Salemi, Sicily, Italy – The historic center of Salemi will pulse with literary and artistic energy from July 24 to July 27, 2025, as the Salìber Book Festival returns with a thought-provoking theme: the “Body.” This year’s event delves into the multifaceted human form—lived, violated, rebellious, and desired—across literature, visual arts, poetry, cinema, and performance.
The Salìber Book Festival in Salemi, Italy, from July 24-27, 2025, will explore the theme “Body” through a rich program of literary, artistic, and cinematic events.
- The festival in Salemi runs July 24-27, 2025, focusing on the theme “Body.”
- Tributes will honor writers Goliarda Sapienza, Giuliana Saladino, and Andrea Camilleri.
- Key events include poetry readings, talks on mental health and the body, and film screenings.
- The festival features an art exhibition, a literary prize, and a closing theater performance.
What is the central theme of the 2025 Salìber Book Festival in Salemi? The 2025 Salìber Book Festival in Salemi centers on the multifaceted concept of the “Body.”
Homage to Literary Giants
This year’s festival honors three titans of 20th-century Sicilian and Italian literature: Goliarda Sapienza, Giuliana Saladino, and Andrea Camilleri. Introductory readings will explore Sapienza’s fierce and rebellious writing. Giuliana Saladino will be celebrated on the centenary of her birth with readings from her “Civil novel,” reflecting on a friend’s dying moments and the meaning of freedom. Andrea Camilleri will be honored with a tribute to “Maruzza Musume,” a novel exploring myth, metamorphosis, and the transformation of the body and identity.
Poetry, Narrative, and Visual Exploration
Anticipated highlights include the presentation of Alessandra Carnaroli’s new poetry collection, “do not touch the fruit in supermarkets, however, the asses in the subway,” on Thursday, July 24, at 6 p.m. in the Norman Castle courtyard. Carnaroli will be joined by poet Marilena Lucrezio for a discussion on the female body, gender-based violence, and bodies scarred by war, moderated by Angelo Di Carlo.
On Friday, July 25, at 6 p.m., the Cloister of Sant’Agostino will host a dialogue on “mental health and body,” featuring Alcide Pierantozzi’s “The sbilic” and Nikolai Pretia’s “The consciousness of the plants.” Artistic director Filippo Triolo will moderate. Journalist and essayist Roberta Scorranese will present her new book, “Fluid. Mutable and unstable bodies in art,” on Saturday, July 26, at 6 p.m., exploring the body’s visual and symbolic narrative across eras.
Art Exhibition and Queer Cinema Debut
The festival kicks off on Thursday, July 24, at 4:30 p.m. with the inauguration of “CorpoVivo,” an art exhibition exploring the body’s diverse facets. The exhibition, housed within the castle, features works by Lorena Amodeo, Leonardo Cumbo, Riccardo D’Avola Corte, Claudia Di Gangi, Juan Esperanza, Andrea Pagliuca, Elena Perino, Laura Radaelli, and Giuseppe Sabina, showcasing a range of artistic languages from figurative to abstract, photography to video.
A new addition this year is a focus on cinema, paying tribute to Pier Paolo Pasolini. The partnership with the Sicilia Queer Film Festival will feature a talk titled “Cinema-body. A land of desire” at 7 p.m. on July 24 within the castle. Letizia Granata and Marco Grifò will discuss queer cinema’s role in exploring desires and challenging societal norms. Later, at 9:30 p.m. in the Arci Peppino Impastato Club courtyard, a restored version of Pasolini’s 1968 film “Theorem” will be screened, with Granata and Grifò introducing and discussing the film.
Literary Prizes and Young Voices
The Halyciae Literary Prize – City of Salemi, recognizing outstanding stories from young writers, is a central event. On Friday, July 25, at 7 p.m., the five finalists under 27 will present their works, collected in the anthology “Young fragiles,” at the Cloister of Sant’Agostino, followed by the winner’s announcement. The following day, July 26, at 7 p.m., also at the cloister, winners from secondary school categories will be honored, receiving awards crafted by a local ceramic artisan.
Dawn Theater and a Journey into the Earth
The festival concludes on Sunday, July 27, at 5 a.m., with a powerful performance of “In the belly,” written by Antonio Mocciola and starring Salvo Lupo at the Carmine Theater. The monologue tells the story of Sebastiano, a young sulfur miner in early 20th-century Sicily, who searches for his mother, lost in the 1908 Messina earthquake. His journey into the earth transforms body and pain into a dreamlike exploration of a forgotten yet still relevant era.
Yoga, Childhood, and the Festival’s Vision
On Saturday, July 26, at 9 a.m., Icelandic artist Asta Sigurdardotir will lead a “Yoga&Poetry” session. The festival also dedicates time to younger audiences with a children’s workshop on July 25 at 10:30 a.m. in the municipal library. These events are free, with reservations recommended.
Salìber Fest is more than just a series of events; it’s described as a “collective laboratory of territorial narrative,” aiming to illuminate overlooked aspects of Sicily. By bringing together artists, intellectuals, and citizens, the festival engages with the potential and challenges of its local context. The deliberate choice of the “Body” theme underscores a commitment to recentering aspects of human experience—sensitivity, effort, and presence—often marginalized in contemporary life, recognizing the body’s crucial role in any form of revolution or change.
