Leo Gullotta alleges political exclusion from Taormina Arte theatre awards gala

The exclusion dispute

Italian stage and screen actor Leo Gullotta stated on 22 August 2026 that political motives led to his removal from an awards ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Taormina theatre festival. The 80-year-old performer, whose career spans 65 years, recounted that artistic director Simona Celi initially approached him to offer an award for the event scheduled on 3 September 2026. Gullotta accepted the invitation, but several days later Celi contacted him again to report that his name did not appear on the official list issued by the Sicilian regional administration. Gullotta expressed bitterness over the handling of the decision, noting that he had previously worked without pay for cultural initiatives in Sicily, including events dedicated to Luigi Pirandello at Kaos.

A right-wing hand born of cronyism cancelled my name. I am offended as a professional, as a person and as a Sicilian.

Artistic direction explains the selection

The leadership of Fondazione Taormina Arte Sicilia disputed the claims of political interference, maintaining that the omission was the result of logistical constraints rather than censorship. Artistic director Simona Celi explained that the organization evaluated candidates across the cultural sector to distribute 12 scheduled awards during the commemorative gala. Over the course of several months, Celi contacted nearly 100 artists before establishing the final roster of 12 recipients. Celi dismissed suggestions of political bias and reiterated her professional esteem for Gullotta, pointing to his tenure as artistic director of the Taormina Film Fest in 2020.

There was no desire whatsoever to question the human, artistic and professional worth of Leo Gullotta.

Regional response and upcoming gala

The Sicilian regional government, led by regional president Renato Schifani of Forza Italia, serves as the primary stakeholder of the foundation through its Department of Tourism, Sport and Entertainment. Regional Councillor Elvira Amata denied any involvement in the curation of the awards list, stating that regional authorities do not intervene in the artistic choices of the foundation.

I know nothing about this. I do not interfere in the artistic choices of the Taormina Arte Foundation. I do not even know the names of those who will be awarded. Personally, I believe that when talking about art, culture, and music, right and left do not exist.

Celi noted that she recently held discussions with stage director Fabio Grossi regarding a potential collaboration with Gullotta for a new theatrical production in next year's festival schedule. She stated that the goal of the administration is to restore the foundation to international prominence and maintain a prominent role for theatrical works. The 50th-anniversary celebration of the Taormina theatre festival is scheduled to proceed on 3 September 2026.