Paraphrasing Corrado Alvaro, the journalist Luigi Stanizzi: The gravest despair that can seize cultural operators is the doubt that presenting books is completely useless
The film-novels based on the works of the great writer from San Luca published by the Cineteca della Calabria, curated by director Eugenio Attanasio
Evocative, on the shores of the Ionian Sea, at the prestigious Lido Levato in Cropani Marina, formerly Lido Campagna, in an atmosphere with a certain Alvaro-like quality, the presentation took place of the book curated by director Eugenio Attanasio "The Adventure of Cinema with Corrado Alvaro / Film-novels 1936/1950", published by the Cineteca della Calabria. The professional journalist Luigi Stanizzi, before a select, cultured and attentive audience, opened the event as follows: "For Corrado Alvaro 'the gravest despair that can seize a society is the doubt that living righteously is useless'; paraphrasing, I now tell you that the gravest despair that can seize cultural operators is the doubt that presenting books is completely useless." He added that the "Saverio Grande" municipal library of Cropani, strongly desired by Mayor Raffaele Mercurio but which still needs to grow with everyone's contribution, ideally moved for one evening to the sea of Cropani for this event dedicated to Alvaro, thanks to director Eugenio Attanasio "an attentive, historic cultural operator who has hypothesized a 'genus of the Middle Ionian', for many years a frequenter of Cropani, promoter of leading figures such as Alfonso Dolce, Concetta Basile, Antonello Stanizzi, Blessed Paolo D'Ambrosio, Father Remigio Lepera." Mayor Raffaele Mercurio, who also holds the Culture portfolio, took the opportunity to highlight all the activities promoted and supported by the municipal administration, among which - he announced - also the one that will be undertaken for the futurist Alfonso Dolce, whose works were published only thanks to the president of the Banca Centro Calabria Dr. Giuseppe Spagnuolo, Father Remigio Lepera, Prof. Mario Muccari and Luigi Stanizzi. The futurist comedies were staged in the show "Dolce Sintetico Show", which opened the theater season in Catanzaro, directed by Francesco Capitano, who today would like to restage the great show to also bring it to the Theater of Syracuse. Mercurio reiterated his utmost commitment to cultural activities, not only in the summer period, emphasizing that at the top of the priorities, compatibly with the large workload, is the presentation of books, culture in general, in collaboration with various associations. Moderator Luigi Stanizzi, recalling the valuable personalities who culturally enrich the Middle Ionian, brought as a tangible virtuous example the master sculptor Luigi Verrino, authoritatively present in the front row, extraordinary creator of the admirable bronze statue of Giuditta Levato placed in the main square of the nearby Sellia Marina, by the will of the far-sighted and pragmatic mayor Walter Placida. A work of great suggestion, of indescribable emotional power: it depicts that courageous woman, eight months pregnant, struck by a fatal gunshot during the occupation of the lands. A tragic and, at the same time, glorious story. Fallen for the land! An event masterfully summarized in a stele at the base of the monument by the esteemed Dr. Giuseppe Talarico, who never misses an opportunity to give his loving contribution to his land. Stanizzi gladly mentioned other numerous sculptural works by the tireless master Luigi Verrino in Sellia Marina itself (such as on the seafront) but, above all, in his native village, Zagarise, thanks to Mayor Domenico Gallelli, very sensitive to art and committed in every way to promoting the Presilano village, a bit decontextualized due to its distance from the Ionian Sea and the capital of Calabria, as well as for the not excellent road network, not to mention the almost non-existence of public transport. The artist Luigi Verrino, also honorary citizen and honorary president of the Pro Loco, will promote a major event, with the contribution of the most important politicians, to complete a road that quickly connects Zagarise to Catanzaro, for which so much public money has been invested so far, and which only needs one more effort to connect Zagarise to Catanzaro, a vital effort for this Presilano village. Dr. Domenico Levato then spoke, a doctor and intellectual who has devoted himself to culture for many years, a historic member of the Cineteca della Calabria, president of CinemaZaro, who retraced the work done by these associations over many years, up to the latest publication on Alvaro, the great writer from San Luca. Director Eugenio Attanasio, president of the Cineteca della Calabria, picking up on Levato's words, delivered from the height of his experience and culture a real lesson in cinema, starting from the literary works of Corrado Alvaro, which later became film-novels: in practice, films told in newspapers. But, inevitably as is his style, Attanasio's talk ranged over other personalities, from Francesco Misiano whom Alvaro went to visit in Moscow, to our own (we feel him so even if sometimes reluctant, and despite his rare appearances) Gianni Amelio, from Mary Pickford's Kiss to the inevitable Vittorio De Seta and Mother Princess Pignatelli. An erudite evening on the shores of the Ionian Sea, enriched by the debate with Prof. Adamo Valerio and by the content of the often-cited book by Paolo Apostoliti "Corrado Alvaro in the Narrative of the 20th Century" edited by Katia Cardamone. At the end of the cultural event, a note in memory of the unforgettable Franco Levato by his son Salvatore, originally from Cuturella di Cropani, who with his intelligence, foresight and generosity managed to carve a deep furrow of future work and entrepreneurship for his grateful children (and grandchildren), who always remember him fondly, even with a photo in all their successful business activities, with the collaboration of all family members. And it was precisely the Levato entrepreneurs who also wanted to place the plaque bearing these words: “To the Happy Memory of Antonello Stanizzi (1953-2017) Journalist – National Big of Advertising – First President of the Pro Loco – who deeply loved his native country and the Ionian Sea, promoting them incessantly with all means of information, never missing the August appointment for 40 years with his wife Meris Berti. With infinite gratitude. Pro Loco of Cropani – Order of Journalists. He, like Seneca, loved to say: ‘There is no favorable wind for the sailor who does not know where to go.’” Meanwhile, the activity of presenting books continues, with Alvaro, Misiano, De Seta, Gaudio, Father Remigio, Dolce, Serafino Schipani aka Seraschi, Basile, Pasolini, Repaci, D'Ambrosio, Gangale, Achille Curcio, Tommaso Lepera, Prestifilippo and many other authoritative authors, despite everything, with the certainty of doing something good and right. The evening ended with the announcement that tomorrow, Sunday, in Catanzaro Lido, there will be the sea procession of the traditional statue of the Madonna di Porto Salvo; master Luigi Verrino, who will participate in the procession on the boat, has created another beautiful large bronze statue: the Madonna di Porto Salvo, protector of sailors, kept in his workshop awaiting to be blessed by H.E. Mons. Claudio Maniago, Metropolitan Archbishop of Catanzaro-Squillace, and to be placed on a high column on the pier of the port of Catanzaro, in devotion to the seafaring people. On Sunday afternoon, the moving sea procession will end with the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Vicar General Monsignor Salvino Cognetti. Finally, moderator Luigi Stanizzi laconically said that sculptor Luigi Verrino already has a sculpture ready that will also be talked about by the New York Times, the whole world. Proof of the wealth of personalities that have always populated the Ionian area, from the beginning to the end of the entire coast of Calabria. And even San Luca, Alvaro's homeland, looks right at this mythical, beloved sea. Attanasio then handed a copy of the book on Alvaro to Mayor Mercurio, for the Cropani library.