It is a thematic edition of great topicality and impact that of MystFest 2025, in Cattolica from 23 to 29 June. Investigations on violence is the central focus of the festival, which brings to the fore the dramatic reality of violence against women, analysed through the lens of the news, the role of the media, and the fundamental importance of sentimental education. An intense week of stories, podcasts, literature, music, and cinema that will have as guests the main protagonists of the world of detective stories and more, and as partners OnePodcast, the Fondazione Una Nessuna Centomila, the Fondazione emiliano romagnola per le vittime di reato, Mondo Donna onlus, and the Observatory on Legality of the Province of Rimini.

PODCAST

Once again the spotlight will be on the world of podcasts with the renewed partnership of OnePodcast. Among the guest podcasters will be Antonio Cristiano, author among others of Erika&Omar - Senza un perchè, and Flavia Piccinni and Carmine Gazzanni, who with Sarah, a murder investigation, recounted the Avetrana crime with unpublished documents and exclusive testimonies. The three podcasters will be the protagonists of an evening, on Wednesday 25 June at the Snaporaz Hall (starting at 9 pm), which will explore the theme of media trials, with the participation of journalist and writer Massimo Lugli, for forty years special crime correspondent for La Repubblica and author of the podcast Nera together with Antonio Iovane, and Giovanni Boccia Artieri, full professor of sociology of communication and digital media at the University of Urbino Carlo Bo. With the collaboration of the Legality Observatory of the Province of Rimini.

SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE SQUARE

A podcast that has conquered the top of the charts and millions of listeners will be at the centre of the talk scheduled for Saturday 28 June at 9 p.m. in the festival's main arena: it is Narciso, the Chora Media podcast written by Selvaggia Lucarelli, which recounts the shocking feminicide of Giulia Ballestri, which took place in "fine" Ravenna. The author will talk with Carlo Lucarelli, in the dual role of noir writer and president of the Emilia-Romagna Foundation for Victims of Crime, and with Celeste Costantino, vice-president of the Fondazione Una Nessuna Centomila, an institution committed to preventing and combating violence against women. The evening of Thursday 26 June will also be dedicated to this central theme, with several guests reflecting on a phenomenon that has deep cultural roots on the stage in Piazza 1 May. Among others, there will be the Emilia-Romagna Foundation for Victims of Crime - represented by its president Carlo Lucarelli and director Elena Zaccherini - which, among its numerous activities and initiatives, has produced a podcast entitled A fari spenti (Headlights off), which narrates four news events that occurred in Emilia-Romagna. Painful events recounted from the day after the tragedy, once the spotlights of the news had been turned off. Together with them, psychopedagogist Stefano Rossi and writer Maria Elisa Aloisi. The meeting is drawn live by the illustrator and cartoonist Alessandro Baronciani. The evening is in collaboration with Mondo Donna onlus. In the search for possible solutions to a drama that is repeated on a daily basis, on Friday 27 June Gianrico Carofiglio will stage the performance Il potere della gentilezza in jazz, an oration on the importance and necessity of practising kindness, on the power of doubt, of the ability to ask (and ask oneself) good questions to face the challenges of modernity. Accompanying him will be saxophonist and composer Piero Delle Monache.

WHEN THE WORLD SLEEPS. WAITING FOR DAWN WITH PABLO TRINCIA

Closing the long week of MystFest will be on Sunday 29 June Pablo Trincia, a dawn appointment on the beach where the author of hugely successful podcasts such as Veleno, Il dito di Dio - Voci dalla Concordia, Dove nessuno guarda - Il caso Elisa Claps, Sangue loro - Il ragazzo mandato a uccidere, E poi il silenzio - il disastro di Rigopiano, will accompany the sunrise with his unique way of telling stories. The story chosen this time by Trincia is from the book by Francesca Albanese Quando il mondo dorme. Stories, words and wounds of Palestine, between information, reflection, emotions and intimate events.

BOOKS

As always, a large space is dedicated to literature. Gialli sotto l'ombrellone (Yellows under the beach umbrella) will be back during the festival, with two afternoons dedicated to children with Cristian Galli and Stefano Tartarotti (Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 June at 5 pm, Altamarea Beach Village) and a special appointment with Carlo Lucarelli, Gabriella Genisi and Barbara Perna, authors who are also on the Gran Giallo Award jury and who will present their latest works to the festival audience (Friday 27 June, bathing establishments 70/71 Oasis). Gialli in giardino will instead feature Maria Elisa Aloisi, Paola Darò, Elisa Bertini (Thursday 26 June, 6 pm, Il giardino di Gulliver bookshop). Franco Forte will moderate.

DEEP BLACK. THE EXHIBITION OF LEONARDO CEMAK

Once again this year the festival is accompanied by art and, after the exhibition dedicated in 2024 to Andrea Pazienza, from 17 June the Galleria Santa Croce will host Profondo Nero (Deep Black), a journey through the works of Leonardo Cemak, some twenty paintings and drawings, which of the deep black - this is the name of the colour Cemak often uses - have appropriated in an egregious manner. An ironic and iconic reference to the well-known horror film that refers to the MystFest's universe of reference. In addition to being present at the inauguration, the Maestro will also be the protagonist of a talk in Piazza 1° Maggio together with Alessandro Baronciani on Friday 27 June at 9 pm.

CINEMA

The programme of Visioni Notturne, the film festival at Salone Snaporaz, is not to be missed. This year's edition opens with a tribute to the genius of David Lynch (Monday 23 June at 9 pm), the director who passed away last January, with the screening of Eraserhead - The Erasing Mind (USA, 1977) and Blue Velvet (USA, 1986). Introduction by Anton Giulio Mancino. Throughout the week, Visioni Notturne will propose cult noir and horror films of the past and contemporary.

MASTERCLASS

Space will also be given to training with the masterclass Il mestiere dell'agente: come funziona un'agenzia letteraria (The agent's job: how a literary agency works) organised by Piergiorgio Nicolazzini Literary Agency scheduled for Thursday 26 and Friday 27 June from 10 a.m. at the Centro Culturale Polivalente (participation is free subject to availability).

CITY OF CATTOLICA GRAND GIALLO PRIZE

As always, MystFest is also a literary competition organised in collaboration with Il Giallo Mondadori and on the afternoon of Saturday 28 June (6pm, Il giardino di Gulliver bookshop) there will be the award ceremony for the winner of the 52nd Premio Gran Giallo città di Cattolica, chosen by the jury consisting of Gabriella Genisi, Barbara Perna, Piergiorgio Nicolazzini, Barbara Baraldi, Massimo Carlotto, Carlo Lucarelli, as well as Franco Forte, editor of Il Giallo Mondadori and Simonetta Salvetti, festival director.

GUIDED TOURS

Also on the programme are two guided tours, I misteri della Regina (Wednesday 25 and Friday 27 June at 9 pm, Museo della Regina), between the historical centre and the Paparoni Gallery, and I misteri del cacao e le antiche civiltà (Friday 27 June at 5 and 8 pm, Museo del cioccolato - Staccoli pasticceria).

The 2025 MystFest image is by Lorenzo Mattotti with graphic design by Alessandro Baronciani.

MystFest is organised by the Municipality of Cattolica, has the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and the support of the Emilia-Romagna Region.

All events are free admission.

telephone: 0541966778 e-mail: info@mystfest.com

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