Two weeks before the Strega Prize final, Italy's most prominent literary award has been mired in controversy, threatening to derail the competition. At the centre of the storm are two of the favourites for the final victory: Michele Mari, author of 'Convitato di pietra' (Einaudi), and Teresa Ciabatti, author of 'Donnaregina' (Mondadori). During one of the events held across Italy to present the books shortlisted for the final six, a heated discussion reportedly took place between the two authors over remarks attributed to Mari concerning Michela Murgia and her physical appearance, remarks that the writer later denied making. Mari also allegedly had an argument with another finalist, Elena Rui, author of "Vedove di Camus" (L'orma), during which Mari allegedly expressed severe criticism of the Sardinian writer, who died in 2023 after a long illness. According to some witnesses, Mari stated that Murgia was "intransigent and violent because she was ugly. And that's how she vented her anger". Teresa Ciabatti, who had a strong friendship with Murgia, reacted quickly to Mari's statements. Within hours, the news spread through publishing and literary circles, swiftly becoming the major focus of the prize campaign. The incident spurred the Maria and Goffredo Bellonci Foundation, which organizes the Strega Prize, to take action. The Foundation stated that the guidelines do not include the exclusion or withdrawal of the author.