Who is Lila Cerullo?

January 20, 2016 3:50 AM

I'm trying to find a piece written by Elena Ferrante in Corriere della Sera several years ago which apparently refers to someone on whom her character Lila is based.

In an interview with Elena Ferrante in the Paris Review, she mentions a piece she wrote in Corriere della Sera:
The theme of female friendship certainly has something to do with a childhood friend of mine, whom I wrote about some time ago in the Corriere della Sera, a few years after her death. That’s the first written trace of the friendship between Lila and Elena.
I would've thought this would be quite easy to find but, nope!
My Italian Google-fu is failing, possibly because I don't speak Italian.
Can anyone find it, preferably a good English translation?

posted by 8k to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Perhaps the "whom I wrote about" was mistranslated from "was part of an interview"?

I checked out the corriere della serra archive and searched by author. I get a Bruno Ferrante but no Elena Ferrante.
I admit I may not be using it correctly...
posted by vacapinta at 5:06 AM on January 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

I looked as well and could not find it. I hope someone will be able to because it would be a fascinating read! I so loved the Neapolitan Novels and can't wait to read her earlier works.
posted by pjsky at 10:40 AM on January 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

Do you think it's important to note that since Elena Ferrante is a pseudonym, it's not impossible that this is referring to an article she wrote under her real name? In which case, it could be an important clue to that mystery, but would require a lot of (italian-language) legwork in order to solve. I'd do it, but I don't speak a word of Italian, alas.
posted by pretentious illiterate at 11:27 AM on January 20, 2016 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks the suggestions! If anyone can think of a potential pool of Italian-fluent literary sleuths who might love Ferrante enough to dig into it... let me know.
posted by 8k at 10:27 PM on January 20, 2016