Every year in the spring takes place Italcon (The SF & F Italian National Convention / Convention Nazionale del Fantastico e della Fantascienza).
The 39th edition of the Italcon, for the second year in a row together with Sticcon (Star Trek Italian Club Convention), is taking place in the sea resort of Bellaria (region Emilia-Romagna, the province of Rimini, on the Adriatic Sea shore) within the European Congress Center premises.
Italcon is a SF&F convention of interest, rich in events, with many italian and international guests, authors, editors and fans and a major exhibition that brings together the best amateur productions, anniversaries, awards and big names: we share the satisfaction with the artistic director of the Italcon, Armando Corridore.
Italcon is an opportunity for enthusiasts and professionals in the field of science fiction to meet, take stock of the vintage fantascienza, carry moments of study of literature and science fiction films, and especially renew friendships and share their experiences.
The Guests are Michael Bishop, Luigi Cozzi, Donato Altomare, David Messina, Davide Perino, Rodolfo Traversa, Giuseppe Lippi, Ugo Malaguti, Maurizio Manzieri, Gianni Montanari, Gianfranco De Turris and the film director Dario Argento.
Saturday evening (the 25th of May) will take place during the final dinner via a special ceremony dedicated to the Premio Italia (Italy National SF Award), Premio Vegetti and the new Premio Alberto Lisiero, dedicated to those who did work in promoting of the fantascienza and fantastika, which will be granted to Dario Argento.
After the 1980 Eurocon in Stresa, it was introduced the Italcon name and the first Italcon edition took place in Modena in 1981, was given the number 7, continuing the numbering of the SFIR (Science Fiction Italian Roundabout, held until 1978).
Since 1988, Italcon took place in alternate years in Courmayeur (an Italian town in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley, located at the foot of Mont Blanc, in northern Italy) and San Marino. The 1989 Italcon was also an Eurocon. This alternation was interrupted in 2001 with the assignment of the Convention in Torino. In 2002, following the refuse of Courmayeur, Italcon has been assigned to Fiuggi.
The Premio Italia (Italy National SF Award), established in 1972, expresses the appreciation of the fandom Italian for the Italian production of the previous year for the fantascienza and fantastika (in the broadest sense of the term). The categories have changed over the years, including novels, short stories, editors of magazines, fanzines, illustrators, etc…including the method of voting, which in some periods was open to all fans, and at other times decided in large juries, with different systems of calculation of votes.
The phases of voting of the award are two: the reports and assessments of the finalists. This year besides the attending fans, the right to vote is granted to the attending members of the WorldSF and to the participants to the XXXVII (Milano 2011) and XXXVIII (Bellaria 2012) editions of Italcon.
ITALCON (The SF & F Italian National Convention / Convention Nazionale del Fantastico e della Fantascienza):
http://www.fantascienza.com/italcon/
