artist Tania

Magy (of the Art'Rom de Voyage non-profit association), in order to

introduce the general public to contemporary art by Roma and

gypsies. The caravan also encourages a dialogue about the concept

of the "minority" and shows the way of life of gypsies, Roma, and

other "travellers", now and in the past.

Banc à palabres

During this sixth edition Balkan Trafik plays host to a citizens' initiative that works to break down the

isolation of older people. Banc à palabres invites the public to make or adapt a public bench. The real

aim is to encourage the presence of our older people in public life. The idea was launched in the

context of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations and of the

Alternative Culture non-profit association's campaign "Ik heb wat voorsprong – De schreeuw van de

senioren/J'ai un peu d'avance, le grand batelage des seniors".

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Practical information

Balkan Trafik

www.balkantrafik.com – www.bozar.be/balkantrafik

Dates

Thursday 12 > Sunday 15.04.2012

Address

Centre for Fine Arts

Rue Ravensteinstraat 23, 1000 Brussels

Tickets

Thursday 12.04.2012: €10 (première Alps)

Friday 13.04.2012: €20

Reductions: €17 (+ 65) – €15 (-26) – €5 (-12y/ purchase only by phone)

Saturday 14.04.2012: €20

Reductions: €17 (+ 65) – €15 (-26) – €5 (-12y/ purchase only by)

Sunday 15.04.2012: €5/film

€3 with reductions; free admission upon presentation of a day pass for 13.04 or 14.04 if you

book in advance by e-mail to: bozar.cinema01@bozar.be – tickets subject to availability

BOZAR info & tickets

+32 (0)2 507 82 00- info@bozar.be - www.bozar.be

More information and interview requests

Press service Centre for Fine Arts (national press):

Annelien Mallems – annelien.mallems@bozar.be – +32 (0)2 507 84 48 / (0)479 98 66 04

Press service 1001 Valises (communities and international press):

Iris Maas – iris.maas@gmail.com – +32 (0)476 349 314

Press images can be downloaded via www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=10808&pressguest=1

Coproduction: BOZAR, 1001 Valises

Support: Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles • COCOF - Commission Communautaire Française • Région

de Bruxelles Capitale | Brussels Hoofstedelijk Gewest • Vlaamse Overheid • VGC - Vlaamse

Gemeenschapscommissie • BIJ, Bureau International Jeunesse • WBI, Wallonie - Bruxelles

International • Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie • Adria Airways • Wizz Air • Serbia Travel • Institut

Culturel Roumain Bruxelles | Romanian Cultural Institute Brussels • Ambassade de la République de

Macédoine | Ambassade van de Republiek van Macedonië | Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia •

Ambassade de la République de Serbie | Ambassade van de Republiek Servië • Embassy of the

Republic of Serbia • Hungarian Culture Brussels • La Médiathèque • La Maison des Cultures et de la

Cohésion Sociale de Molenbeek | Huis van Culturen en Sociale Samenhang van Molenbeek • BeTv •

Klara • Cobra.be • Knack • Le Vif / L’Express • Arte Belgique • Le Soir • RTBF La Première • BMW