Speakers

Jan Brokken, born in Leiden in 1949, is a Dutch writer. He has published novels, travel books, narrative essays and works of literary non-fiction. After beginning his career in journalism, he developed a body of work centered on places, individual lives, European history and cultural memory.

Maurizio de Giovanni was born in Naples in 1958. He is a novelist, screenwriter, playwright and television writer. He lives and works in Naples. His books have inspired the television series I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone, Il commissario Ricciardi and Mina Settembre. His most recent work is Figli - per i Bastardi di Pizzofalcone, published by Einaudi in 2026.

Nicola Gardini, born in 1965, is a writer, poet, essayist, Latinist, translator and painter. He teaches Italian and Comparative Literature at the University of Oxford. He has published novels, poetry collections, literary essays, autobiographical works and translations, while also pursuing a career in painting.

William Oldroyd is a British director and screenwriter. He has worked in theatre, opera and film. He was director-in-residence at the Young Vic in London and has collaborated with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Before directing feature films, he directed short films and stage productions, including contemporary adaptations of classic texts.

Yasmina Reza, born in Paris in 1959, is a playwright, novelist, screenwriter, director and actress. She is the author of plays, novels, short prose works, screenplays and works for cinema. Her best-known plays include Conversations après un enterrement, Art, L’homme du hasard, Trois versions de la vie, Une pièce espagnole, Le dieu du carnage and Bella figura.

Walter Siti was born in Modena in 1947 and lives in Milan. He is a writer, essayist, literary critic and television writer. He has taught at the universities of Pisa, Cosenza and L’Aquila. He was professor of Contemporary Italian Literature and edited the complete works of Pier Paolo Pasolini for Mondadori’s “I Meridiani” series.

Francesco Piccolo, born in Caserta in 1964, is a writer and screenwriter. He has published novels, short stories, and essays including Storie di primogeniti e figli unici, Momenti di trascurabile felicità, and Il desiderio di essere come tutti, winner of the Premio Strega in 2014.

Gianfranco Fini, born in Bologna in 1952, is an Italian politician. He served as secretary of the Movimento Sociale Italiano from 1987 to 1995 and later founded and led Alleanza Nazionale. He held government positions including Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Fausto Bertinotti, born in Milan in 1940, is an Italian politician, trade unionist, and essayist. After working within the CGIL trade union, he served as secretary of the Partito della Rifondazione Comunista from 1994 to 2006. He was Presidente della Camera dei Deputati from 2006 to 2008.

Chiara Gamberale, born in Rome in 1977, is a writer and radio and television host. She debuted with the novel Una vita sottile (1999), followed by books such as La zona cieca, Le luci nelle case degli altri, Per dieci minuti, and Qualcosa.