by InTrieste
The Trieste Science+Fiction Festival is set to captivate audiences with its spectacular lineup of film previews and events as it approaches its grand finale this weekend, concluding on Sunday, November 3. The festival, which has established itself as a key player in celebrating all aspects of the fantastical, will showcase a diverse array of films and engaging discussions.
The festivities will kick off on Thursday, October 31, at 3:00 PM at the Teatro Rossetti with the Italian preview of The Bunker, a sci-fi thriller directed by Brian Hanson. The film follows a government scientist confined to an underground bunker, where she is tasked with developing a biological weapon to thwart an impending alien invasion.
At the same time, the program will continue at Teatro Miela, featuring the Italian short films of Spazio Corto. Later, at 5:00 PM, the festival will present the Italian premiere of Things Will Be Different by Micheal Felker. This film is a rollercoaster of twists and turns, tracking two brothers thrust into another dimension after a heist gone awry.
Also scheduled for 5:00 PM is the international preview of Preparations for a Miracle by Tobias Nölle, a compelling documentary exploring the exploitation of nature through the eyes of an android traveling from the future. As the evening unfolds, the festival will screen After Us, the Flood by Arto Halonen at 8:00 PM, a thought-provoking science fiction film that delves into themes of friendship, identity, and humanity’s struggle against climate change.
The night will wrap up with a national preview of Broken Bird by Joanne Mitchell at 10:00 PM, an intimate narrative about a girl working in a funeral agency whose troubled mind spirals into madness. The final event of the evening will be the Italian preview of Monster on a Plane by Ezra Tsegaye, a horror-comedy hybrid reminiscent of Critters and Airplane!, featuring an exotic creature wreaking havoc on a passenger plane.
In addition to the film screenings, the festival will spotlight its Sci-Fi Classix section, dedicated to remastered classics. On October 31, at 10:00 PM, attendees can experience a live soundtrack performance accompanying The Hands of the Other, a 1924 expressionist film by Robert Wiene that explores the dark descent of a pianist who loses his hands in an accident.
The festival also hosts the final day of Mondofuturo, a series of free discussions featuring scientists and communicators. Highlights include a talk by researcher Michele Maris at 4:00 PM, exploring the search for extraterrestrial life and the implications of recent scientific discoveries. Following that, Paola Del Negro, the General Director of the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics, will lead a discussion on the impact of invasive species in our oceans at 5:00 PM.
The day will conclude with a talk by astrophysicist Amedeo Balbi at 6:00 PM, drawing insights from his new book and discussing how literature and cinema reflect our understanding of the cosmos.
As part of its 50th edition, the festival will also feature a series of literary panels and presentations, exploring the intersection of science fiction with other disciplines, including music, cinema, and comics. At 5:30 PM, a new editorial series, Violet Gibson, will be launched, showcasing emerging voices in science fiction.
A free exhibition titled Poster d’Oltrespazio will open in Sala Xenia, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the International Science Fiction Film Festival of Trieste. The exhibition features reimagined posters of classic fantasy and science fiction films, designed by both established artists and emerging illustrators.
To mark Halloween, the festival will host a special event in the Sci-Fi Dome, starting at 10:00 PM, featuring a screening of The Night of the Body Snatchers, accompanied by live sound effects from members of the Italian band Lo Stato Sociale.
As the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival draws to a close, it promises to deliver a memorable celebration of cinematic creativity, scientific inquiry, and imaginative storytelling.
