Mladi levi Festival

Performance Duos by Czech artistic group Temporary Collective at the Mladi levi Festival in 2023. Author: Nada Žgank

The Mladi levi Festival (in English: Young Lions Festival) is an annual international festival of contemporary performing arts, organised by the Bunker Institute. It presents original approaches to theatre and dance, focusing on talented and emerging stage performers, along with presenting already established progressive authors. It takes place every August and was initiated in 1998 under the auspices of the international network Junge Hunde.

The festival has a distinctive atmosphere marked by creativity, vibrancy and a social nature. It is an interdisciplinary place of exchange and cooperation, extending beyond the habitual local or international concepts.

Audience at the Mladi levi Festival, Old Power Station. Author: Nada Žgank

Principles

To create circumstances where artists and audiences can meet, exchange experiences and develop future collaborations, the festival invites artists to stay in Ljubljana for the entire length of the festival. This gives them a chance to see each other's work, have the time and opportunity to meet other artists and audience members and plan future collaborations.

The opening of the Mladi levi Festival in Old Power Station. Author: Nada Žgank

Programme

Over the years, the festival has hosted a variety of authors, such as Martine Pisani, Jérôme Bel, Ivo Dimchev, Eduard Gabia, Vera Mantero, Vitor Rua & Nuno Rebelo, Camille Boitel, the collective Les SlovaKs, The Collective 1927, Stefan Kaegi, Rimini Protokoll, Ivica Buljan, Francesca Grilli, Walid Raad, Tim Etchells, Ant Hampton, Chiara Bersani, Lucy McCormick, Jaha Coo, Beton Ltd., and numerous others, as well as organised a number of roundtables, workshops and discussions.

Performance Unending Love, or Love Dies, On Repeat Like It’s Endless, performed by Aaa Biczysko and Beverly D. Renekouzou at Mladi levi Festival in 2023. Author: Nada Žgank

Critical writing

Throughout the years, the festival regularly seeks formats for publishing critical writing on the festival performances and related topics. Thus, we've seen the publication Arena, featuring contributions mainly by young writers in collaboration with Maska Magazine; in 2010, it was made available online on the Sigledal.org - Slovene theatre portal. In 2017, the website portal for criticism called Kriterij began, which was upgraded into Aplavz.art in 2022.

Collaborations

The festival collaborates with various producers and groups such as Beton Ltd., Sploh Institute, MoTA Museum of Transitory Art, Via Negativa, Nomad Dance Academy Slovenia, ProstoRož and others. The festival also presents emerging makers.

Often, the festival opens important themes through performances and discussions. This happens in the format of Discussion Café, which takes place in a public space under the trees, or through special events such as conferences, forums or artistic activities.

Venues

In the past, the Mladi Levi Festival utilised various venues across Ljubljana, including the Railway Museum of Slovenske železnice and Tovarna Rog, thus presenting new contemporary productions in juxtaposition with historical heritage. Since 2004, the festival's primary home has been the Stara Elektrarna - Old Power Station. Performances take place there and in other venues across Ljubljana, including the Sports Society Tabor, Glej Theatre, Ljubljana Puppet Theatre, Španski borci Culture Centre. Some performances and discussions also take place in the public space.

Performance Human Territory by Slovenian artist Gregor Zorc, taking place at the Sports Society Tabor, Mladi levi Festival, 2023. Author: Nada Žgank

External links

Gallery

Theremidi Orchestra, group of enthusiasts from Ljudmila Art and Science Laboratory performing at Mladi levi Festival and 7th edition of U3 Triennial of Contemporary Slovene Arts, 2013

Performance Sakhozi says NON to the Venus in Plasticization by Nelisawe Xaba (Republic of South Africa), Mladi levi Festival, 2011

Performance Chelfitsh directed by Toshiki Okada, Mladi levi Festival, 2010

Nijinsky Siam choreography, artistic direction and set design by Pichet Klunchun (Thailand),Mladi levi Festival, 2010

Performance The late drummer/ studies of happenings on stage and rhythm that doesnât match but in a way it does by contact Gonzo (Japan), Mladi levi Festival, 2011

Performance Smatch 2 âPush up daisies (ou) manger les pissenlits par la racine?â by Dominique Roodthooft (Belgium), Mladi levi Festival, 2011

Performance Before Your Very Eyes by Gob Squad & CAMPO (Great Britain, Germany), Mladi levi Festival, 2011

Mare Bulc's participatory mono performance The First Altruistic Performance at Mladi levi Festival in 2018. Author: Nada Žgank

Audience at the Mladi levi Festival, Old Power Station. Author: Nada Žgank

Performance Duos by Czech artistic group Temporary Collective at the Mladi levi Festival in 2023. Author: Nada Žgank

Performance Human Territory by Slovenian artist Gregor Zorc, taking place at the Sports Society Tabor, Mladi levi Festival, 2023. Author: Nada Žgank

The opening of the Mladi levi Festival in Old Power Station. Author: Nada Žgank

Performance Unending Love, or Love Dies, On Repeat Like It’s Endless, performed by Aaa Biczysko and Beverly D. Renekouzou at Mladi levi Festival in 2023. Author: Nada Žgank

I am a demon by Pichet Klunchun, Mladi levi Festival 2010

Stara Elektrarna - Old Power Station, 2006

Mladi levi Festival

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