Bancarella Award 72nd edition

The Bancarella Prize in Pontremoli was born from the tradition of the Pontremolese booksellers of upper Lunigiana, a land of great emigration, which sees generations and generations of itinerant booksellers leaving from the towns of Montereggio, Parana, Pozzo, Mulazzo, Busatica , Filattiera and Bratto.

Booksellers led a life of sacrifice, which however often guaranteed commercial and economic results and cultural consensus. Consider that numerous open bookshops in northern and central Italy, but also abroad, are still managed by Lunigiana emigrants .

Historically, the booksellers met in spring, at the Cisa Pass , on the ancient itinerary of the Via Francigena. In fact, the assignment of the areas where to go to sell took place in the green meadows of the Apennines to exchange valuable information and avoid competition. In addition to almanacs, useful for punctuating life in the fields, booksellers in the nineteenth century purchased popular books such as "The Three Musketeers", "L'Orlando Furioso", Manzoni's Tragedies and even Boccaccio. And with the basket full of books and various goods they headed for the countryside of northern Italy.

It was precisely from the awareness and importance of this tradition that the first gathering of Pontremolese booksellers originated, in August 1952 in Mulazzo, who made a solemn oath to meet every year. Thus was born the Bancarella Prize, the only literary prize managed exclusively by booksellers.

Today in Pontremoli, every summer in July, the Premio Bancarella takes place. The winner is announced in Piazza della Repubblica, at the foot of the medieval tower of Cacciaguerra , a symbol of peace, just as a good book should be.