(June 21, 2017) “I have long been thinking about an award of ours, a prize that no one had ever imagined. The idea of a large and democratic jury that included all of our friends seemed to be good from every point of view; it confirmed the new acquisition of democracy”. So Maria Bellonci recounts the birth of the idea of creating a new literary prize from the group Amici della Domenica, which would contribute to the post-war Italy cultural revival. Premio Strega was announced on February 17, 1947 and, thanks to the patronage of Guido Alberti, was given the name of the liquor produced by the family business. Since then, Amici della Domenica, which today constitute an electoral body of four hundred people differently incorporated in Italian culture, gather each year to choose in two successive votes the winner: the first at the Bellonci home in June and the second at the Ninfeo of Villa Giulia, in Rome, in early July. This year Premio Strega has arrived at its 71st edition and is also ready to land in Spain. The five finalists of 2017 – Paolo Cognetti, Le otto montagne (Einaudi); Teresa Ciabatti, La più amata (Mondadori); Wanda Marasco, La compagnia delle anime finte (Neri Pozza); Alberto Rollo, Un’educazione milanese (Manni); Matteo Nucci, È giusto obbedire alla notte (Ponte alle Grazie) – will be presented on June 22 at 8PM at the Italian Institute of Culture in Madrid. The event is organized by IIC in Madrid and Fondazione Bellonci, in collaboration with Saras Energía. (Red)
