Emilia Romagna is not only a culinary center but also a literary one. Contemporary authors describe the Po Valley and its most beautiful and proud cities: Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Rimini, Ferrara. This fertile region is home to Parma ham and Parmesan cheese, Mortadella, and countless variations of Bolognese pasta. But Emilia Romagna is also rich in writers and filmmakers who have significantly shaped our image of Italy. Their object of desire is the "matti padani," the crazies along the Po - where one can still find the "Italia reale," the unremarkable, sometimes even somewhat taciturn, and unexpectedly quiet Italy. The authors include: Luigi Malerba, Stefano Benni, Ermanno Cavazzoni, Giorgio Manganelli, Tonino Guerra, Michelangelo Antonioni, Giulia Niccolai, Antonio Delfini, Alberto Sav.