Pertti Lintunen

The Black and White Theatre Festival – The International Festival celebrates 10 YEARS anniversary.

Black and White Theatre Association was established in 2003 in Imatra . The original intention of founders and creators of the entire theater festival – Kamran Shahmardan and Katrin Lätt was at that time in particular to develop and promote both adults and children oriented puppet theater activities. Before In Finland puppet theater was mainly regarded as a children’s theater as art , but in many other countries puppet theater has a long tradition in particular adult theater offerings.

For this thoughtful attention to the children, we are particularly grateful to the organizers of the festival as this is the only way to ensure the growth of theater friends in the future.

In 2007, the program was expanded with puppet theater festival in addition to the main program including dance theatre, pantomime , traditional drama and circus arts . From this year Black and White Theatre Festival has developed into a more versatile theater arts festival, where spectators have been enjoying with countless national and international , often experimenting with and bold theatrical representations of the groups most diverse areas at the streets and other public places. However, always one of the main festival program have also been targeted to children. For this thoughtful attention to the children, we are particularly grateful to the organizers of the festival as this is the only way to ensure the growth of theater friends in the future.

For 10 years Black and White Theatre Festival developed into one of the biggest South Karelia international cultural events. Its always diverse, experimental, and the revised program has already received a huge number friends outside the province. Therefore, at the end of May, theatre festival is more and more starting to be interested for visiting our city by international guests. Over the past ten years, the festival performances are followed by more tens of thousands of passionate theater art amateurs .

For this tireless work the great thanks are due to the festival creators and developers – Kamran Shahmardan and Katri Lätt .

Imatra city’s cultural events, including the Black and White Theatre Festival stands out specifically for the internationalization and continuously emerging.  For this reason, it is an excellent example of how hard work, and a strong personal commitment is achieved by a significant and respectable cultural work . For this tireless work the great thanks are due to the festival creators and developers – Kamran Shahmardan and Katri Lätt.

From whole Imatra, I wish to congratulate the Black and White Theatre Festival on 10-th anniversary. I wish the festival every success for the coming years and continue to develop the festival with the enthusiasm and fire as a sound of international basis which the festival was built as the result of hard work over the years.

Pertti Lintunen, Mayor of Imatra