Trouble at Italy’s San Remo song festival

Many countries have annual rituals that baffle outsiders. Every year, thousands of half-naked men run through the freezing streets of Inazawa in Japan. And every year at about the same time, Italy stages the San Remo song festival. For five nights, millions of Italians stay awake into the early hours to watch its snail-like progress towards a grand finale. And for five days the previous evenings’ televised provocations and commotions monopolise debate in the media, and in the cafés and bars of Italy.San Remo was once just a song competition. The winner still goes on to represent Italy at the Eurovision contest. But over the years it has morphed into something else. Punctuated by monologues, it has become a platform for the airing of mostly progressive grievances. Thus, on February 9th, Paola Egonu, a volleyball player who carried the Italian flag at the opening of the 2021 Olympics, delivered an emotional denunciation of racism. The co-host of the final round wore a striking gown (pictured) to protest against the repression of women. So far, so par for the course.