Strega Prize 2022, Mario Desiati wins with his “Spatriati”

The fateful 7th of July has arrived and the winner of the most prestigious Italian literary prize has been announced.

Mario Desiati, with his novel “Spatriati” published by Einaudi, received the coveted award last night at the Ninfeo di Villa Giulia (Rome) from the hands of Giuseppe D'Avino, president of Strega Alberti Benevento, a company that supports this recognition by awarding it every year to the author who has published a book, in Italy, from March 1st of the previous year to February 28th of the current year.

Reading enthusiasts were able to follow the event on Rai 3 through the program hosted by Geppi Cucciari, who initially had to face the inconveniences of the rain, but overcame them with dexterity and great professionalism.

Approximately 81,4% of those entitled to vote cast their votes, giving 166 votes to the winner, 90 to the second place winner, Claudio Piersanti with “Quel maledetto Vronskij published by Rizzoli and 83 votes to Alessandra Carati with her novel “E poiremmo salvi” (Mondadori) which climbed to the third step of the literary podium. Emanuele Trevi, winner of the 2021 Strega Prize, presided over the voting station.

Each of the seven finalist authors of the Award presented their work through a clip followed by an interview conducted by the presenter Geppi Cucciari.

In the clip of Desiati, filmed on the streets of the city of Martina Franca, the place where the story contained in the novel begins, the author explains that Spatriato means irregular, outside the homeland, but not understood as a geographical border, the homeland as a way of life of the majority.

Spatriato is also a way to insult and a way to indicate a person who does not obey the general rules. In fact, the protagonists, Francesco and Claudia, who meet at the classical high school in Martina Franca, are expats. They are little more than teenagers and have two very different temperaments.

Claudia is different from the others and thanks to her Francesco begins to understand that he too is an expatriate. The author then explains that in the first part of the novel Francesco Veleno tries to adapt to the others. In short, he follows the path of the good Catholic boy; he attends the parish diligently and even comes close to his vocation.

This is also a way to be among men and feel what he does not have the courage to feel. In the sequel of the novel, Francesco and Claudia really emigrate, spending a long part of their life in Berlin until their journey changes perspective. Francesco, in fact, at a certain point decides to return, but not as a loser, but rather to sabotage that place where he grew up.

During the following interview, Desiati clarifies that the protagonists represent parts of people he has known and parts of himself that he wanted to tell to make them known to the readers. He also specified that the use of the term "Expatriates" comes from the need to underline how many people do not want to define themselves, they want to live as they feel they are. Francesco and Claudia's desire, but also his own. In fact, he is trying, although with great difficulty.

At this point the presenter Geppi Cucciari, letting out a flash of sincere empathy, asks him if the others allow him to do so. A question to which Desiati responds – barely concealing a certain amount of suffering – with the following reflection:
"Social pressure exists in all areas, at work, in the family, in many places where one tries to be a little different from others and without hurting anyone. We are a country where three weeks ago Cloe Bianco died, a transgender teacher who wanted to be herself, but who was isolated and took her own life. So, social pressure is very dangerous and we need to talk about it."

Geppi Cucciari intervenes suggesting that perhaps, with a little more kindness these tragedies could be avoided and Desiati responds with a truly significant and unforgettable statement: Yes, even if kindness is so rare that I always mistake it for love!

The evening was attended by many prominent names: Giovanni Solimene and Stefano Petrocchi, respectively President and Director of the Bellonci Foundation, the cultural institution that organizes the Strega Prize; Lorenzo Tagliavanti and Pietro Abate, President and Secretary General of the Rome Chamber of Commerce, which supports the most important cultural initiatives.

All the finalists then received from Flavia Mazzarella, President of BPER Banca, a sculpture created by the young Ukrainian artist Taras Halaburda inspired by the profession of writing: a bronze typewriter with keys bearing the words Premio Strega.

Today, July 8, 2022, at 21,30:XNUMX pm, the first official outing of the LXXVI winner of the Strega Prize, Mario Desiati, is scheduled. He will be in Lonato for the conference promoted by Essay at I Giardini della casa del Podestà.

 Annamaria Cafaro