Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, Italy’s leading event dedicated to science fiction, taking place from 3 to 8 November in the city of Trieste, unveils the official poster for its 26th edition: an original illustration by comic book artist and illustrator Spugna, one of the most original and acclaimed voices in contemporary Italian comics.
Spugna’s artwork depicts a monumental organic, deformed, post-human creature: a being that has become decayed and monstrous, corrupted and transformed by time, yet still preserving a fragment of its humanity as it carefully repairs a small robot it used to play with as a child. “Within this simple yet deeply moving gesture, the poster captures the very essence of the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival,” – explains Francesco Cappellotto, Festival creative director – “It is a place where fantastic cinema becomes an opportunity to rediscover that capacity for wonder which adulthood so often threatens to suppress, reminding us how important it is to preserve within ourselves the curiosity, imagination and sense of wonder of our youth.” The Trieste Science+Fiction Festival thus becomes a place where even that which appears irreversibly corrupted can rediscover, through imagination, a fragment of its humanity: an invitation to safeguard the wonder of childhood as the most precious technology of the future.
“I have always been fascinated by the ‘biological’ side of science fiction more than its purely mechanical aspect” – said comic book artist Spugna – “So for the poster I immediately gravitated towards the idea of a huge fleshy, muscular post-human creature, somewhat like Tetsuo at the end of Akira, which, despite its grotesque appearance, lovingly busies itself repairing a little robot.”
One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Italian comics, Spugna is the author of the graphic novels The Rust Kingdom, Fingerless, Rusted Tales, and the Fat Rot Things series, all published by Hollow Press. He has also illustrated La quarta guerra mondiale (The Fourth World War) and Vita da soldatinen on texts by Marco Taddei, collaborated with Dylan Dog Color Fest for Sergio Bonelli Editore, and worked on Cattivik. A member of the Trincea Ibiza collective, he has received numerous awards throughout his career, including three Boscarato Awards at the Treviso Comic Book Festival and the Micheluzzi Award – “Nuove Strade” (New Paths) at COMICON Naples.
“What a twin peaks convergence of excitement we are experiencing at the moment!” – declared Festival Artistic Director Alan Jones – “In the 100th Anniversary year of the term ‘science fiction‘ being coined by pioneer Hugo Gernsback when he launched the magazine ‘Amazing Stories’, the fantasy genre has exploded into the mainstream with Oscars and other major award wins being given to record-breaking independent movies. And the box office phenomenon of BACKROOMS is further proof that emerging creatives are trail-blazing exciting and innovative routes to blockbuster success and finding fresh ways to reach new and ever-growing audiences. But while the rest of the cinematic cosmos has been catching up, the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival has always known this and has consistently promoted new talent, original content and experimental formats to transform its key venues into beacons of intergalactic thrills and epic wonder. TS+F has always played an important part in heightening positive perceptions around the sci-fi genre in its entire glittering history. Once again this year TS+F will be empowering our diverse audiences with electrifying, under the radar titles that gain a wider demographic after placing on our acclaimed seal of approval. Here’s to bigger, better and break-out in 2026.”
Once again this year, the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival will bring the very best of international fantastic cinema to Trieste, with premieres, special guests, talks and events dedicated to science fiction in all its forms, from cinema to literature, from comics to video games, as well as the latest frontiers in science communication and technological innovation.
The 26th edition will once again feature a packed programme of events and world premieres, bringing the very best of international science fiction productions to the screens of the Politeama Rossetti and Teatro Miela. For the third consecutive year, Piazza della Borsa will host the spectacular Sci-Fi Dome, a specially designed structure that will house the Festival’s special events programme, including Mondofuturo, the programme exploring the intersection between science and science fiction through conversations with leading science communicators about the world of tomorrow; IVIPRO DAYS, the annual event dedicated to video games as a tool for promoting local heritage and cultural storytelling; and the Fantastic Film Forum, a series of events for professionals working in the film and audiovisual industries. Also returning is the Mondofuturo Literary Award, presented to the best original science fiction book published in Italy in 2025, promoted by the national research organisation Area Science Park together with the La Cappella Underground Research Centre for Cinematic and Audiovisual Studies.
