FLINTA* KULTUR SALON #4

Featuring Janina Agnes Baakes, Anja Demidova, Sarina Panahideh, Sasha Andjelo, Maria Bitti, Marina Kurochka, and Mikhail Poliakov. Moderated by Ioana Cristina Casapu.

FLINTA*KULTUR SALON is a project by FLINTA*Literatur, Berlin’s platform for migrant and exiled womxn artists, in cooperation with Lettrétage, funded by the Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt, recommended by TheReader Berlin, and presented by tipBerlin and .taz.

Web: https://flintaliteratur.de/de

Contact: kontakt@flintaliteratur.de

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flintaliteratur/

Sasha Andjelo (Russia) lives and works in exile in Berlin. With a classical background in violin and a fascination for retro synthesizers, his style spans post-punk, new wave, and electronic music. As the frontman of the band Behavior Model, he creates melancholic, dark soundscapes and explores the emotional impact of sound beyond traditional song structures. In addition to his artistic work, he works with light and sound, organizes concerts and festivals, and runs an independent music label through which he releases music by artists who, as a result of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, no longer receive support or performance opportunities in their home countries.

Janina Agnes Baakes (East Berlin) lives in Berlin with her lesbian partner, has been appearing in the ZDF series SOKO Stuttgart since 2018, and is completing a screenwriting program at Schreibhain. In 2023, she received funding through the “Diverses Erzählen” program (DFFB/Serial Eyes). Her writing explores care work, class, the body, and queer-feminist anger and humor. In her spoken-word piece “Mom by Day—Gangster by Night,” being a gangster at night becomes a form of survival: care by day, rebellion by night—a way of coping that navigates the space between reality and possibility.

Maria Bitti (Russia) has been living in exile in Berlin since 2023 and is the founder of the Wondering Theater—a theater for children and adults that captivates audiences with its warmth, humor, and family-like atmosphere. Her productions combine imaginative storytelling with lovingly designed spaces and familiar stories, reimagined.

Anja Demidova (Russia) is a theater director and producer who received classical acting training in Russia, as well as additional training with Jan Fabre (Troubleyn) and Odin Theater, focusing on physical theater and dance. In 2018, she founded the independent theater company Urban Forest Echo. Due to her activism against the war and state persecution following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she lives in exile in Berlin. There, she founded Can.Act e.V., a nonprofit organization that promotes artistic and cultural dialogue and supports artists in difficult situations. Her international experience shapes her artistic work, which has been presented in Russia, Romania, Austria, and Germany—including at the Volksbühne and HAU Berlin, among other venues.

Marina Kurochka (Ukraine) completed her training in acting at the L. Utesov KMAECM, specializing in pantomime, as well as at the renowned GITIS acting school in V.A. Andreeva’s workshop. During her studies, she worked at the Kyiv Circus. After graduating in 2020, she worked in theater and also appeared in films. She sings, plays the drums, dances, and teaches acting and stage speech to children and teenagers. Due to the war, she currently lives in Berlin, where she is appearing in the production “The Run Refugee Rave,” directed by Anja Demidova, and also performs at the Galli Theater Berlin.

Sarina Panahideh (Iran) explores themes such as identity, resistance, and women’s rights in depth. Through a powerful fusion of movement and performance, she creates moving works that intertwine personal experiences with political realities. Her pieces have been presented on various stages across Europe and are characterized by their radical physicality and socio-political urgency. Her work has been featured on the BBC, ARTE, DW, and other broadcasters, among others.

Mikhail Poliakov (Russia) began playing the piano at the age of five. After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Mikhail put all his artistic projects on hold. Before leaving for Germany in the summer of 2022, he worked as a chef. In Hamburg and Berlin, he participated in anti-war and other socially engaged theater projects. Last year, he worked with Kirill Serebrennikov and others at the Komische Oper Berlin, the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, and other venues.