Unveiling of the Prix Calvino Award's inaugural presentation
The 889 submissions received for the Calvino Prize, a leading platform for debuting writers, mark a record-breaking year for the competition. With the scope of predicting upcoming literary trends, the prize has once again proven its significance in the book industry.
This year's finalists for the XXXIII edition include:- Giardino San Leonardo by Gian Primo Brugnoli- Oceanides by Riccardo Capoferro- Trash by Martino Costa- Lingua madre by Maddalena Fingerle- Schikaneder and the Labyrinth by Benedetta Galli- Six Shots at Sunset by Vanni Lai- The Unstable Substance by Giulia Lombezzi- The Martyrs by Alessio Orgera- Ma' by Pier Lorenzo Pisano- Short Life of a Beast Tamer by Daniele Santero- The Affectionate Value by Nicoletta Verna
The jury, consisting of Omar Di Monopoli, Helena Janeczek, Gino Ruozzi, Flavio Soriga, and Nadia Terranova, selected these finalists. In a joint statement, they described their choice as a diverse selection of texts that tackle significant existential or thematic issues, demonstrating varying styles and excellent writing quality in coherence and evocative power. The age range of the finalists extends from 27 to 81, with a majority of thirty/forty-year-olds (seven).
A unique final has been arranged for this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The events will take place online and will be divided into several phases to introduce the finalists and their works to the public and publishing houses. From June 16 to 21, a video presentation for each finalist will be posted on the Prize's website and Facebook page, featuring comments from the Jurors, readings of extracts from the texts, and the authors' voices. These videos will be arranged in a dedicated section (https://www.premiocalvino.it/i-finalisti-2020/) without any merit ranking, and will be accompanied by a synopsis of the text and a brief biography of the author.
On June 22 at 5:30 PM, the live streaming proclamation of the winner, special mentions from the Jury, and the special mention Treccani (assigned by the Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana for exceptional linguistic originality and creative expression) will take place on the Turin Reader's Circle and the Prize's Facebook pages.
First founded in Turin in 1985, shortly after the death of Italo Calvino, the prize was established to uphold Calvino's role as a discoverer of new literary talents. It aims to help emerging and unpublished authors connect with audiences and publishing houses. The Prize was conceived by Delia Frigessi, a scholar of Italian culture, and she served as President until 2010.
The diverse selection of finalists, ranging from 27 to 81 years old, will present their books during the online events for the Calvino Prize, showcasing their unique styles and approaches to significant existential and thematic issues. In addition to the live streaming proclamation of the winner, the lifestyle of these authors and their works will be explored through entertainment in the form of video presentations and reading extracts from their books.
