http://www.charter97.org/ Íîâîñòè èç Áåëàðóñè, Íàâ³íû ç Áåëàðóñ³, News from Belarus http://www.charter97.org/images/logo.gif http://www.charter97.org/ Íîâîñòè èç Áåëàðóñè, Íàâ³íû ç Áåëàðóñ³, News from Belarus be http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/6/23/7586/ Culture Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:25:48 +0300 On June 22 five years were marked after the death of Vasil Bykau, a Belarusian writer. Today books of the writer are not published in Belarus, films about his life and creative work are banned. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/6/19/7537/ Culture Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:15:47 +0300 The “Belarusian Music Alternative” prepares another large rock-festival outside the country. It is called “Be Free!”. The festival is a kind of continuation of the event held last year in the Ukrainian Lutsk. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/6/16/7429/ Culture Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:37:01 +0300 An exhibition of Belarusian artists “Art against Dictatorship” was opened in the Estonian Parliament last week. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/6/4/7128/ Culture Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:59:20 +0300 Belarus Free Theatre has begun a tour in the French capital. The theatre will show its famous performance Generation Jeans about struggle of the Belarusian youth for freedom. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/23/6775/ Culture Fri, 23 May 2008 00:14:34 +0300 Ruslan Alehno, the Belarusian representative in the Second Semi-Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, failed to qualify for the final. So, our country won’t be represented at the prestigious European musical stage. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/21/6701/ Culture Wed, 21 May 2008 08:25:21 +0300 Concerts and tours in Belarus are now governed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s decree. The decree introduces administrative responsibility for unauthorised concerts. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/14/6539/ Culture Wed, 14 May 2008 14:33:23 +0300 Belarus Free Theatre represented our country at the international conference “New paradigms New Paradigms, New Models – Culture in the EU External Relations” held in Ljubljana under the auspices of Slovenian government. Hans-Gerd Pöttering, president of the European Parliament, took part in the conference. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/4/14/5729/ Culture Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:32:18 +0300 Ceremony of awarding with the most prestigious Theatre Europe Prize took place in Greek Thessaloniki. The Belarusian Free Theatre received special recognition of jury for New Theatrical Reality. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/4/4/5431/ Culture Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:00:03 +0300 At a concert-meeting on April 2 dedicated to the so-called day of Belarus and Russia’s unity, a few well-known rock-groups had been announced to perform, but most of them refused to appear. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/3/19/4942/ Culture Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:50:31 +0300 Uladzimir Arlou, Yury Khashchavatski and Aleh Dashkevich shot film Freedom Day ahead of 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/3/4/4460/ Culture Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:19:12 +0300 A Hollywood film director Edward Zwick has finished shooting of a film about World War II. A Hollywood actor Daniel Craig was starred in the lead role of a commander of the Belarusian partisan party. Daniel Craig was James Bond in Casino Royale film. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/3/4/4444/ Culture Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:12:28 +0300 No films by famous film director Yury Khashchavatski were included in the catalogue of Belarusian films. Yury Khashchavatski directed films The Square and An Ordinary President. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/3/3/4425/ Culture Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:58:36 +0300 Famous playwright Tom Stoppard tells in the interview to The Observer why he supports the Belarus Free Theatre. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/26/4241/ Culture Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:48:00 +0300 The Belarusian Free Theatre was on London’s tour since 11 February. The Belarusian theatre company performed on the stage of the prestigious Soho Theatre. The Free Theatre showed Being Harold Pinter 12 times, and Generation Jeans 4 times. The EuroNews programme Le Mag showed an item about London’s tour of the Belarusian Free Theatre. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/24/4151/ Culture The Free Theatre Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:55:51 +0300 London tour of the Free Theatre has just ended. We learnt about Iryna’s death 5 minutes before the latest performance beginning. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/21/4083/ Culture Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:48:47 +0300 An exhibition by Ales Tsyrkunou “The Land Awakened by Heinal” opened in the Minsk Palace of Arts on 20 February. It was organised on the occasion of 60th birth of the artist and dedicated to two dates: 170th anniversary of Kastus Kalinouski’s birth and 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic (BNR) proclamation. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/19/4009/ Culture Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:22:40 +0300 Department of education of the Salihorsk district executive committee banned presentation of Shrek movie dubbed into Belarusian in schools. They explained the decision by beginning of influenza epidemic. Shrek was to be presented in Salihorsk schools on 22-27 February. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/13/3832/ Culture Mark Ravenhill, The Guardian Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:01:55 +0300 Drive down the main prospect of Minsk and you experience all the grand, intimidating swagger of high Soviet architecture. Tiny figures make their way along vast pavements, dwarfed by buildings that look as if they were made for giants. But pull away from the awesome display of the central route, and the roads gradually break up and decay. Within 10 minutes, you are driving along poorly lit dirt track, the housing a mess of crumbling brickwork and metal shacks. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/11/3750/ Culture Stephanie Merritt, The Observer Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:49:01 +0300 The Belarus Free Theatre was set up in 2005 to produce uncensored work in response to the authoritarian rule of President Alexander Lukashenko, who has viciously suppressed freedom of expression as well as political opposition. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/11/3748/ Culture Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:42:40 +0300 A documentary about Belarusian anti-Soviet resistance fighter Tsimokh Vostrykaw who died last November has been released in Homyel. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/4/3562/ Culture Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:02:03 +0300 Last time the performance of the play “Tutejshyja” (or “The Locals”) by a Belarusian classic Yanka Kupala took place in July 2007. Since then the play never appeared at the theatre’s bills. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/4/3558/ Culture Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:39:40 +0300 Soho Theatre presents the first major UK staging of work from The Belarus Free Theatre. Banned by the state in its homeland and renowned for staging covert and uncensored performances, The Belarus Free Theatre fights for democracy and artistic freedom, from 11 to 23 February. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/2/2/3535/ Culture Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:51:42 +0300 Free Theater (FT), an underground company based in Minsk, has returned from a three-week US tour that proved a success. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/28/3374/ Culture Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:07:35 +0300 Lyavon Volski is one of the most charismatic and significant personalities in Belarusian culture. It is impossible to imagine the Belarusian rock and modern Belarusian music in general without band created by him, Mroya, N.R.M. and Krambambulya. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/28/3362/ Culture Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:29:21 +0300 Radzivil’s Palace looks as if it had suffered from bomb attack. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/28/3343/ Culture Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:21:23 +0300 A presentation of a collection of Vasil Bykau works in Russian and Belarusian is to become a central event of the opening day of the Russian exposition at Minsk International Book Exhibition. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/28/3334/ Culture Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:05:51 +0300 It seems that together with the black list of banned musicians, a list of banned artists exists in Belarus. Any mentioning of people belonging to the artistic association “Pahonya” is avoided at the official level. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/25/3302/ Culture Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:13:17 +0300 “The Sqaure” (Ploshcha), a film by Belarusian director Yury Khashchavatski, has been awarded the first prize, Alpe Adria Cinema Award, for the best documentary film at the Trieste Film Festival (Italy). http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/22/3183/ Culture Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:34:56 +0300 Organisers of the annual musical festival Rock Coronation planned to receive a permission for holding the event yet on Monday in the department of culture at the Minsk city executive committee. But the haven’t received it even on 22 January. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/22/3171/ Culture Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:00:26 +0300 A 26-year-old native of the city of Babrujsk, Ruslan Alekhno with his song “Hasta la Vista” is to present Belarus at the song contest Eurovision-2008. The contest is to take place in Belgrade, Serbia, in May. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/21/3153/ Culture Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:29:48 +0300 On January 21 a final game of the National TV musical project “EuroFest”. Viewers of the First Musical Channel and the satellite channel “Belarus-TV” are to see the concert in a live television broadcast on January 21 at 9.40 p.m. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/21/3124/ Culture Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:50:40 +0300 Representatives of Polish expatriates and members of the Belarusian media from Brest, Belarus, were invited to watch Andrzej Wajda’s “Katyn”, Saturday. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/1/18/3095/ Culture Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:57:52 +0300 The US tour of the Belarusian Free Theatre has great success. Mikalai Khalezin’s performance “Generation Jeans” presented as part of the Under the Radar festival in New York. Belarusians are to take part in the theatre workshop in the California Art School. Leading US newspapers published review to the performances of the Free Theatre. “It is a sort of Belarus stand-up routine, what follows is basically a one-man human-rights rally,” the influential New York Times running. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2007/12/11/2290/ Culture Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:56:15 +0300 The Belarusian Free Theatre was awarded with the French Republic’s human rights prize, “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité,” on 10 December. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2007/11/28/1962/ Culture Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:00:52 +0300 The play “Jeans Generation” of the Belarusian “Free Theatre” is to be the last in one of the best theatre festivals of Europe, Munich Festival Spielart. The Charter’97 press-center has been told by the head of the theatre Mikalay Khalezin, how the Belarusian actors’ performance is taking place. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2007/11/26/1872/ Culture Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:58:21 +0300 Film The Lives of Others by German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck became a winner of the XIV Minsk International festival Listapad. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2007/11/19/1697/ Culture Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:32:48 +0300 Two large events connected with advance of European culture took place last week. In Romanian Craiova a regular assembly of the European theatre convention took place, while the European Forum Culture Action Europe took place in the capital of Poland. The Belarusian counterculture was represented by the Belarusian Free Theatre at the both events. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2007/11/19/1686/ Culture Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:54:11 +0300 Two days after the last sounds of “Rock-cola 2007,” on 30 October 2007, the Council of law enforcement bodies actions coordination of Polatsk municipal executive committee resolved to suspend the festival in Polatsk. Thus, the 17-year history of the rock-festival in Polatsk is over.