On the Trail of Franco Enna

A widespread festival in the heart of Sicily

On the Trail of Franco Enna is a widespread cultural regeneration festival taking place across the municipalities of Enna, Aidone, and Piazza Armerina, in the province of Enna, deep within the Sicilian hinterland. Promoted by the Bottega Culturale - Isole dell'entroterra siciliano cooperative, the project has received prestigious national recognition, having been funded by the Ministry of Culture as part of the 2026 Special Projects - Theatre programme, with the support of the management of the Archaeological Park of Morgantina and the Villa Romana del Casale.

Franco Enna, master of the Sicilian crime novel

The festival was created to mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of Franco Enna, the pseudonym of the celebrated crime novelist Francesco Cannarozzo. The event weaves together theatre, literature, performing arts, and the promotion of historical-archaeological heritage, putting Franco Enna's work in dialogue with that of great mystery authors such as Andrea Camilleri and Agatha Christie. The artistic direction is entrusted to Antonio Messina, an archaeologist and president of Bottega Culturale.

The 2026 programme

From June to December 2026, a rich calendar of events combines literary memory with sites of immense value. Key highlights include:

• 8-20 June - Theatre workshop "L'Inferno Confina Con Dio" (Hell Borders with God), at the Urban Center in Enna.
• 19 July, 8:30 PM - "Dialogues with Camilleri", at the Ancient Theatre of Morgantina, in Aidone.
• 25-29 August - Theatre workshop "Giallo d'Autore" (Author's Crime), between Enna and the Varisano Museum.
• 20 September - Literary walk as part of the Le Vie dei Tesori festival.
• 2 October - "Crime at the Museum", a site-specific performance inspired by Agatha Christie, with various locations and the presentation of a podcast dedicated to museum heritage.
• 29 October - 27 December - Photographic exhibition "riScatti di Enna".

Piazza Armerina and the Villa Romana del Casale

In Piazza Armerina, a jewel of Sicilian Baroque in the province of Enna, the festival finds an exceptional setting in the Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its extraordinary mosaics, and in Palazzo Trigona, now a museum. Here, literary walks and theatrical performances create an unprecedented dialogue between crime fiction and historical sites, involving the local community and new generations in a journey of rediscovering the territory.

A cultural regeneration project

More than just a festival, On the Trail of Franco Enna is a cultural regeneration experience aimed at enhancing the "islands" of the Sicilian hinterland, often far from major tourist circuits. Through theatre and literature, the festival restores centrality to Enna, Aidone, and Piazza Armerina, intertwining Sicily's archaeological heritage with contemporary creativity. All initiatives are free of charge.