Ceremonially closed FLUM 2023. The “Golden Firefly” goes to France

The Third Festival of Puppet Art in Mostar – FLUM 2023 was solemnly closed tonight in Mostar. After five days in which 8 plays from 7 countries were performed in the competition program, today the prizes for the best were awarded.

GRAND PRIX “Golden Firefly”, for the best play of the Festival, was won by the play “Don’t wait for me…” Compagnie La neige sur le cils, from Nantes, France. This play, which won the hearts of the youngest Mostar audience and puppetry lovers, was unanimously decided by the Expert Jury as the winner of the Festival.

In addition to this award, awards were also given for the best original music, the best scenography, the best puppets, 3 equal acting awards, the award for the best director, the Festival director’s award and the Children’s Jury award.

Explanation of the Expert Jury

The expert jury of the third Festival of Puppet Art in Mostar, consisting of:

Edvard Majaron, Adam Skendžić, Diana Ondelj Maksumić, watched eight performances in the competition program from seven countries. The performances show the diversity of puppetry expression, from classical forms to contemporary approaches to complete animation of scenography, puppets, lights and actors. Most of this year’s performances express the imagination of the creators inspired by poetics and surrealism.

The expert jury unanimously awards the following awards:

1. The award for the best original music is awarded to Nikola Milaković in the play “Once upon a time there was a lion” by the Children’s Theater of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nikola creates music on stage during the play, supports Duško Radović’s lyrics and thus provides the basis for the animation of all actors-puppeteers.

2. The prize for the best scenography is awarded to Lucile Reguerre for the play “Don’t wait for me” Compagnie La neige sur le cils, Nantes, France. Lucile, the author of scenography, created stage elements that determine the space and in motion support the dynamics of the play.

3. The prize for the best puppets is awarded to Vera Rozan for the play “Don’t wait for me” Compagnie La neige sur le cils, Nantes, France. Her puppets include traditional ginjols and animated objects that become equal partners in play.

4. Award for the best actor – awarded to Đorđe Janković for the role of Lion in the play “Once upon a time there was a lion” by the Children’s Theater of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The skillful animation of the technologically demanding doll was a challenge for an independent mise-en-scène in the space, mastering all the elements on the stage under the imaginative direction of the young director Nikola Bundal.

Award for the best actor – awarded to Pablo Ariel for a complete acting-puppet performance in the play “11:11PM”, The Galilee Multicultural Theater Tefen, Israel. With its precise animation of meticulous dolls, it captures the attention of viewers.

Award for the best actress – awarded to Vera Rozanova for her complete stage performance in the play “Don’t wait for me” Compagnie La neige sur le cils, Nantes, France.

5. The award for the best direction and the Grand Prix “Golden Firefly” is awarded to Vera Rozanova for the play “Don’t wait for me” Compagnie La neige sur le cils, Nantes, France. Vera Rozanova is the complete author of the play, from conception to performance on stage. Her faith in the power of metaphor draws the starving man into the world of poetry, where the viewer realizes that everyone carries a home in their soul, and this is a precious message understandable even to a young viewer.

6. The Festival Director’s Award was awarded to the play “Mermaid” by the Vessel Theater from Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.

7. The children’s jury of the Third Festival of Puppetry in Mostar – FLUM 2023, consisting of: Muhammed Džafić, Harun Kadribegović, Zarah Elezović, Hana Radoš and Adna Derviškadić, after watching the performances, made a unanimous decision to choose the play as the best performance of the Third FLUM “Singing Hat” Puck Puppet Teatra, Cluj, Romania.

The collective of the Puppet Theater in Mostar, the organizer of this Festival, will work hard to prepare the Fourth International Festival of Puppet Art in Mostar, to the satisfaction of its youngest audience and all those who appreciate and love puppetry.