Marta Lamalfa is the winner of the 33rd edition of the Fiesole fiction prize under 40 with the novel «The island where females fly» (published by Neri Pozza).. A powerful debut novel, already among the highlights of the 36th edition of the Calvino Prize, for Marta, born in 1990, from Palmi, Calabriagraduated in Middle Eastern languages, musician and resident in Rome, where she works in the press office of a humanitarian organization.
Lamalfa, with his story set in Alicudi iin which the myth of the “flying women” lives again, a legend that belongs to the island’s imagination, which becomes a very strong metaphor for the search for freedom, won over the jury who chose her among the other finalists: Emanuele Aldrovandi with “The our great nothing”, published by Einaudi, and Francesca Diotallevi with “The Last Magician”, published by Neri Pozza. During the ceremony, which will be held on Saturday 16 November at 4pm at the Fiesole theater (Florence), three special awards will also be awarded which, as always, reward artists who have distinguished themselves for their ability to spread culture with a different perspective.
«The beauty in the Fiesole fiction under 40 Award – says the mayor of Fiesole Cristina Scaletti – lies in having always grasped the importance of cultural contamination as an element of growth and awareness of the community. This peculiarity of his is reflected, on the one hand, in his ability to identify the most talented emerging voices on the Italian literary scene and, on the other, in his profound versatility, with which he rewards contributing artists every year, each with their own language , to create culture.”
This year we wanted to create a link between literature, theater and music: the Lombardi-Tiezzi Company were also awarded with the video-art project «Le Vite di Vasari», and Angelo Foletto for the book «I planted many trees », published by Libreria Musicale Italiana. Finally, Cristiano Godano, voice of Marlene Kuntz and author of numerous books, the latest of which «The sound of anger» (published by Il Saggiatore) will also be in Fiesole.