At the end of the 1500s, in an age ruled by superstition and fear, Sardinia became the scene of persecutions against alleged witches. Julia Carta, born in Mores and living in Siligo, stands as the symbol of these injustices. Raised by her grandmother, considered a bruxia, Julia had learned the secrets of plants and spells. Accused of heresy after an accusation, she was questioned, tortured, and forced to abjure her faith. Declared a heretic, she was sentenced to wear the sambenito, a visible symbol of shame, and to live on the margins, victim of a twisted justice.

The Ammajare Festival (which in Sardinian means "to bewitch") was created to bring to light stories like Julia’s, investigating old and new forms of persecution. The ancient witch hunts are mirrored today in modern phenomena such as social-media lynchings, cyberbullying, femicides, racial prejudice, and miscarriages of justice that crush the innocent. The festival offers a path of reflection on the unknown, the unconscious, and folk myths, seeking to build a bridge between past and present. Through film, audiovisual and literary works, Ammajare aims to piece together fragments of a world that seems lost, yet resurfaces powerfully in our modern age.

The first edition of the festival tackled the theme of miscarriage of justice with the screening of the film Peso morto, in the presence of the director and the actor, accompanied by a reflection on Julia Carta’s story and on the injustice of baseless accusations. The second edition, titled Sulla nostra pelle, is dedicated to young people and includes the presentation of two short films. It will retrace the tragic events of 2000 at the San Sebastiano prison in Sassari, exploring the theme of restorative justice. The screening of the film Sulla mia pelle, the story of Stefano Cucchi, is also planned. There will be a theatre performance on the life of Julia Carta, and a medieval music concert with harp and harpsichord. The festival will take place over three days, in Siligo.