Sunday, July 26
The Residence of Princess Ljubica, 8:30 PM
Milunka
Monodrama by Vesna Stanković
Directed by: Petar Stanojlović
Ticket price: RSD 500
An intimate stage portrayal of Milunka Savić, the celebrated heroine of Serbia's liberation wars, performed by Vesna Stanković, actress of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre.
Told in the first person, the monodrama presents the deeply personal testimony of a woman soldier reflecting on life and death, war, Serbia, and its history. It reveals the extraordinary story of one of the most decorated female combatants in military history, recipient of numerous highest military honors, including the Medal for Bravery, the Karađorđe's Star with Swords, the Miloš Obilić Medal, the French War Cross with Palm—an honor unique among women—and two decorations of the Legion of Honour.
The story begins in the village of Koprivnica on Mount Kopaonik, where Milunka spent her childhood with her parents, two sisters, and her sickly brother. Driven by a lifelong determination to protect the weak and vulnerable, she enlisted in the First Balkan War disguised as a man under the name Milun Savić, taking her brother's place. Fearless in battle and renowned as a skilled grenadier, she was wounded repeatedly before her true identity was discovered. Despite military regulations of the time, her comrades and commanding officers insisted that she remain in active service. During seven years of warfare she was wounded nine times and received twelve military decorations. After demobilization, she gave birth to one daughter, adopted three more girls, and devoted her life to raising, educating, and caring for more than thirty children.
Highly respected by distinguished French military leaders such as Louis Franchet d'Espèrey, Charles de Gaulle, and Vice Admiral Émile Guépratte, Milunka nevertheless ended her working life in Serbia as a bank cleaner. At night she sewed military uniforms while continuing to care for generations of children from the villages of Kopaonik. As she herself would say, this is "the story of a life from the first rifle to the first broom."
Awards
- Audience Award for Best Performance, Festival of Small Theatre Forms, Zaječar (2023)
- Special Acting Award presented to Vesna Stanković, Festival of Small Theatre Forms, Zaječar (2023)
- Best Performance, International Festival in Zemun (2015), recipient of the "Siniša Dašić" Audience Golden Medal
- "Golden Knight" Award, International Festival, Moscow (2015)
