Attraverso Festival — Mario Tozzi «50 Shades of Sapiens»

A night of science in the heart of Monferrato

In the town of San Cristoforo, in the Province of Alessandria, the Attraverso Festival presents one of its most anticipated events: the lecture-show by Mario Tozzi, titled «50 Shades of Sapiens». The setting is the evocative Parco del Castello, along Via Macallè, one of those intimate spots in the Piedmontese Apennines that the festival loves to transform into an open-air stage.

Who is Mario Tozzi

A geologist with a degree in Geological Sciences from La Sapienza University in Rome and a senior researcher at the National Research Council, Mario Tozzi is one of Italy's most recognizable faces in science communication. Known for hosting television programs such as Terzo pianeta and La Gaia Scienza on LA7, he is a master at explaining complex scientific topics with direct and engaging language.

«50 Shades of Sapiens»

In this show, Tozzi takes the audience on a journey into the identity of our species, Homo sapiens: where we come from, how we evolved, and the many facets—the "shades"—that make us who we are. It is a story that weaves together geology, natural history, evolution, and a healthy dose of irony, perfectly in line with the guiding theme of the festival's 2026 edition: #pop, representing culture that transcends genres and is accessible to everyone.

Attraverso Festival, a widespread cultural project

The San Cristoforo event is one of over forty stops on the Attraverso Festival tour, a series that every summer brings life to the villages, castles, and viewpoints of the Langhe, Roero, Monferrato, and Piedmontese Apennines—territories included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Spanning the provinces of Asti, Alessandria, and Cuneo, the festival blends theater, music, literature, philosophy, and science into one grand cultural journey.

A note on the venue

The show was originally scheduled for the Capanne di Marcarolo Natural Park in Bosio and was subsequently moved to the Parco del Castello in San Cristoforo. Tickets purchased in advance for the previous location remain valid for the new date. It is worth arriving a little early to enjoy the park's atmosphere at sunset before the evening begins.