They overshadowed all the stars that existed in culture, they overshadowed Čkalja, Mića Orlović, Milena Dravić. Milena thought she was blacklisted. It was like a cut when they started forcing turbo folk. Culture does not exist, it is on its knees, but the theaters are still full and we play those plays with pleasure, the famous actress Jelisaveta Seka Sablić described today’s state of culture and society in the show “360 degrees”.
Comparing the situation then and now, the legendary representative of the Serbian and Yugoslav theater says that at one time Atelier 212 was protected “as a rare species”, thanks to Miri Trailović.
Today, although he believes that “most actors are left-wing” and “on the right side”, few of them have abused their popularity.
Those who did not, were punished, because they spoke against the regime, he states and mentions the example of Goran Marković.
“I lived in the times of a democracy. Atelier 212 was protected thanks to Mira Trailović. We could talk about what we wanted, she defended that theater. In later times, they called me names for what I said… I just said what I thought, and I hardly even noticed the name-calling. They are afraid of the mouse, if the mouse is against them – they immediately ‘batt’ it”, said Seka Sablić in the vernacular.
Asked if Yugoslavia is a country where she would still live today, Seka points out that culture (as well as other segments of society) was safe in Yugoslavia.
“Everything that went down today and in the dark, it was all protected and in full glory.” Mira Trailović was a world manager, one who worked not for her own benefit (as managers do today), but for Atelier 212 and her house. She cooperated very well with the authorities, even though she was not a member of the party. At that time, we had excellent mayors who took care of everything, including culture. When I was 28 years old, Mira called me and asked me if I would like to get an apartment. I said I would, and she sent me to (Milan) Vukos (vice president of the Belgrade City Assembly during Branko Pešić’s time). And Vukos gave me an apartment at the age of 28. It’s science fiction for today. Petar Kralj and I got apartments. It was not only security, but also the possibility to become a man, to become independent,” she recalled.
Culture has been deliberately destroyed since the nineties, she pointed out.
“They overshadowed all the stars that existed in the culture.” They overshadowed Čkalja, Mića Orlović, Milena Dravić. Milena thought she was blacklisted. It was like a cut when they started forcing turbo folk. Culture does not exist, it is on its knees. As Desanka Maksimović says, ‘I am asking for forgiveness for the beauty that sleeps under the bed’ – that is culture – ‘while the stepmother’s daughter in a golden dress struts around the court, for the cinderella, for the ashes of the suri that fall on her’. It is culture, who cuts culture. “In the past, the cultural side existed in most media, theater critics, announcements… But the theaters are still full and we play those plays with pleasure,” she said.
“Is there the one who tried to steal my vote”
Seka Sablić reminds us, the fight is now also being waged against people who stand for truth, human rights, simplicity, honest life, freedom, democracy, human dignity…
“It’s not much, it’s little, and it’s like we’re in the age of Oliver Twist… We don’t even know what it’s like outside of Belgrade, where people have nothing to eat.” About 12,000 is a social grant, and if someone has even a meter of land, they are not entitled to it. “When Serbs from Croatia came here on tractors, and when Brana Crnčević, I and others rushed to get them something, the land was given to them, and they didn’t even have a shovel,” she recalled.
Wherever you step, it is “demagoguery to the point of pain”, he states.
This society, he believes, is in complete darkness.
“We are not talking about foreign policy, it is terrible that we are at odds with all our neighbors.” Andrić wrote that Bosnia is a land of hatred, and now the entire Balkans have become that. I was almost a guest in Banja Luka, so I stared at the people. I loved Bosnia, that wonderful pure speech, but now I wonder if the one who was in New Belgrade is there to steal my vote, to screw me over. An impatience appears. Hatred has always existed here. Aca Popović wrote the wonderful play ‘Father of Pigs’, he was a great patriot and a Serb, but he wrote the truth. He also wrote the character I played – the mother-in-law who hates for no reason. She hates her sister-in-law so much that she forces her to throw the child into Morava. I played it with pleasure to show the audience that there is hatred and without prejudice. We believe that we are a wonderful people, big and warm-hearted, and everything is there.
When hatred is sown, it is difficult to put it back together, she believes.
“How long did it take Tito to turn all of us into Yugoslavs, a whole generation… He created a generation that enjoyed Yugoslavia and loved Yugoslavia.” But I believed that that generation would raise the iron curtain when Tita was gone and that we would be citizens of the world,” she said.
“Who are you, Šapić?”
The president of the temporary body, Aleksandar Šapić, mentions that he would return Tito’s remains to Kumrovec, and Seka Sabić evaluates this with the words “shame” and “miserable”, emphasizing that she herself comes from a family that was not at one time for the communists.
“I have no words, my street was called Save Kovačevića and they returned it to Mileševska. Well why? That Sava Kovačević gave his life for your freedom! Whatever he was, that Tito created something, maintained Yugoslavia! It’s so ugly. We erased history (I personally don’t like it), but who are they to erase history with an eraser? Who is this Šapić, that he is allowed to do that? He thinks he’s very smart… The way he addresses me, I’m that woman from Belgrade who was born here, my mother is from here… Who are you, Šapić”, asked the famous actress.
“Master class” for poor Serbia
Among the numerous roles she had, she singled out the aforementioned mother Dara (for which she received several awards), the play “Trieste” in Atelier 212 where she played a smuggler, then “Master Class” in which she portrayed Maria Callas.
“I watched that play in America and realized that the character of Maria Callas is close to me, and to every woman in this world.” I brought it from America at the time of our poverty, because it needed nothing but three tenors, students. It was an excellent show not only in my opinion, but also in many critics’ opinion. I could still play her today, because it’s Maria Callas at the end of her career. The play is full of beautiful lines, Maria tells the students about love, life, dedication, career, values that are worth fighting for in life,” she described.
“Conquering beauty is power”
She modestly says that she is not the only “queen of comedy”, although she is there like a “fish in water”.
The secret of her lifelong career lies in the fact that the more actors spend, the more they build in their profession, she reveals.
“When you go into business, go in studiously.” That’s how you’ll conquer the craft, be happier in it, and gain power. An integral part of human nature is power. There are different types of power, but one of them is the conquest of beauty. When you’re powerful on stage, it’s like becoming a king,” she believes.
The most important thing in acting is to play the subtext, she believes from her rich experience. Due to such a large production, great acting personalities are not created, he says.
“There is no advice, we have to live in the given moment, but we also need to have our own self-discipline.” Just the truth – that’s how you’ll win characters and last a long time, God willing, if you’re physically healthy,” said Seka Sablić.
A close friend of hers, she says with a smile, told her that she would like to dance without anyone watching.
“People don’t like intellectuals”
Mentioning the elections, Seka Sablić says that she is in favor of the elections, because the regime will never be better, that is. give more.
“Changing the government on the street is better than in elections, but there is no more power on the street.” Don’t count on the people, on the youth anymore. Everything was done to anesthetize the people… Young people were cut down… When he was ‘one in five million’, then everything with the rector… It seemed that things would only get better, but they were cut down like turnips. We need to go to the elections, then re-animate and see what happens next,” she believes.
However, he personally does not believe that it will be bad here for a long, long time.
“It could only have been better when Djindjic appeared.” But these are countries that liquidate those who even know how to sign… As Stalin did. That’s that radicalism, that Seselj. People must change, change their image of the world. “They don’t like urban people and intellectuals,” she said.
Those who don’t like intellectuals are just ordinary people, he believes.
“They turn their backs, seeing if they will have 12 or 13,000 dinars.” I hear what they are saying, they don’t understand that they have the right to the trade union, healthcare, judiciary, police, to oust their municipal president if they are not satisfied with him… We don’t see how high the feudal lords have risen. Fiefdoms are springing up all over Serbia. It’s hard to get out through that forest,” the actress describes.
Belgrade today
As a city, Belgrade is also the best place to live in Serbia.
“I don’t drive a car anymore, because I have nowhere to park.” I put on a mask so they don’t stare at me and ride the tram, trolleybus. Three houses have been demolished in my street, a building with an entire wall in glass is being built in a small narrow street. What are you looking at, my room? Not to mention hygiene. I don’t stray further from my street, I go to Atelier and Jugoslovenski, I take more grandchildren to the park, which is as dirty as in the most terrible countries. At night, kids come there and throw all sorts of things, but no one cleans up. This is one neglected city. “Why do foreigners come, are those rafts so fabulous… I don’t know,” concludes Seka Sablić.
