Don’t Take It Personally offers a biting indictment of human and societal behaviour during unstable times shaped by capitalism and imperial greed. In a world increasingly suffocated by systemic injustices, where many are denied the right to breathe, this cinematic score emerges as a reclamation of that breath. Through the rhythm and cadence of its sequences, Jelena Jureša invites the viewer to experience capitalism as a pervasive infection, designed to seep systemic toxicity into the smallest details of our daily lives. Drawing from the writings of Dubravka Ugrešić (1949–2023), who defied nationalist narratives in the wake of the Yugoslav wars, the film unfolds in two distinct yet thematically interconnected movements. The film captured a live performance on 16mm film, featuring Dutch-Indonesian tap dancer Marije Nie and Croatian musicians Alen and Nenad Sinkauz. Their rhythmic exchange blends movement, sound, and speech, creating a dynamic interplay that highlights the dual nature of tap dancing as both a means of self-expression and an act of protest. Tap dance emerged from a fusion of African and European percussive traditions, deeply shaped by slavery and segregation in the U.S. Don’t Take It Personally subverts this legacy. Through her films and video installations, the director explores themes of cultural identity, gender, collective violence and historical denial.
Don’t Take It Personally, Don’t Take It Personally
Jelena Jureša
Belgium, Croatia, 2025, Color, 60’
World Premiere
- Programme
- Dates
- LanguageEnglish
- Director
Technical sheet
- Subtitles:English
- Script:Jelena Jureša
- Photography:Fiona Braillon
- Editing:Jelena Jureša
- Music:Alen Sinkauz, Nenad Sinkauz
- Sound:Nenad Sinkauz, Hrvoje Pelicarić, Ivan Zelić
- Cast:Marije Nie, Alen Sinkauz, Nenad Sinkauz
- Production:Dijana Mlađenović (Kinematograf), Andrea Cinel (kunstencentrum nona)
- Contact:Andrea Cinel (kunstencentrum nona)