Nušićijada is an annual

comedy festival A comedy festival is a celebration of comedy with many shows, venues, comedy performers (such as stand up comics, sketch troupes, variety performers, etc.) and is held over a specific block of time. Normally, each festival has a diverse range of ...

held in the town of

Ivanjica Ivanjica ( sr-Cyrl, Ивањица, ) is a town and municipality located in the Moravica District of southwestern Serbia. As of 2022 census, the municipality has a population of 27,767 inhabitants. With an area of 1090 km2, it is the eighth ...

, in the Moravica region of southwestern

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

History

;1967–1972 The festival was founded in 1967 under the name "September in Ivanjica" ( sr-cyr, Септембар у Ивањици). It was organized on the initiative of Radovan Vasović, and it was envisioned as the festival of affirmation of large socialist companies which operated in Ivanjica. In the following year, the festival changed name to "Nušićijada" and ran as a celebration of film comedy from 1968 to 1972, which attracted the cultural elite of then

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

. The festival had a ''Round Scene with a Corner''. The festival bears the name of the famous Serbian comedy playwright,

Branislav Nušić Branislav Nušić ( sr-Cyrl, Бранислав Нушић, ; – 19 January 1938) was a Serbian playwright, satirist, essayist, novelist and founder of Modern Rhetoric, modern rhetoric in Serbia. He also worked as a journalist and a civil ...

, who used the sentence "You’re bound for Ivanjica!" as a punchline in his comedies, indicating the 19th century threat of exile to this town. Later it became the festival's slogan and the invitation to Ivanjica. In 1972, the festival ended. ;2010–2018 In 2008, a citizen petition to revive the festival was signed by over 10% of the population. A citizen organization named KudeS (Cultural Decentralization of Serbia) was formed and led the process of organizing the new festival. After the local Assembly adopted the proposal, the Municipality of Ivanjica, Ivanjica Culture Centre and Ivanjica Tourism Organisation joined the partnership, and these four organizations organised Nušićijada beginning in 2010. According to the organizers, the 2015 Nušićijada attracted more than 55,000 visitors, the highest number since its founding. The 2016 Nušićijada again attracted 55,000 visitors. ;2018–present In March 2018, the municipality's president and the local leader of ruling

Serbian Progressive Party The Serbian Progressive Party (, SNS) is a major populist, catch-all party, catch-all List of political parties in Serbia, political party in Serbia. It has been the Ruling party, ruling party since 2012. Miloš Vučević, the former prime mi ...

made a decision to expel KudeS (the leader of the festival's revival and its main organizer) from the list of event's organizers. The move was widely seen as politically motivated, as the event's former participants have satirically mocked the

President of Serbia The president of Serbia (), officially styled as President of the Republic (), is the head of state of Serbia. The current officeholder is Aleksandar Vučić, who was elected in 2017 and has held the role since 31 May 2017. According to the C ...

and leader of the Serbian Progressive Party

Aleksandar Vučić Aleksandar Vučić, (born 5 March 1970) is a Serbian politician serving as President of Serbia since 2017. A founding member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he previously served as President of the SNS from 2012 to 2023, Deputy Prim ...

References

External links

* * * Recurring events established in 1968 1968 establishments in Yugoslavia Cultural festivals in Serbia Culture of Serbia Tourism in Serbia Summer in Serbia {{Comedy-stub