“Pensieri e Parole libri e film all'Asinara” turns twenty , returning to tell the story of the island, its art, and its community, and celebrating with a special edition that doubles the dates and locations: this year, the island park will be joined by a new urban stage, with a series of celebratory events also in Sassari.
Exhibitions, concerts, films, meetings with authors, and reflections on crucial issues of our time—memory, the environment, justice—enliven the area from January to November, with a summer preview in Sassari from July 29th to August 2nd, and then, as per tradition, on Asinara on August 23rd and 24th.
Curated by Sante Maurizi for Cinearena, “Pensieri e Parole” is one of the four stages of the “Islands of Cinema”, the circuit that passes through Tavolara, La Maddalena, San Pietro and Asinara .
The detailed program of the event was presented in the hall of the Palazzo del Marchese by Sante Maurizi, artistic director of the Festival, in the presence of the Municipal Councilor for Culture Maria Bastiana Cocco and the director of the Asinara National Park Authority, Vittorio Gazale. The meeting was also attended by actress Daniela Cossiga, Aldo Addis representing the Koinè Ubik Libreria Internazionale bookstores of Sassari and Porto Torres, and Andrea Maurizi, president of the Radio Uni Sassari association, the event's media partner.
THE PROGRAM – The literature and film festival founded on the island of Asinara includes book presentations, films, and concerts. For twenty years, this project has reflected on the power of stories and the intertwining of the languages of the written word and the moving image, promoting a culture of citizenship, memory, and sustainability. The festival opens in Sassari, in the Tavolara Pavilion, on July 29th with "Soundtrack Variations," a concert by pianist and composer Mario Mariani. This will be followed by the exhibition "Venti di Pensieri e Parole," curated by Silvia Borghetto and featuring original illustrations by Giorgio Donini, which visually celebrates the festival's twentieth anniversary. On August 2nd, Vittorio Gazale, director of the Asinara National Park, will present his book "Nell'interesse dello Stato" (Solferino), in conversation with Sante Maurizi. This will be followed by the return of the concert "Canzoni dal Supercarcere," an artistic project born on the island in 2007 with songs about punishment, memory, and redemption, performed by the trio composed of actress Daniela Cossiga, singer-songwriter Antonio Meleddu, aka "Bandito," and bassist Matteo Anelli.
On Asinara, the exhibition "Twenty Thoughts and Words" opens on August 23rd in Fornelli. The exhibition will feature meetings with literature professor and art historian Giovanna Di Marco and her "Museum of Sand," and magistrate Gianni Caria with the play "Rosario Va in Pension," presented by writer and literary critic Massimo Onofri. Also featured are the new thriller "A Corpse in the Kitchen" by former Italian magistrate, writer, screenwriter, and playwright Giancarlo De Cataldo, and "Climabolario: Words and Music from the Climate Crisis" by Sante Maurizi, with music by Daniela Cossiga, Simone Sassu, Matteo Anelli, Gabriele Cau, and Lorenzo Sabattini. The day will conclude with a screening of "Il tempo che ci vuole" by Francesca Comencini, featuring Laura Muccino, recent winner of the Nastro d'Argento for the film's casting. August 24th sees the return of Bandito's new concert, "Asinaria," followed by a reflection on cinema and writing, starting with Salvatore Mannuzzu's "Apnea. Scritti sul cinema," featuring Alessandro Cadoni, Sante Maurizi, and Lucia Angelica Salaris. Vittorio Gazale will follow, this time in conversation with Nando Dalla Chiesa about his book "Nell'interesse dello Stato." The evening will continue with the presentation of Antonio Pascale's book, "Cose umane," (Einaudi), by Italian journalist, writer, agronomist, and blogger, who will again be in conversation with Massimo Onofri. The grand finale will be the concert "Mamma mia dammi cento lire," a repertoire dedicated to stories of emigration, and the screening of Paolo Sorrentino's film "Parthenope," featuring the film's lead actress, Celeste Dalla Porta, who will receive the "Isole del Cinema" award.
The festival is supported by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, the Department of Entertainment of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, the Fondazione di Sardegna, the Asinara National Park, the Municipality of Porto Torres, and the Municipality of Sassari. Longtime partners include Koinè Ubik, the International Bookshop of Sassari and Porto Torres.
