Serbian Filmmaker & Musician Kusturica’s Concert in Tbilisi Postponed

Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor and musician Emir Kusturica’s December 7 concert to Tbilisi has been postponed, due to Kusturica’s visit to breakaway Tskhinvali in 2009. It means he violated Georgia’s Law on Occupied Territories.

The concert organizer company Art Media Group stated on September 30 that they learnt about Kusturica’s visit to occupied Tskhinvali after arranging the concert.

Art Media Group founder and director Lela Aslanikashvili stated at the press-conference that certain legal issues need to be made clear for Kusturica’s arrival.

“Concert has been postponed but it may also be cancelled,” she added.

Aslanikashvili also noted that Kusturica is a war refugee himself and he often visits conflict regions of various countries.

“I am authorized to declare Emir Kusturica’s point of view…Kusturica declares that none of his public performances were against the Georgian people. He criticized the government of Georgia, not the country and nation. According to the director he is aware of our history and culture and it is very interesting for him to arrive in Georgia but only if his visit is accepted by the Georgian government and backed by the Georgian people,” she stated.

Kusturica has been recognized for several internationally acclaimed feature films, as well as his projects in town-building. He has competed at the Cannes Film Festival on five occasions and won the Palme d'Or twice as well as the Best Director prize for Time of the Gypsies.

He has also won a Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for Arizona Dream and a Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival for Black Cat, White Cat. In addition he was also named Commander of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Kusturica is a member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republika Srpska since 9 November 2011.

By Thea Morrison