Crowded as always, the press conference of the 35th edition of the Book Fair put an end to a long period of controversy related to the succession of director Nicola Lagioia. He took care of closing the discussion on the appointment of Annalena Benini, not physically present but mentioned in all the speeches: «It was a period of turbulence, but we are used to it. We are happy that Annalena is the new director, whoever deals with books knows who she is, just as I think she knew who I was at the time. Anyone who reads knows who wins the Strega Prize. Indeed, the opposite happened to us, we happened to take the hair of a salon that had jumped into the void». Through the looking glass is the theme, Albania and Sardinia are the host country and region. The 2023 edition will be opened on Thursday 18 May by the inaugural lecture by the journalist and writer Svetlana Aleksievi, in collaboration with Bompiani.
With a round of applause for Picchioni at the Turin Book Fair, the era of Annalena Benini opens
«It will be a beautiful edition, one of the most beautiful ever». Lagioia said. The appointment is from 18 to 22 May at the Lingotto. «The Salone has been exemplary in the results achieved in recent years – she said – it has become one of the most important exhibitions in the world. If the salon is sometimes the subject of controversy, it is only for one reason, because it is a living and solid institution».
For the rest, a few rings and complete contents postponed to the reading of the paper program (which will be disclosed on April 13), with the names of the guests quickly parading on the screen behind the director in charge. From 18 to 22 May, there will be among the Italians Alessandro Baricco (who will be entrusted together with Stefano Bollani and Valentina Cenni with the opening at the Rai Auditorium, broadcast on Rai Radio 3), Dacia Maraini, Margherita Oggero, Francesco Piccolo, Domenico Starnone, Roberto Saviano. Among the internationals they stand out Emmanuel Carrere (nominee for the European Strega Prize with “V13”), one of the greatest contemporary British authors, Julian Barnes, lor Spanish Fernando Aramburuthe Basque Bernardo Atxaga, the Nigerian Nobel Prize Wole Soyinka, the 2018 Pulitzer Prize Andrew Sean Greer. Tony Wheeler, the man who founded Lonely Planet 50 years ago revolutionizing the way we travel, he will dialogue with Vinicio Capossela. Many cinematic faces on the calendar, from Carlo Verdone to Luc Dardenne, and Luigi Lo Cascio to Fausto Brizzi, Claudia Gerini, Luca Argentero, Chiara Francini, the Gialappa’s Band.
«It will be the biggest edition ever», concluded Lagioia. «It will develop vertically. The Pista 500 of the Pinacoteca Agnelli will be added, where meetings and presentations will be organised, for a total of 110,000 square meters of the fair».