The theatre festival "Nosi se" is being held in Benkovac this year, with visitors able to attend on Monday and Tuesday, 24 and 25 August. This marks the tenth, anniversary edition of the cultural event, produced by the Zadar-based artistic organisation Teatro VeRRdi. The festival’s founder and artistic director is Juraj Aras, who has shaped the work of this event in previous years.
This year’s edition comes in the shadow of controversies from last year, when the festival in Benkovac had to be postponed amid threats from veterans’ associations. The event at the time was dedicated to the theme of (anti-)war but provoked sharp reactions from parts of the public. Veterans’ groups were particularly offended by the staging of the play "I Hate the Truth" directed by Oliver Frljić, as well as the screening of Ivan Ramljak’s documentary about the murder of Josip Reihl-Kir.
Before the Benkovac scandal, a concert by the musical group Thompson had been held at the Hippodrome in the town, further defining the atmosphere of the time. The incident in Benkovac marked the beginning of a wider wave of cancellations of cultural events across Croatia, which took place under pressure from veterans’ organisations.
Despite previous tensions and threats, the organisers have decided to continue their work this year. The tenth edition of the "Nosi se" festival thus continues as an important cultural event in the region, attempting to overcome the political and social divisions that characterised the previous year.
