"Dora" at Festwochen: Conversations over cooking about revolution

The theater production "Dora," featured at the Festwochen festival, offers an authentic portrayal of the lives of two young female activists challenging the government of Aleksandar Vučić in Serbia. The play centers on Doroteja Antić, known by the pseudonym Dora, who has been living in exile in Croatia for over 15 months.

Antić faces charges from the Serbian state prosecutor, filed in March 2025. These charges stem from her participation in student protests that erupted after a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in November 2024. Authorities allege that a recording of a protest meeting implicated her in an attempt to overthrow the government.

The piece highlights the risks faced by activists in Serbia, with Dora's full name withheld in the play for her protection, though it is available in the program and in Serbian media reports. The narrative explores the personal cost of dissent and the government's response to organized opposition.