Everything is ready for the explosive 39th edition of the Elsa Morante Prize, an event that promises sparks of culture and entertainment in Southern Italy, where the memory of the famous writer is celebrated with a mix of emotion and glamour on the fortieth anniversary of her death.
On May 13th at 10 am, two halls of Città della Scienza in Naples will be filled with over a thousand students and readers thirsty for live sensations, while around 40.000 curious people from Italy and abroad will flock to the social streaming to not miss the show – a kermesse that risks stealing the scene from all the other cultural events in the country.
The Sensational Winners
Among the protagonists, 11 winners in the fields of creation and culture arrive accompanied by the big names of the publishing houses, ready to make their way in a ceremony that does not skimp on twists and turns. The big hit goes to the writer and director Roberto Andò with his “Il coccolo di Palermo” published by La nave di Teseo, triumphant in the Fiction section. The young talents are no less: Alessandro D'Avenia takes home “Resisti cuore” (Mondadori) for the “Elsa Morante Ragazzi Award – Knowledge”, Donatella Di Pietrantonio with “Lucciole, squaletti e un po' di pastina” (Salani) for the “Elsa Morante Ragazzi Award – Fiction”, and Francesca Mannocchi with “Sulla mia terra” (De Agostini) for the “Elsa Morante Ragazzi Award – History”. Also Nicola Campiotti stands out with “Tutto tra noi è infinito” (Sperling & Kupfer) for Opera Prima, Barbara Baraldi with “Jenny” (Bonelli) for Graphic Novel, and the winners of the “Premio Elsa Morante Nisida”, Daniela De Crescenzo and Tommaso Montanino with “Il Narcos” (Paper First), chosen by the kids of a juvenile prison for a touch of raw reality. There is no shortage of music awards, assigned to LDA as R&B singer, to her producer Noya and to Anastasio for author music.
The Jury and Behind the Scenes
In command, a jury of 10 experts led by the venerated Dacia Maraini, with names such as Marco Cerbo, Enzo Colimoro, Lino Guanciale, David Morante, Antonio Parlati, Alfredo Rapetti Mogol, Fiorenza Sarzanini, Teresa Triscari and Tiuna Notarbartolo, who also serves as director and presenter together with the actor Alessandro Incerto. About 50 journalists from every corner of Italy are ready to unleash a wave of media coverage, confirming this award as the most talked about cultural institution in the South, with a national echo that leaves everyone speechless. In the hall, a parade of local figures and partners completes the picture, from Riccardo Villari to representatives of institutions and companies such as the Campania Region and various sponsors. The event, orchestrated by the Associazione Culturale Premio Elsa Morante with coordination by Iki Notarbartolo and others, is a cocktail of sponsorships and partnerships that promises to be talked about for weeks.
It is a very interesting event that combines culture and entertainment, but I wonder if there will really be so many students present. The numbers are impressive, but the reality could be different.