Predrag Azdejković
Predrag Azdejković | |
|---|---|
Predrag Azdejkovic at Youth and violence forum | |
| Born | 15 July 1978 |
| Occupations | LGBT rights activist, journalist, producer, SNS party member |
| Known for | Merlinka festival, Gay Lesbian Info Center |
| Awards | Crystal Award (2010)[1] Award for the most innovative approach in promoting the rights of discriminated groups (2013)[2] |
Predrag Azdejković (Serbian: Предраг Аздејковић; born 15 July 1978) is a Serbian LGBT human rights activist, journalist, writer, filmmaker and theater producer. Azdejković is the director of the Gay Lesbian Info Center, and was the director of the Merlinka festival, until he resigned following comments described as transphobic. He is also the editor in chief of Serbian only gay magazine Optimist, and producer of several short films and documentaries and award-winning plays dedicated to LGBT Serbians. He is a member of the Journalists' Association of Serbia.
Biography
Predrag Azdejković was born on 15 July 1978 in Leonberg, West Germany.
Until his sixth year, he lived in Germany and in 1984 he moved to Serbia, which was then part of Yugoslavia.[3] He is a founder of GayEcho web portal, editor of Rainbow column in Yellow Cab monthly guide, founder and editor in chief of the only Serbian gay magazine Optimist,[4] and was for a time the director and selector of International queer film festival Merlinka. He wrote for several Serbian media such as daily Sutra, Borba, web portal E-novine, weekly Vreme, monthly Status, Beton.[5] In 2006 he became VIP blogger at B92 blog.[6] In 2006 he was included in the anthology Others - From patriarchal construction to alternative politics.,[7] edited by Boban Stojanović. He published a satirical book Time of hemorrhoids in 2011.[8] In 2017 he co-edited the book I have something to say to you - Return from Brisbane and other stories[9]
Controversies
During his time with the Merlinka film festival, Azdejkovic was the subject of controversy over comments deemed offensive to transgender people. These included calling on social media for an elderly man who lost a testicle over the course of police torture in Novi Sad to be sent to box against professional boxer Imane Khelif. After this initial controversy, backers of the festival threatened to cancel funding.[10][11][12]
Separately, his appointment to an overseeing body of the national television station was protested by journalists working there, who have since demanded he be removed from it, though this request was reportedly ignored.[13]
Film
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Just be safe and sound | Producer |
| 2016 | When I come out... be there | Co-producer |
| 2018 | Warm film | Co-producer |
| 2020 | Roxanda | Producer |
| 2021 | Best Men and Bridesmaids | Director |
| 2021 | Animus | Producer |
| 2021 | Wasteland | Producer |
| 2021 | Fear from butterflies (TV movie) | Producer |
| 2024 | Warm Film | Producer |
Theater
| Year | Theater play | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Merlinka's Confession | Producer |
| 2018 | ... And the others | Producer |
| 2019 | Fear from butterflies | Producer |
| 2022 | Femkanje | Producer |
| 2023 | Four walls - Tragicomedy about COVID | Producer |
References
- ^ "Dodeljena Kristalna nagrada". B92.
- ^ "Azdejković dobio Nagradu za doprinos osnaživanju LGBT!". Kurir.
- ^ "Peđa Azdejković - Da se ne lažemo, ja sam sladak". B92.
- ^ "Optimist". Optimist.
- ^ "Predrag Azdejković - Autorski tekstovi". azdejkovic.com.
- ^ "B92 blog - Predrag Azdejković". B92.
- ^ "Drugi - Od patrijarhalne konstrukcije do alternativne politike". Queeria. April 2014.
- ^ Vreme hemoroida - Predrag Azdejković. Red Box. 2011. ISBN 978-8686599247.
- ^ "Imam nešto da ti kažem - Povratak iz Brizbejna i druge priča". Optimist. Archived from the original on 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
- ^ Nova.rs (2024-11-27). "I Gete institut se ograđuje od Azdejkovićevog komentara: "Preispitaćemo podršku festivalu Merlinka"". NOVA portal (in Serbian). Retrieved 2026-01-20.
- ^ d.o.o, cubes. "Azdejković se povukao bez kajanja, Merlinka saopštava da je pod stresom - Vreme". vreme.com/ (in Serbian). Retrieved 2026-01-20.
- ^ "Predrag Azdejković se povlači sa mesta direktora festivala "Merlinka" - Kultura - Dnevni list Danas" (in Serbian). 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
- ^ "RTS osuđuje i ograđuje se od komentara Predraga Azdejkovića na društvenoj mreži Iks, tražiće od REM-a da ga razreši - Društvo - Dnevni list Danas" (in Serbian). 2024-11-27. Retrieved 2026-01-20.