Salerno letteratura, the festival that took place in the charming historic center of Salerno from 18 to 25 June 2022, closed the curtain on a sensational tenth edition on Saturday evening, characterized by a large attendance and a variety of events capable of satisfying the expectations and tastes of spectators.
The co-artistic director, Paolo di Paolo, in an interview conducted by TGR Campania, answering the reporter's question about the conclusions to be drawn at the end of the event, released the following statement:
“… the climate was really tiring, but I think that what has remained from this edition above all is the affection, the applause, in some way the desire to participate which is even more intense than the two previous editions marked by the pandemic, so I think it is precisely the community that comes together and celebrates and we have tried to celebrate it precisely out of gratitude“.
The last evening's meetings were numerous and significant, among which those reserved for the nucleus of ancient Salerno, Largo Barbuti, stand out, to the east of which begins the famous Via dei Mercanti, which in the Middle Ages was called "La Drapperia" as it was home to fabric shops.
Illustrious names from the contemporary literary scene took turns on the stage, which was set in excellent visibility in the historic buildings that served as its backdrop: Diego De Silva, Luca Bianchini and Daria Bignardi, who fascinated the audience with their own human and artistic qualities.
At 19.30, Paul of Paul, he started a wise dialogue with Diego De Silva regarding the latter's latest book: “I'm happy, where did I go wrong?” published by Einaudi, which deals with another chapter in the life of the Malinconico Lawyer, an emblematic character of the author devoted to precariousness, but who also spices up bitterness with humour.
For the plot and review of the book, click on the link below
https://www.cronachedellacampania.it/2022/03/diego-de-silva-libro/
Many of De Silva's insights into the subject emerged during the conversation with his interviewer, which included famous quotes and the author's typical, gentle irony, which triggered repeated moments of hilarity among the audience, with the effect of making any concept digestible.
Paolo di Paolo introduced the novel by going straight to the heart of the matter submitted to theMalinconico lawyer: “Malinconico's new story starts from a funny paradox, but there is also a tragic, therefore tragicomic, reverse, that is, a hypothetical cause that becomes a gigantic cause, therefore a class-action against the unhappiness of a couple, almost as if it were possible to solve this general problem that bogs us down through the law […] How does one become a civil party in the face of a bogged down love affair?”.
De Silva explained that in reality, in his novel, he attributed to the unaware Malinconico a real headache to which only potentially - and recognizing the curious name of sentimental accident - could be assigned a legal nature. Since a car accident attributes to the unfortunate victim compensation motivated by the biological damage suffered, one might think that, like this, a wrong love is susceptible to causing permanent existential damage.
But his character, questioning himself on the legally dignified nature of unhappy love, and on the fairness of compensation for it, ended up deducing that no: pain is not compensable!
“Pain is not compensable, it has no market, it is not quoteable on any market. Pain touches us because it is an experience of knowledge. I say more, part of happiness. If we quoted it, if we made it the object of compensation, we would probably take away all its nobility. And a ignoble pain, without nobility, is a pain that is not worth experiencing."
The question about happiness could not be missed, the theme of the festival that arose from a phrase by Pasolini who asked himself if the revolution is made to be happy. Paolo di Paolo he therefore provoked a powerful reflection in De Silva with the following question: “If I put happiness and revolution on the table for you, what kind of reflection do you get?”
The author's answer was decidedly enlightened and illuminating and showed an awareness that has been sedimented over time, of no small value: “I believe that happiness is always an exception, an anomalous moment in a rectilinear motion of running of life. I don't want to say that the rule of life is unhappiness, but the uniformity of the days at a certain point is interrupted by this light that can be turned on in many ways.
In my opinion, happiness is always a subsequent acquisition, that is, in my opinion, one is not happy, one has been happy. It is always something that arrives at a certain point. And this appropriation, just slightly delayed on something that has just happened, is beautiful, which gives you that boost and gives meaning to life that continues.
I don't think that happiness ends the moment it arrives, the moment you notice it. It's something that leaves like a current that you pretend not to feel, but if these events didn't happen it's very difficult for us to be able to cope with life without these explosions of happiness. The paradox of happiness is that a moment later you ask yourselfi: “Our Lady, but where was this clause written in very small characters that I signed without knowing? Because I will pay for this thing here!”.
On the stage, magically enlivened by the colours of the approaching sunset mixed with the light effects created by the scenography, at 20.30 pm the meeting with the effervescent, sparkling Luke Bianchini, author of the book with the singular title “Wives are always right”.
The author can be said to have held the audience almost hypnotizing them with his sympathy and spontaneity, alternating the explanation of his novel with stories of personal experiences, capable of unleashing joy and good humor. Even the journalist Giovanna Di Giorgio, in charge of the interview, pleasantly abandoned herself to the laughter provoked by her guest.
“Wives are always right” It is the first detective novel written by the author, who, however, has not changed the choice of location in which to set the story compared to his previous books.
The story in fact takes place in Polignano a mare, in the province of Bari, and has as its protagonist Marshal Clemente who returns to his country, looking forward to the honor of representing the force in the procession of San Vito (the patron saint of the place), in strict full dress uniform, as well as his now approaching retirement. His plans, however, are thwarted by a sad event: the murder of the Peruvian nanny of Scagliusi family.
Joanna of George he then asked Bianchini the ritual question, the one concerning the theme of the festival - happiness, revolution - drawing inspiration from the tormented love story of Don Mimì and Ninella, who after a long time, finally become a couple, even causing the emotion of the composed Marshal Clemente. Giovanna Di Giorgio in fact remarked that Mimi and Ninella, by uniting sentimentally, they make a revolution to be happy.
“It’s so hard to have courage, you don’t always have it. They – Mimì and Ninella – had this courage… and I want to read you something about the moon, about them, about love and the moon. I love sunrises, sunsets: …while Mimì and Ninella are returning home, they see the moon. A sliver of moon peeks out between the two. […] The moon that suddenly appears is a message of hope put inside a bottle. And I believe that every person who sees it, for a moment, forgets all the pain”.
For Bianchini, pain is cancelled by the moon, which has the great power to make people happy. This is happiness for him. The meeting could only end with a nice and clarifying explanation of the book's title by the author:
“It’s a perfect title because it opens a discussion, but it’s almost useless. Wives are always right even when they’re not. It’s an unwritten pact between husband and wife so that the marriage lasts longer. If I had been more sycophantic I would have called it Ex-Wives Are Always Right.”
The grand finale of the event was reserved for two important events: the first, which saw the protagonist Daria Bignardi with his book: “Books that ruin (but save) your life.” The story of her education as a passionate reader, who kisses the book three times before reading it, who fills the shelves with volumes capable of acting as a glue between pleasure and pain. Books that hold time, so that it is not wasted. That even increase it, time, and that reading them provokes a joyful emotion.
The second is the closing event of the event, the party that gathered the public in Santa Teresa and with which the artistic directors, the volunteers and all those who took part in this intense week of literary meetings, greeted and thanked those who worked hard to make the festival happen.
In particular the Artistic Director Gennaro Carillo, publicly thanked the Mayor of Salerno, Vincenzo Napoli: “… I would also like to thank, in a completely non-ritual way, Mayor Vincenzo Napoli because he was very close to us, even as a spectator, a mayor who participates, who cares about the things we do. Believe me, it is not an everyday thing”.
The remarkable public appeal and the success of the largest literary event in southern Italy, gives the measure of how we are getting ever closer to culture and knowledge. A form of awareness perhaps induced by the profound reflection to which the pandemic has accustomed us which, to borrow an expression dear to Diego De Silva, has directed us towards “The values that matter”. And culture is truly a dimension that counts and that elevates the life of each of us.
Annamaria Cafaro
EDITORIAL TEAM
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