Sommersi - Crimini e misteri, più a fondo

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 recount the great judicial cases and unsolved 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 - Crimini e misteri, più a fondo" (Submerged - Crimes and mysteries, deeper). The idea is to dive beneath the surface of the news, to where unanswered questions, misdirections, and trial truths that don't always align with historical truths remain. Not an exhibition of the macabre, but an occasion for collective reflection on events that have marked the country's memory.

Magistrates, journalists, and writers on stage

The festival is guided 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 Italy's most discussed cases.

Three days of free events

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 through interviews or dialogues. 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 republican era
• The relationship between trial truth, journalistic reporting, and fiction
• Femicides and violence, narrated 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 focus, 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.