From Marmilla, a land of hills, wheat, and olive groves, begins a journey rich in words where culture becomes a seed of knowledge and a tool for cohesion. The third edition of the "Marmillibri" literary festival returns from October 16th to December 6th to the eighteen towns of the Union of Municipalities of Marmilla, hosting nationally and internationally renowned writers, journalists, and intellectuals in a journey that intertwines literature, philosophy, science, and current affairs. A packed calendar of meetings, dialogues, and reflections confirms the festival's role as the cultural heart of inland Sardinia, uniting communities, landscapes, and contemporary thought.
Protagonists include Gad Lerner, Giuseppe Corongiu, Alessandro De Roma, Antonio Boggio, Cristina Caboni, Mauro Pusceddu, Giacomo Pisano, Francesca Spanu, Ilario Carta, Giacomo Mameli, Giovanni Follesa, Paolo Pinna Parpaglia, Giampaolo Cassita, Claudia Mandas, Giorgio La Spisa, Pier Luigi Pulixi, Daniele Serra, and Andrea Fulgheri.
Each event will feature the traditional book presentation – a dialogue between the author and a series of speakers from the cultural and journalistic world – followed by a reading by Giovanni Pornasio, capable of enhancing the atmosphere and themes of the works, and to conclude, a convivial moment dedicated to tasting the typical flavours of the area.
The first stop will be on October 16th in Las Plassas, in the Muda Museum hall, with Giuseppe Corongiu and his "Gherras," accompanied by the reading "The Science of Superheroines: From Wonder Woman to Wandavision" by Mark Brake. The festival will continue the following day in Villanovaforru, with Alessandro De Roma and his "The Pink Prince," accompanied by the reading "The Novel of Italian Song." On October 18th in Villanovafranca, Antonio Boggio will present "Assassino all'isola di San Pietro," followed by "La morte è un giorno che vale la pena di vivere" by Anna Quintana Arantes, a profound reflection on the meaning of life and death.
On October 23rd, Cristina Caboni will present "The Route of the Stars" in Segariu, in dialogue with the reading "Neither East nor West – Living in a New World" by Renata Pepicelli. On October 24th, Mauro Pusceddu will present "Spice" in Turri, while Riccardo Azzali's "The Academy of Great Questions" will lead the audience through philosophy and scientific curiosities. On October 25th, Giacomo Pisano will present "Where No One Can See You" in Siddi, followed by "Witches: Stories of Indomitable Women from the Medieval Bonfires to Today" by Mona Chollet, a tribute to female freedom.
The month will continue with an event on October 30th in Setzu, featuring Francesca Spanu and her book "The Wrong Body," along with the reading "We Are What We Eat – Nourishing the Body and Mind." The following day, October 31st, in Lunamatrona, Ilario Carta will present "Japanischer Garten," accompanied by Sergio Mattarella's "I Wish You Democracy. From the President's Speeches."
In November, the festival will stop in Barumini on the 6th with Giacomo Mameli and "Pedrito," followed by Lella Costa's "If I Can't Dance, It's Not My Revolution." On the 7th, in Genuri, Giovanni Follesa will present "A Ferragosto Together" and "Tales for Robots" by Stanislaw Lem. On November 8th, in Furtei, Paolo Pinna Parpaglia will present "Crimes in the Mirror" with the reading "Feeding the Mind. Between Words, Food, and Emotions."
On November 20th, in Sanluri, Giampaolo Cassita will present "La legge di donna Matilde" (Woman Matilde's Law) and the reading "Killing Nature: How Humanity Destroys and Saves the Environment," which will address the ecological emergency. The following day, November 21st, in Pauli Arbarei, Claudia Mandas will present "Portraits of Shadows," in dialogue with "Free and Equal: Manifesto for a Just Society." On November 22nd, in Villamar, Gad Lerner will present "Jews at War," a journey into the heart of contemporary identity and religious conflicts, accompanied by the reading "Africa Is Not Like This."
The festival will continue on November 28th in Ussaramanna with Giorgio La Spisa and "Tutto è in quei occhi," in an evening enriched by the reading "I nove doni: sulla strada della felicità" by Giovanni Allevi. On November 29th in Collinas, Pier Luigi Pulixi and Daniele Serra will present "L'estate delle comete azzurre," in dialogue with "Il ragazzo con la keffiyeh arancio."
The final two stages will conclude the literary festival in December: on the 5th in Gesturi, where Andrea Fulgheri will present "Sanatorium" with the reading "Arrogant Humanity. Classical Myths and Global Warming"; and on December 6th in Tuili, with the final day entirely dedicated to culture and literature.
The festival is promoted by the Union of Municipalities of Marmilla with the support of the Sardinia Region. It is organized in collaboration with the Altopiano della Giara Foundation and the Villanovafranca Foundation, with organizational coordination by the Association of Local Authorities for Cultural and Entertainment Activities and artistic direction by journalist and writer Giovanni Follesa.
