Trieste Science+Fiction Selections 2026
The Trieste Science+Fiction Festival returns from 3 to 8 November 2026 for its 26th edition, bringing international science fiction and fantastic cinema to the heart of Trieste, Italy. With film premieres, special guests, discussions and events spanning cinema, literature, comics, video games and scientific innovation, the festival continues to explore the many ways fantastic storytelling can illuminate our present and imagine our future.
Screenings will take place at the Politeama Rossetti and Cinema Ariston, while the Sci-Fi Dome returns to Piazza della Borsa for the third consecutive year. The specially designed venue will host a programme of talks and events, including Mondofuturo sessions exploring the relationship between science and science fiction, IVIPRO DAYS dedicated to video games and cultural heritage, and the Fantastic Film Forum for professionals working in film and audiovisual industries. The programme also includes the Mondofuturo Literary Award, celebrating the best original science fiction book published in Italy in 2025.
As an Affiliated Member of the Méliès International Festivals Federation, Trieste Science+Fiction Festival hosts both the Méliès d’argent competitions for Best European Fantastic Feature Film and Best European Fantastic Short Film. The two selections bring together filmmakers from across Europe, highlighting the diversity and creativity of contemporary fantastic cinema.
Science+Fiction 2026 Announces Méliès d’Argent Short Film Competition Lineup
The short film competition features 12 titles offering a wide-ranging look at contemporary European fantastic filmmaking.
- Adventum – Ion Adrian, Netherlands, 2026, 7 min
- Burn It All – Domenico De Feudis, Italy, 2026, 20 min
- Confinement – Wesley O’Duinn, Ireland, 2025, 11 min
- Discourse (Diskurz) – Domen Puš, Slovenia, 2025, 13 min
- Protagonist – Nathalie Seidl, Austria/Germany, 2025, 19 min
- Rolling Mother (Dosenmutter) – Alexander Peskador, Germany, 2026, 25 min
- Speed or Perish – Seth Ickerman, France, 2026, 8 min
- Starflyer – Maria Hatzakou, Greece, 2026, 18 min
- Still Life – Nicolas Reza Garduno Vazquez, Poland, 2026, 23 min
- Stuck (Vast) – Jan van Gorkum, Netherlands, 2026, 11 min
- There Is Always a Monster (Siempre hay un monstruo) – Gaston Haag, Spain, 2026, 17 min
- We Dream in Colour – Kane Wilson, UK, 2026, 18 min
Science+Fiction 2026 Announces Méliès d’Argent Feature Film Competition Lineup
Eight feature films will compete for this year’s Méliès d’argent Award.
The Alice Paradox – William Brooke, UK, 2026, 89 min
Black Flag – Marco Bolognesi, Italy, 2026, 97 mi
Five More Minutes – Javier Ruiz Caldera, Spain, 2026, 93 min
Frostbite – Lukas Rinker, Germany/Denmark, 2026, 82 min
Rain Catcher – Michele Fiascaris, UK, 2026, 108 min
Saligia – Petar Ristovski, Serbia, 2026, 123 min
Species – Marion Le Corroller, France, 2026, 103 min
The Squirrel – Markus Lehmusruusu, Finland/Netherlands/Germany/Sweden, 2026, 92 min
Through these two competitions, Trieste Science+Fiction Festival continues its commitment to presenting innovative genre cinema and supporting filmmakers whose work expands the boundaries of the fantastic.
The winners of the Méliès d’argent competitions will qualify for the Méliès d’or, the annual award celebrating European fantastic cinema.