SeleTeatroFest

Four days of international theatre in Oliveto Citra

SeleTeatroFest is the international theatre festival that brings Oliveto Citra to life every year in early September. Located in the Upper Sele Valley in the province of Salerno, Campania, the heart of the event is the «Sandro Rufolo» Municipal EcoTeatro, a venue on Via Sandro Pertini that hosts companies from across Italy and various European and non-European countries for four consecutive nights.

This is not a generalist festival. For years, the artistic direction, led by Antonio Caponigro, has focused on research-based theatre and civic engagement, addressing themes of social justice, memory, the environment, identity, and human rights. These stories are told through contemporary and often non-verbal languages, breaking down language barriers and making the performances accessible even to those who do not speak the company's native tongue.

The theatrical section of the Premio Sele d'Oro Mezzogiorno

SeleTeatroFest does not stand alone: it is a key section of the Premio Sele d'Oro Mezzogiorno, a historic event organized by the Ente Premio Sele d'Oro Odv in partnership with the Municipality of Oliveto Citra. For over forty years, this event has provided a space for in-depth discussion on the development of Southern Italy, its inland areas, and the most significant experiences of civic, social, and economic growth. Alongside the theatre, the festival's program includes the BiblioCafè with author meetings, SmartCafè and Seledoro Talks dedicated to major current issues, SudShortFilms, the Mediterranei section, the SeledoroTelling narratives, and a final awards evening with musical guests.

A program built through an open international call

Each edition is curated through an international call open to professional and amateur companies, both Italian and foreign, presenting works written or published after January 1, 1970. Selected groups receive a contribution towards expenses and full-board accommodation at partner facilities for the duration of the festival—a formula that allows artists to stay in the town, meet one another, attend other performances, and participate in public discussions.

The result is a unique theatrical geography for a small town in the Salerno hinterland. Over the years, the EcoTeatro stage has hosted groups from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Poland, Switzerland, Morocco, Iran, and South Korea, alongside Italian companies from Milan, Rome, Bari, and across the South. The organizational coordination is managed by the cultural association Teatro dei Dioscuri, with the patronage of UILT Campania and Agita.

Juries, awards, and audience voting

The performances are evaluated by an international jury and a UILT jury that awards prizes for directing and acting. However, part of the verdict is entrusted to the audience vote, with spectators expressing their preferences at the end of each evening. This mechanism combines the competitive dimension of the festival with a direct connection to the local community, many of whom have been following the festival for decades.

Workshops, youth, and European projects

Alongside the evening program, SeleTeatroFest hosts workshops, artistic residencies, and intercultural exchange projects. In 2025, for example, the Erasmus+ Diversart project brought forty young people from Italy, Latvia, Estonia, and Slovakia to Oliveto Citra for a non-verbal theatre course inspired by Michael Ende's «The Night of the Wishes». It is a constant feature of the event: fostering dialogue between emerging companies and established groups, using theatre as a tool to bridge different generations and cultures.

Oliveto Citra, the village hosting the festival

Overlooking the Sele River valley and dominated by the ruins of its castle, Oliveto Citra is part of the Sele-Tanagro district, just a few kilometres from the thermal baths of Contursi and not far from the gateway to the Cilento region. During the festival, the town changes its rhythm: in addition to the theatre, unconventional performance spaces and public areas in the town centre are utilized, making the festival the most anticipated cultural event of late summer in this part of the province of Salerno.