Sommersi - Crimes and Mysteries, Deeper
The festival that tells the great judicial cases and unresolved mysteries of Italy
About Sommersi
A festival to understand true crime, not to sensationalize it
Sommersi is the festival of crimes and mysteries in Grottammare, in the province of Ascoli Piceno (Marche), held annually in Piazza Kursaal, in the heart of the town's seaside area. Founded in 2025 by the cultural association Marasma APS, the festival aims to tell the stories of great judicial cases and unresolved mysteries of contemporary Italy with a rigorous approach, far from the voyeurism that often accompanies the narration of crime.
The title says a lot: "Sommersi - Crimes and Mysteries, Deeper". The idea is to dive beneath the surface of the news, to where the unanswered questions, the misdirections, the procedural truths, and the historical truths that do not always coincide remain. Not an exhibition of the macabre, but an opportunity for collective reflection on events that have marked the country's memory.
Magistrates, journalists, and writers on stage
The festival is led by two highly competent scientific directors: Daniele Piccione, a lawyer and parliamentary advisor with experience in Senate investigative commissions, and Roberto Taddeo, a lawyer, series editor, and scholar of events like the Monster of Florence. Alongside them, magistrates, investigative journalists, writers, and podcasters take the stage, engaging with the public on the most discussed cases in Italian news.
Three days of free meetings
The format includes two events per day, one in the late afternoon (6:30 PM) and one in the evening (9:30 PM), each dedicated to a specific case or theme, addressed in the form of an interview or dialogue. All events are free admission, with reservations recommended, and take place outdoors in Piazza Kursaal.
- Famous judicial cases and still-open cold cases
- The great mysteries of the Italian Republic's history
- The relationship between procedural truth, journalistic reporting, and fiction
- Femicides and violence, told responsibly
An event of the Grottammare summer
Sommersi is now an integral part of Grottammare's rich summer program, one of the most beloved villages on the Riviera delle Palme. The festival enriches the municipality's cultural offerings with an original approach, capable of attracting true crime enthusiasts and the curious from all over the Marche region and beyond, combining the quality of the guests with the evocative setting of the Piceno coastline.
Sommersi — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Sommersi confirms the winning format of the first edition: six events spread over three days, in Piazza Kursaal in Grottammare, under the scientific direction of Daniele Piccione and Roberto Taddeo. The program ranges from major past true crime cases to more current events, with particular attention to the relationship between procedural truth, journalistic reporting, and media representation.
Among this year's distinguished guests are the writer and magistrate Giancarlo De Cataldo, the historian Miguel Gotor, and the journalist Stefania Limiti. All events are free admission, with reservations recommended on Eventbrite through the organizing association Marasma APS, in collaboration with the City of Grottammare.
Programme Sommersi 2026
Friday, June 12, 2026
- 6:30 PM — "From the Correggio soap maker to the Foligno monster" with Matteo Curtoni, Elisabetta Montanari, and Maura Parolini, in dialogue with Roberto Taddeo
- 9:30 PM — Interview with Giancarlo De Cataldo: "Criminal facts in court and in fiction", in dialogue with Daniele Piccione
Saturday, June 13, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Miguel Gotor: "The mysteries of the murder of Piersanti Mattarella", in dialogue with Daniele Piccione and Lorenzo Rossi
- 9:30 PM — Gianluca Zanella: "The Garlasco case", in dialogue with Roberto Taddeo
Sunday, June 14, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Stefania Limiti and Marco Foschi: "Aldo Moro, between historical truth and representation", in dialogue with Daniele Piccione
- 9:30 PM — Edoardo Orlandi: "The femicides of Giulia Tramontano and Giulia Cecchettin", in dialogue with Tiffany Vecchietti
Full program and reservations on the official website and Eventbrite page of the Marasma association.
Highlights Sommersi 2026
Prices Sommersi 2026
Practical information — Sommersi
Where
Piazza Kursaal, Grottammare (AP), in the seaside area a short walk from the promenade. Postal Code 63066.
How to get there
By train: Grottammare station on the Adriatic line, a short walk from the square. By car: Grottammare exit of the A14 motorway, then follow signs for the center/promenade.
Admission
All events are free. Reservations are recommended via Eventbrite (Marasma association page). Places in the square are limited.
When
Events take place in two time slots: at 6:30 PM and 9:30 PM.
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Where does it take place — Sommersi
Piazza Kursaal
Piazza Kursaal, 63066 Grottammare