SPLF25: A Great Success!

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SPLF25: A Great Success!

Photo: Uphostudio

The San Patrizio Livorno Festival (SPLF) celebrated its 8th edition (5th in person) from March 17–23, 2025. It achieved its largest audience ever and, for the first time, expanded to three venues: Ex Cinema Aurora, Mondadori Bookstore Livorno, and Liceo Scientifico Francesco Cecioni.

The festival kicked off with a hybrid press conference at Comune di Livorno, emphasizing strong institutional support and the educational dimension central to this year’s events. Despite the absence of guests Paula Meehan and Theo Dorgan (who unfortunately had to cancel their participation at the last minute for personal reasons), the festival boasted an extraordinary lineup of cultural activities and acclaimed participants.

SPLF25 Festival Highlights

• Acclaimed author Catherine Dunne opened the festival at Mondadori Bookstore, gathering an enthusiastic audience of over 75 attendees.
• A deeply impactful session featured writer Katherine Mezzacappa, who presented her historical novel centered around Giulia Albizzi, sparking profound discussions on women’s historical struggles and contemporary resonances.
• An Italian premiere screening of “The Goad”, adapted by renowned photographer and filmmaker Paul Joyce from Beckett’s “Act Without Words II”, presented by Beckett expert Federico Platania.
• The festival introduced the Italo-Irish Artificial Intelligence Group (IIAIG) for the first time, engaging 120 students from Liceo Cecioni in a stimulating session exploring “AI and Creativity”.
• A lively staging of “Not/Non-Beckett”, directed by Claudio Monteleone and performed by Liceo Cecioni students.
• Writer William Wall captivated the audience with readings from his novel “Ti ricordi Mattie Lantry?”, delving into themes of memory, narrative, and personal histories.
• Music was a core part of SPLF25: an electrifying performance by Áine Duffy and the closing concert by acclaimed songwriter Ray Heffernan, who closed his show memorably with “Amhrán na bhFiann”.
• A special dialogue on identity and culture was held with young literary festival founder Elaide Garufi from Démadé Festival, followed by a dynamic panel discussion, “Irishnesses”, chaired by Catherine Dunne.
• Professor Matteo Meschiari, Palermo University, brought us through a journey of Seamus Heaney’s poetry landscapes, enriched by a beautiful two-voices rendition of “Blackberry Picking” from Áine Duffy and Ray Heffernan.

Record Attendance

SPLF25 attracted more than 700 participants across various venues and events, marking its most attended edition yet. This significant turnout underlines the growing impact and reach of the festival.

Christopher Lawlor Flash Fiction Contest

The 2025 edition featured an innovative approach, combining public voting, committee evaluation, and an experimental “AI coefficient”. Congratulations to the winners:

1. Aoibheann McCann – “A boy from Northern Ireland”
2. Barbara Omati – “Sapore d’Irlanda”
3. Gigliola Garzelli – “Jacques and the Bloody Tap Shoes Conspiracy”

The winning stories are published on Italish.eu.

Sponsors, Supporters, and Partners

Sponsors

• Il Frataio – Antica Friggitoria dal 1920
• Ex-Cinema Aurora
• i-EM – Energy Management Advanced Analytics
• ItalishMagazine – italish.eu
• Metadonors – IT non-profit Support
• THERM-is Bizzotto – Flat glass trade and processing
• Q-ROB Dublin

Supporters

• Culture Ireland
• Ambasciata d’Irlanda in Italia
• Provincia di Livorno
• Comune di Livorno
• Samuel Beckett Society
• Turismo Irlandese
• Onda Verde / Green Wave / Tonn Glas – Italo-Irish Connectivity Hub
• IIAIG – Italo-Irish Artificial Intelligence Group

Partners (Media, Culture, Services)

• Alfonso Scioli Design
• Associazione Guide Labroniche
• Centro Filippo Buonarroti
• Hotel Stazione Livorno
• I Leggendari
• Il Cervellone – Social Quiz
• MBM Stamperia Cartolibreria
• Mondadori Librerie Livorno
• Moran And Partners
• MorganaDesign
• RadioElettrica
• Uphostudio Fotografia

Acknowledgements and Thanks

SPLF25 was generously supported by Culture Ireland, the Irish Embassy in Italy, Provincia di Livorno, Comune di Livorno, and multiple dedicated sponsors and partners. Special thanks to all attendees, artists, educators, and supporters for contributing to this memorable edition.

We look forward to seeing you next year for another great celebration of Irish culture and creativity!