Now in its thirteenth edition, the Salerno Letteratura festival confirms itself as a cultural event of national importance, well beyond the borders of the Campania region. With a program spread between June 14 and 21, the event is proving to be a lively and authoritative stage for contemporary Italian and international fiction.
This year's edition, curated by Gennaro Carillo, Paolo Di Paolo and Daria Limatola (for the children's section), is inspired by a particularly intense theme, taken from a famous verse of the song The cannon woman by Francesco De Gregori: “In the face of the evil and the proud. Literature as a counterpower”.
A strongly motivated choice, as the co-artistic director Gennaro Carillo explained with great clarity: “The verse of the Cannon woman It is meant to be a mockery of the savage powers that claim to dominate the world. There is reason to fear for the fate of democracy, increasingly exposed to the real risk of illiberal drifts. Pride reigns supreme.
But there is hope that pride – the Greek hybris – let the punishment follow as soon as possible – Tie – that punishes the arrogant. Literature alone cannot change things, we are aware of that. But it can become a counter-power…”
The fourth day of the festival was characterized by a rich array of guests presented in the evocative spaces of the historic center of Salerno, an ideal setting for meetings that have been able to combine quality, thought and participation. Among the protagonists of June 17: Hope Larson, Titti Marrone, Chiara Barzini, Alberto Mantovani, Elio Pecora, Elena Mosconi, Massimo Osanna, Romana Petri, Gabriele Pedullà, Giancarlo De Cataldo and Luigi Contu.
The writer Titti Marrone – already an authoritative signature of The morning – gave life at 18 pm to an intense debate with the historian and essayist Carmine Pinto on the occasion of the presentation of his latest novel, Firstmommore, published by Feltrinelli. A profound work that explores feelings, time, the body and language, offering a penetrating reflection on an entire era and on the persistence of sexist and patriarchal dynamics, evident even in contexts that should have favored more egalitarian relationships between men and women.
The story is inspired by a dramatic event that really happened in Naples: the murder of a six-year-old girl, killed by a neighbor who had previously abused her.
The protagonist of the novel is Costanza, mother of Marco, the reporter forced to write the article on a case he never wanted to tell. Through her reflections on the people involved, the shadows of evil emerge, which often hides and merges even among unsuspected figures, very close to us. And yet, remaining vigilant, recognizing the signs, revealing their identity can still fuel hope.
While reading some particularly intense passages, the author evoked the theme of submerged violence, made of apparently banal gestures but capable of leaving deep scars, resurfacing in the protagonist's memory as indelible traces. In one of the most poignant passages we read: “The girl’s body is the place where a male domination is imprinted, taking the form of language, gaze, posture.”
The author then focused on the urgent need for a sentimental education that offers young people an adequate language: “Kids today are exposed to devastating content, they learn about sexuality from social media. And we adults often don’t have the tools — or the courage — to talk about it. But we have to. Gently, yes, but also firmly.”
Precisely for this reason, starting in September, it will promote meetings in schools: a commitment that goes beyond literature, taking the form of a civil action. Topics such as sexuality and identity will be at the center of the dialogue with students and teachers, to help build a new awareness.
In short, Marrone has clarified the function she attributes to her writing: a tool to question reality, but also a warning against the widespread tendency to simplification. To this, she contrasts complexity, because – as she stated – “Individual stories are never isolated: they always sink into larger stories.”
Salerno Letteratura continues until June 21st with a rich calendar of events, including meetings, presentations that embrace different genres and languages. To consult the complete program of the event, you can visit the official website at the following link: https://www.salernoletteratura.com/il-programma/
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Comments (1)
The Salerno Letteratura festival is a very interesting event that leads to reflect on current issues. However, I think they should be more careful about promotion, since not everyone knows about this event and it would be nice to see it grow.