Porru Matteo

Liberevento authors

Matteo Porru

Writer

He demonstrated an exceptionally early aptitude for writing, which took shape in several stories published online and culminated in his print debut, The mission, at the age of sixteen. The book attracted the attention of the national media through interviews with Licia Colò and Maurizio Costanzo, and the young author received a special mention at the Premio Costa Smeralda. In 2018, his second novel, Quando sarai grande, was published. The following year, Madre ombra came out, winning the Premio Zingarelli and becoming a finalist for the Premio Cambosu and the Premio Alziator. In September 2019, he won the Young Authors section of the Premio Campiello with Talismani, which was later adapted into a stage production by the Teatro Stabile del Veneto. That same year, D di Repubblica included him among the world’s 25 most promising under-25s.
In 2023, Il dolore crea l’inverno was published and translated into French. The book was shortlisted for the Premio Fiesole and the Premio Città di Cave and won the Premio Libri a 180 gradi. In its May issue, Fortune magazine named the writer among the 40 most influential figures in Italian culture under the age of 40. In 2024, Porru became the first Italian author to win the Grand Prix du Livre de Montagne and received the Premio Navicella. That same year, he wrote the play Cobalto, once again produced by the Teatro Stabile del Veneto, and joined the jury of the Premio Solinas.
His short stories have been published in L’Unione Sarda, La Nuova Sardegna, La Nuova Venezia, Corriere delle Alpi and Il Mattino. He attended the Giovanni Maria Dettori Classical High School in Cagliari and subsequently graduated in Philosophy, International and Economic Studies from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. He is a journalist and columnist for La Nuova Sardegna, Il Tirreno, La Gazzetta di Modena, La Gazzetta di Reggio and La Nuova Ferrara. In 2026, he was a guest at the Liberevento Cultural Festival with the book “Il volo sopra l’oceano” (Ed. Garzanti).