From 28 October-2 November, top-tier science-fiction cinema returns to Italy with the 25th edition of the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, presenting over 50 world, international and national film premieres and three competitions, with directors, actors and writers from across the globe in attendance.

Opening this edition is L'Homme qui rétrécit (France/Belgium) by Jan Kounen, adapted from Richard Matheson’s cult novel, in which a man (played by Oscar winner Jean Dujardin) begins to shrink after a mysterious contamination and must fight to survive. The film hits French cinemas on 22 October with Universal Pictures France. The evening continues with The Ugly Stepsister [+lire aussi :
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Among the titles on offer is the dystopian tale Egghead Republic [+lire aussi :
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fiche film], the second feature by Swedish duo Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, previous winners of the Asteroide Award at the 2019 Trieste Science+Fiction Festival with Aniara [+lire aussi :
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fiche film]. Acclaimed UK filmmaker Ben Wheatley will present a true midnight movie at the festival, Bulk, a sci-fi horror romp packed with car chases, shoot-outs, science fiction and romance. From Cannes’ Official Selection comes the striking animated work Arco [+lire aussi :
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“As always, the festival draws on the vivid imaginations of a global community of directors, artists and writers,” said the gathering's artistic director, Alan Jones; “new, independent and established talents, all eager to discuss their work passionately, on stage and off. Current affairs are never far away, as the ever-evolving science-fiction genre continues to deliver sharp commentary on the rawness of the present through the prism of an extraordinary future.”

Among the expected guests are Gabriele Mainetti, acclaimed director of They Call Me Jeeg [+lire aussi :
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fiche film], who will talk about his relationship with video games, and multi-award-winning sci-fi author Ted Chiang, whose short story inspired Denis Villeneuve’s cult film Arrival. Chiang will take part in one talk on artificial intelligence and another on language.

Finally, the Fantastic Film Forum – the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival’s section dedicated to audiovisual professionals – will run from 29 October-1 November. Four themed days will focus on artificial intelligence, video games, fantastical cinema and "science communication", and will include a series of three advanced master classes on AI tools in audiovisual production; a panel with Film4 and Rai4 executives on TV programming and editorial policies; a day of meetings on the video-game industry in Italy and Eastern Europe, and another devoted to documentary and science outreach; plus one-to-one meetings, conferences and specialist sessions. Confirmed attendees include Julia Wrigley (formerly head of Film4), Iseult MacCall (Rai Cinema), Leopoldo Santovincenzo (Rai4), UK producer Andy Starke, and directors Gabriele Mainetti and Christian Frei.