Premio Strega 2025: Inspired Lunacy, Madhouses, Genetics, and Trauma

Mental Health in Contemporary Italian Literature

Abstract

This report outlines the history and cultural role of the Premio Strega, founded in 1947 by Maria and Goffredo Bellonci and sponsored by Guido Alberti, and highlights its evolution from the original Amici della domenica jury to a broader voting body that includes literary circles, schools, and cultural institutions. It situates the prize within Italy’s literary canon by noting past laureates and reports on the 2025 edition, won by Andrea Bajani for L’anniversario (also recipient of the Premio Strega Giovani). Focusing on the 2025 shortlist, the report examines the striking prominence of mental health as a shared theme across several competing novels, interpreting this visibility as a sign of growing public interest in discussing mental health beyond strictly medical contexts despite persistent stigma in Italy. Following a brief contextual overview of mental health in Italy, the analysis traces key motifs and approaches across the shortlisted works, concentrating on those novels in which mental health is central.