FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the Ostana Prize
The “Ostana Prize: Writings in Mother Tongue” is a festival dedicated to the “mother tongues” (minority, indigenous languages, languages without a state) and their artistic expression (music, literature, cinema), organised and promoted by Chambra d’Òc with the support of the Ostana municipality and the Piedmont Region. The Ostana Prize was born to defend and promote linguistic and cultural diversity throughout the world.
In its 13 editions, the Prize has given voice to 44 authors from all five continents, with the desire to know and make known writers, filmmakers, musicians from different parts of the planet, has become a formidable opportunity to meet and exchange experiences for dozens of authors who in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and in Oceania illustrate and make the language of their community alive with their creative work.
Where does it take place?
It takes place in the tiny village of Ostana, in the Po Valley, in the province of Cuneo, Italy. The festival is held in the Miribrart neighbourhood, in front of the majestic Monviso peak.
When does it happen?
It happens every year in June. This year it takes place from the 24th to the 26th of June.
Who are the awardees of this year’s edition?
The Ostana Prizes of this year are: Diego Marani, Language-game Europanto – Special Prize; Franco Nagore Laín, Aragonese language (Spain) – International Prize Rosalba Perini, Friulian language – Italian Historic Minorities Prize; Bhuchung D. Sonam, Tibetan language (Nepal) – Youth Prize; Stefania Maria Ciminelli, Catalan language (Spain) – Translation Prize; Paulina Kamakine, Occitan language (France) – Occitan Language Prize; Marine Lavigne, Breton language (France) – Music Prize; Fredo Valla, Occitan language (Italy) – Cinema Prize.
You can find the awardees of previous years here: http://www.chambradoc.it/premioOstana-ScrittureInLinguaMadre.page
What happens during the days of the Ostana Prize?
You can find all the details on the programme of the 2022 Ostana Prize (link?). The days of the Prize are full with debates, meetings, streamings and artistic collaborations that emerge in loco.
The first evening is usually dedicated to welcoming the participants and a salutation from the organisers and authorities. The Ostana Prize is actually a real Prize, and so awards are being given to significant personalities that have worked to defend their mother tongues. On Friday evening there is usually the introduction of one of the awardees and their work, for example the Cinema Prize.
Saturday is the day where debates with the awarded authors and their tutors takes place, so that they can bring to the public their reflections and ideas from their minority language and their own work. The authors and the public meet and are incontact with each other not only during the talks and sessions, but also informally.
In the evening, the Occitan local culture becomes alive and sparkly with improvised musical performances and lots of dancing, and then we have dinner together ‘in convivéncia’ (the art of being together in harmony).
Sunday is the day when the award ceremony takes place, and other artistic performances as well. In this year’s edition, Sunday is full with new beautiful activites that are not to be missed!
How can I get to Ostana?
If you are coming from European countries, we suggest you take a flight with destination Torino-Caselle. There are plenty of Ryanair and Vueling cheap flights from the main European capitals.
From Torino Caselle, you can take a bus in order to get to the Torino Porta Nuova station. Then, you must take the train direction Savona/Fossano/Cuneo and get down at the Savigliano station. Once you get there, we will give you indications on how to get to Ostana, via a minibus or other means of transportation.
Where can I sleep?
At Ostana and in the nearby villages (Paesana, etc.) there are many hosting capacities that will host people who attend the Ostana Prize.
How can I follow the Prize?
The Ostana Prize will have no online content for the present 2022 edition, so there will be no streaming.
However, we will let you know the important things happening on-site on our social networks, and you can follow us and interact with us onfacebook (https://www.facebook.com/premiostana/), twitter (https://twitter.com/OstanaIn) e instagram (https://www.instagram.com/premioostana/).