My book Che farai al termine della notte?, with translations into Italian from the original in Maltese (Klin u Kapriċċi Oħra, Klabb Kotba Maltin, 2015) by Virginia Monteforte and published by Edizioni Mesogea Culture Mediterranee (2024), has won the Premio Internazionale Rainer Maria Rilke 2024 which is awarded by the town of Duino Aurisina. 175 books were submitted for this prize and the shortlist included 11 books.
The National Book Council (Malta) supported the translation of Klin u Kapriċċi Oħra into Italian.
The prize-giving ceremony on Saturday 23 November 2024 was held in the Castle of Duino in the town of Duino Aurisina which is close to the amazing (literary) city that is Trieste. One hundred years ago, the Prague poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote his “Duino Elegies” (“Duineser Elegien”) in the Castle of Duino. Last year’s winner of the prize was Michele Obit with his collection “La balena e le foglie” (qudulibri).
The jury was chaired by the poet and trade unionist Christian SINICCO and included the poet and academic Elisa DONZELLI (Scuola Normale Superiore), Sergia ADAMO (Università degli Studi di Trieste), Elisabeth FALLER (Scrittori Carinziani – Austria), Christian (poet ), Tatjana ROJC (writer, literary critic and senator), and Mary Barbara TOLUSSO (poet and novelist).
This is the jury’s motivation, written by Prof. Sergia Adamo, who teaches theory of literature at the University of Trieste:
Il lavoro di lima sui singoli particolari e sulle loro connessioni in Che farai al termine della notte? appartiene sia alla scrittura, sia a ciò che la scrittura contiene, una necessità di recupero del singolare, della cura per il dettaglio, della relazione impensata ma necessaria. Niente è superfluo o causale: la poesia di Grima ci parla di questo e ci costringe di vedere ciò che sembra scontato come se lo vedessimo per la prima volta. Per questo motivo la giuria ha scelto di premiare la sua opera poetica.
la giuria del premio rilke 2024
The prize for the best published book of poetry was announced after readings by the three finalists, Adrian Grima, Luca Mozzachiodi and Daniele Orso. The jury awarded a Special Mention to Alberto Toni, Tempo d’Opera (Il ramo e la foglia edizioni 2022). Two other prizes were awarded for best unpublished book of poetry and best individual poem.
The jury also awarded the distinguished poet and translator Milo De Angelis with a much-appreciated Lifetime Achievement Award.
This collection of poems has appeared in English, translated by Albert Gatt and published by Midsea in Malta and Paperwall Publishing in Mumbai (Last-ditch Ecstasy), and in French with translations by Elizabeth Grech and published by APIC in Algiers (Romarin et autres caprices). Both translations were supported by national translation funds in Malta. Earlier this year it was published in Spanish in Honduras by Editorial Efímera with translations by Antoine Cassar (Romero y otros caprichos). All translations were done from the original in Maltese.
Special thanks to Massimo Romita of the cultural association Gruppo Ermada Flavio Vidonis for organizing the IVth edition of this international prize and taking such good care of Virginia, Nathalie. and myself.
I would like to dedicate this prize to Pablo Matteo Alegre. You left us far too early, Pablo. But you will never leave our hearts.
This is the shortlist:
- Gian Maria Annovi, Discomparse (Nino Aragno Editore 2023)
- Francesco Deotto, Avventure e disavventure di una casa gialla (L’Arcolaio 2023)
- Éric Desordre, Il fuoco del gorilla (Edizioni Joker 2024)
- Anna Maria Farabbi, ninnanannna talamimamma (Kaba edizioni – pièdimosca edizioni 2023)
- Adrian Grima, Che farai al termine della notte? (Mesogea 2024)
- Stefano Lorefice, Passeggeri solitari (Edizioni La Gru 2023)
- Luca Mozzachiodi, Tempo Stellare (Bertoni Editore 2024)
- Daniele Orso, Sommereise (Industria e Letteratura 2024)
- Francesco Sassetto, Discanto (Arcipelago itaca Edizioni 2023)
- Alberto Toni, Tempo d’Opera (Il ramo e la foglia edizioni 2022)
- Claudia Zironi, La camera era rossa (Industria e Letteratura 2024)
Visit this page in Italian for full details of the Rilke Prize.
An amateur video of the whole ceremony is available here.
adriangrima.org 
Prosit Adrian.