«Il Libro Possibile is a hymn to beauty»: Rosella Santoro, artistic director of the festival between Polignano and Vieste, speaks

«Il Libro Possibile», a highly successful literary festival that has become one of the most anticipated cultural events of the summer, is back with its twenty-fourth edition. It will be held in Polignano a Mare from 9 to 12 July and in Vieste from 22 to 26 July, with more than two hundred and fifty events scheduled. There is also a big novelty: last March, in conjunction with the «London Book Fair», a London fair reserved for professionals in the sector, the Apulian festival was hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute in London with three evenings packed with events.

To begin with, talking about this successful experience, which sold out all three events, is Rosella Santoro, artistic director of the event.

How did it go in London?

«This London debut has allowed us to launch ourselves on the international publishing market, also thanks to the collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in London and with the support of the Puglia Region. During the three days in London we had a very interesting exchange made up of meetings, dialogues between Italian and international authors, publishers and institutions. It was a confirmation of the vitality of Libro Possibile, and of the ability of Italian culture to assert itself, creating bridges and future prospects. Our media corner hosted authors, publishers, journalists, librarians, creating a synergy that led to important collaborations, also with new publications in English. Some guests will participate in our edition of the two Puglia stages of Polignano and Vieste. The “Match POiNT Junior” competition was also established, sponsored by the Consulate General of Italy, in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute, the Italian school SIAL and the Book O'Clock book club. An initiative designed to stimulate the imagination, writing and artistic expression of children between 8 and 12 years old, through the theme “Have a good trip”. A real or imaginary journey, experienced or dreamed, told with words or colors, and with a prize for very young Italian writers who live in the United Kingdom. The award ceremony will be in October, again in London, as part of a commitment to enhancing the publishing scene in Puglia».

This summer's theme is "Viva la Vida": why this choice?

"It represents the deep breath of this edition. The inspiration is the famous song by Coldplay which in turn is inspired by the last powerful painting by Frida Kahlo, where life, despite the fatigue and pain, explodes with incredible power and strength. It is a hymn to beauty that resists despite everything, even in the darkest moments. We live in a time that, especially in these last days, is marked by a strong disorientation for the future: wars, climate crises, a strong global uncertainty. We felt the need to recall, thanks to culture, respect for life; culture becomes an exercise in resistance and freedom, so as not to give in to fear".

What's new this year at Libro Possibile?

"We will also allow the audience to be the protagonist of our Festival, in a fun but above all green way. Thanks to the collaboration with the Teatro a Pedali of Turin, there will be live screenings with zero impact, a space will be powered by an electric cogeneration system that will be operated by a series of bicycles connected to a storage system. Users will be able to pedal during the days of the Festival, contributing to the self-sustainability of the event. It is a system made up of eight bicycles and each bicycle, depending on the intensity of the pedaling, can produce about 150 watts, the equivalent of ten low-consumption light bulbs. Energy will thus be stored that will be used to power the electrical load of a space used for the event."