Exciting Lineup and Poster for 2024 Trieste Science+Fiction Festival

The world-renowned Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, Italy’s foremost event dedicated to science fiction, has unveiled its 2024 poster designed by acclaimed cartoonist Michele Rech, better known as Zerocalcare. Scheduled to run from October 29th to November 3rd, this year’s festival promises to delve into the evolving intersection of technology and humanity, inspired by the rapid advancements in Generative Artificial Intelligence.

The new poster by Zerocalcare poignantly captures the tension between the utopian dreams of past generations and the potentially dystopian future ushered in by AI. As Zerocalcare explains, “The poster tells the story of the distance between how I imagined science fiction as a kid and how my expectations have evolved: we used to think that in the future machines would do the alienating and exhausting jobs, leaving humans free to dedicate themselves to the arts. Today, quite the opposite, the evolution of artificial intelligence shows us a possible dystopia in which machines replace us in drawing and writing, while people continue to wake up in the morning to go to their worksite.”

Zerocalcare, celebrated for his insightful and poignant works, has garnered international acclaim for his books and Netflix animated series. His contributions bring a unique perspective to this year’s festival, highlighting the profound social and economic disruptions posed by AI.

First Film Titles Announced

Adding to the excitement, the festival has announced its first slate of films for 2024, including Survive, The Bunker, Test Screening, Broken Bird, The Invisible Raptor, Things Will Be Different, So Unreal, The A-Frame, and The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee. These selections promise a diverse and thrilling cinematic experience, ranging from psychological horror to classic sci-fi themes.

Alan Jones, Artistic Director of Trieste Science+Fiction, emphasized the festival’s commitment to exploring contemporary issues through the lens of genre films. “From the past to the present and the future, AI is in all our lives. That’s the reason the Trieste Science+Fiction mission statement this year is ‘BrAInstorm the MegaFuture,’ something the global community needs to do as a matter of urgency. Because I am also the co-director of FrightFest, I see a very wide selection of genre films on both the busy FrightFest and Trieste Science+Fiction submission platforms. So there is a certain crossover aspect that I wholeheartedly embrace because if a title works for the discerning FrightFest audience, I know it will also work for the Trieste Science+Fiction spectator too.”

Jones expressed particular enthusiasm for The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee, a documentary celebrating the legendary actor and past recipient of the Trieste S+F Lifetime Achievement Award. This screening will feature exclusive footage of Lee shot during his memorable visits to Trieste.

Festival Highlights

The 24th edition of the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, held at the Politeama Rossetti and Teatro Miela, promises a packed schedule of events, film previews, and interactive sessions. Highlights include:

• Mondofuturo: A series of meetings discussing the future of science and technology with leading popularisers and communicators.
• IVIPRO Days: An annual event focused on video games as a medium for storytelling and cultural heritage preservation.
• Fantastic Film Forum: Events and discussions for professionals in the film and audiovisual industry.
• Mondofuturo Literary Prize: A new award celebrating the best original science fiction book published in Italy in 2023.

As the festival approaches, we can’t wait for the event that not only celebrates the best in science fiction cinema but also provokes thoughtful discussion on the implications of our technological future. For more information on Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, visit sciencefictionfestival.org/en/