A native of Villafranca, the writer Antonio Pereira was mantenedor of the XIV Bembibre’s National Festival for the Exaltation of Botillo. Born in 1923, the author himself highlighted his passion for reading from a very young age, as a teenager. He also started writing, poems the most, at a Young age. Although he would have to spend a lot of time until the publication of his first book a poems anthology called “The return“, 1964.

Fortunately for literature, the 60s witnessed the born of a writer that had grown up in previous years and who, probably, had postponed publication because of that always appreciable itch for perfection in his literary texts.

Poet, short story writer, novelist, Pereira has won the Leopoldo Alas Awards, and his novel “Un Sitio para Soledad” was selected for the Nadal Award in 1968.

In Bembibre, Pereira composed a “Sermoncillo for Bembibre’s Botillo Festival” for the occasion, with a hint of comedy, that led to the spontaneous applause of the audience.