During his residency, Group 1 Writing Fellow Mathias Énard found Civitella serving an unusual role: not only as a place to write, but as a base from which to engage with readers, students, festivals, and fellow writers across Italy. Throughout May, Mathias traveled from Umbria to Florence, Pistoia, Pescia, Turin, and Perugia for literary events connected to winning the Ceppo Lifetime Achievement Award, the Italian translation of his latest novel receiving the Gregor von Rezzori Prize, giving a talk and book signing at the Salone Internazionale del Libro and the Encuentro Literary Festival, and delivering a special presentation hosted by CaLibro Festival’s Il Fondino association.
Along the way, an extraordinary constellation of Civitella Fellows past, present, and future was revealed: Mercedes Cebrián (CRF 2009), Advisory Council member Michele Ciacciofera (CRF 2016), upcoming Fellow Isabella Hammad, jury member Maylis de Kerangal (CRF 2023), Samanta Schweblin (CRF 2011), Ersi Sotiropoulos (DG 2010), Fernanda Trías (CRF 2025).
Taken together, these encounters convey something fundamental about the Civitella experience. A residency may begin at the Castle, but its impact extends far beyond its walls through friendships and exchanges that continue to unfold across borders, languages, and generations.
On May 6th in Florence, Mathias was awarded the 70th Premio Ceppo Internazionale alla Carriera (Ceppo Lifetime Achievement Award), a major Italian literary award honoring authors who have made exceptional contributions to literature. The event highlighted the relationship between East and West in his work, a paradigm that is critical for Mathias and more relevant than ever in this crucial historical juncture of war and crisis.
Mathias then traveled to Pistoia on May 7th where he delivered a talk about the first twenty-five years of his career, from La perfezionamento del tiro to Malinconia dei confini. Nord. On May 8th in Pescia, Mathias then gave a lecture on “Pinocchio: from Cervantes to the Twentieth Century,” in conversation with writer and critic Alessandro Raveggi, a member of the Award’s jury. All the events were attended by high school students.
Calibro Festival, an internationally recognized literary festival, takes every fall in Città di Castello and is dedicated to highlighting vital African and Afro-descendant narratives. Unable to participate as originally planned, his residency at Civitella was the perfect time to finally collaborate with Il Fondino and present his new book Malinconia dei confini. Nord (below).
The Premio Gregor von Rezzori (Gregor von Rezzori Award) is a major international literary prize that recognizes the best work of foreign fiction published in Italy, as well as the best translation into Italian. The Italian translation of Malinconia dei confini. Nord by Yasmina Melaouah took home the 2026 prize. Mathias won for Best Foreign Fiction in 2017 for his novel, Compass. The 2026 Foreign Fiction Winner went to British-Palestinian author Isabella Hammad who will be in residence later this summer, for her novel Entra il fantasma (Enter Ghost) translated into Italian by Maurizia Balmell. Samanta Scweblin (CRF 2011) was a finalist in the category. Among the jurors for best foreign fiction was Maylys De Kerengal (CRF 2023). Isabella participated in a conversation with the rest of the finalists on May 8th.
Mathias was a featured guest at the 2026 Salone Internazionale del Libro in Turin, the largest book fair in Italy. He appeared on May 17th to discuss the Italian translation of Malinconia dei confini. Nord (below). Civitella Residency Director Diego stumbled upon Greek writer Ersi Sotiropoulos (DG 2010) at the fair.
The 13th edition of the Encuentro Literary Festival took place in and around Perugia, dedicated to Spanish-language literature and culture. Civitella was highly represented at the 2026 edition which featured three distinct conversations on May 22nd with Mathias, Mercedes Cebrian (CRF 2009), and Fernanda Trías (CRF 2025). The presence of Mercedes was the result of the collaboration with the University of Perugia and the Istituto Cervantes (Spanish Cultural Institute) in Rome.
Also on May 22nd, Advisory Council member and 2016 Fellow Michele Ciacciofera opened his new exhibition in Montone, Umbria. TERRA MADRE MADRE ACQUA is an installation centered on two fundamental archetypes of life: water and clay. Here, two primordial elements, intimately connected, become metaphors for the biological, natural, and human cycle, and the spiritual dimension intertwines with ecological reflection.
These engagements continue to reflect the international and perennial spirit of exchange that defines the Civitella community.
