Manlio Castagna

A writer, screenwriter, and director, he organized the Giffoni Children's Film Festival for over twenty years, serving as its deputy artistic director from 2007 to 2018. After writing and directing award-winning short films, documentaries, web series, music videos, and animation, he debuted in children's literature with the bestselling saga "Petrademone" (Mondadori), which has been translated into several languages. His numerous other publications include two young adult horror films for Piemme, "Le belve" and "Goodwill," and the 2021 Strega Prize nominee "La notte delle malombre" (Mondadori). His first feature film as a screenwriter and director, produced by Rai Cinema and One More Pictures, "Il viaggio degli eroi," was recently released. He teaches a course on genre writing (horror, fantasy, and sci-fi) at the Scuola Holden.

The Middle Ages from A to Zazzera - The Beaver