2002. FantaEspaña
This Festival edition focuses on a collection of Spanish science-fiction films curated by Carlos Aguilar. FantaEspaña’s models are Fant’Italia and Fant’America 1 and 2, which were very successful and played an important role between 1976 and 1978. One of the twenty films belonging to this monography is Viaje al centro de la tierra, of Juan Piquer Simón (1977).
During this edition of the Festival, the lifetime achievement award Urania d’Argento is established. It is promoted in cooperation with Arnoldo Mondadori Editore in occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Urania, the book series dedicated to science-fiction. The Urania d’Argento award, which makes a match with the literary award Urania d’Oro, reminds of the illustration signed by Karel Thole for Urania 596 – Ground Zero Man, and it is realized by Renato Chicco Gioielli. In 2002 the Urania d’Argento award is given to Pupi Avati.
The Science+Fiction Festival starts in Antico Caffè San Marco with a tribute to Georges Méliès, in occasion of the centenary of his fantastic film Le Voyage dans la lune, which was shown in Italy for the first time in 1902 in Florence.
