Year after year, it is always a pleasant and exciting achievement to annouce a new edition. Moak Cultura’s first born project Caffè Letterario turns sixteen and is enriched with stories, short-stories and new talents. Moak not only dignifies coffee by publishing “Stories about coffee” (the anthology collecting the best stories chosen by the panel) after each edition, but also pays homage to a famous writer, in order to keep memory of him or her. The 2017 edition dedicates its silhouette, icon and communication vehicle of the contest, to Charles Baudelaire, the greatest and most innovative French writer of the 19th century, who is considered Master of Symbolism and “damned poet”, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his death. The illustration of for[me]moak also refers to Le Fleurs du mal, for which the poet was prosecuted for offences to religion and public decency, but which represents one of the masterpieces of the history of world literature. The very high attendance for the 16th edition (highest number ever) confirms that young people as well as established Italian authors are getting more and more passioned about writing, but also that the project promoted by Moak is gaining prestige. Every year, a panel of experts is carefully selected, in order to evaluate the works featuring a mix of coffee and ink scent. This year, the panel will be presided over by Andrea Vitali, a doctor with passion for writing.
In 1989, he debuted within his novel Il procuratore. In 2006, Andrea is awarded with the Premio Bancarella with La figlia del podestà, and in 2009 with the Premio Campiello literary prize. This same year, he was is the finals for the Strega Prize (with Almeno il cappello). In 2008, he won the Boccaccio literary prize for his opera omnia, and in 2015 the De Sica prize. Andrea is joined by Guido Conti, who already took part in the previous editions. After the international success of “Il volo felice della cicogna Nilou” (The happy flight of Nilou the stork) (Rizzoli 2014) translated Greece, Spain and South Corea, he recently has proven himself to be a valuable guide for those who want to approach writing. His first volume was “La scuola del racconto” published as supplementary with Il Corriere della Sera, while the handbook “Imparare a scrivere con i grandi” (Rizzoli 2016) was recently published. A further renowned member of the panel will be poet Davide Rondoni, founder and manager of the Centre for Contemporary Poetry at the University of Bologna. He is the artistic director of the Dante 09 Festival in Ravenna and his works have been published in the most important anthologies of Italian poetry of the late 20th century published by Mondadori and Rizzoli. Davide also used to be consultant of the Italian state broadcaster Rai for fiction. He is columnist for Avvenire and Il Tempo.
Nadia Terranova is the only Sicilian member of the panel. She cooperates with various newspapers, including Il Sole 24 Ore, Internazionale and Il Foglio, and teaches at the Scuola del Libro in Rome. Nadia published several tween books, such as Caro diario ti scrivo… (Letters to my diary) (Sonda, 2011, recommended for the Elsa Morante Ragazzi prize, winner of the Mariele Ventre prize). Her debut novel Gli anni al contrario, published in January 2015, was awarded with numerous and important prizes.
Over the last few years, a bookseller has been included in the panel as well. This year, it is going to be Luca Nicolini. 21 years ago, he originated the Festivaletteratura of Mantova, the most renowned Italian cultural festival, among the most important ones of Europe. Winners will be announced by the panel during the prize-giving evening on November 18th, hosted once again by Betty Senatore, Voice of Radio capital.
www.caffe-letterario.it
