Since it’s creation in 2002 by the City of Épinal (France), the “Imaginales, Festival of the Imaginary Worlds” had continued to evolve to become one of the first international exhibitions of fantasy literature, and one of the main European events devoted to fantastika.
“Les Imaginales” return to Épinal (Parc du Cours - Place Foch) for a 17th edition on the theme “Creatures”, between Thursday, the 24th of May and Sunday the 27th of May 2018.
Created in 2002 by the City of Épinal, “Les Imaginales” has constantly evolved to become one of the first international exhibitions of literature of the imagination, but also on of the main exhibition devoted to fantasy.
Canada and Quebec are in the spotlight!
After Switzerland in 2017, “Les Imaginales” welcomes Canada and Quebec this year.
“Science-Fiction and the Fantastique Québécois” (SFFQ) bring together all the artists and works related to field. The SFFQ has been internationally recognized since 1960, when many fanzines and other magazines were created.
To note, the authors of the guest country: Elisabeth Vonarburg, Patrick Bergeron, Steven Erikson, Sebastien Chartrand, Karoline Georges, Yolande Okia-Picard, Patrick Senecal, Jean Pettigrew, Jean-Louis Trudel, Renee Robitaille.
GoHs: Christopher Priest, Robin Hobb, Aliette de Bodard, Ellen Kushner, Nnedi Okorafor, Stephen Aryan, R.J. Barker, Marie Brennan, Ed McDonald, Al Robertson, Delia Sherman, John Howe, Anna Starobinets (Russia).
New in 2018: “Les Imaginales” Symposium
This year, “Les Imaginales” Festival hosts a symposium on the theme of fantasy and stories.
This symposium will try to answer the following questions among others: “What are the origins of fantasy?”, “What relationship is maintained to history in a fictional world?” …
For four days, more than a hundred guests from various horizons (France, Europe, North Europe, USA, South America, Australia …), artists, authors of historical novels or SF, fantastika, “bite lit”, tales and legends, share their passion with an audience each year more numerous.
More than 30,000 visitors came in 2016 to immerse themselves in these imaginary worlds, between exhibitions, conferences, literary cafes and unusual events, in a shaded park, bordered by the curves of the Moselle river.
Open to a very wide audience (children’s literature is an important part of it), science, history and comics, “Les Imaginales” favors proximity and conviviality, conversations between authors and readers. It is, with the recognized quality of the speakers and the programming, a hallmark of the Festival!
In “the living room”, the Bubble of the Book, and everywhere in the city, restaurants, cafes, squares, gardens and museums live to the rhythm of this festival of literature and image.
It is natural that this Festival has found its place in a city, Épinal, always dedicated to culture and image.
Today, the “Cité de l’Image” (which brings together on one site the venerable Imagerie, still in activity, and the Musée de l’Image which manages the most important European collection of popular images). The Higher School of Art of Lorraine, and the Pole Image, are clusters dedicated to new technologies of the image.
The Imaginales Awards (Les Prix Imaginales)
reward the best fantasy works in 6 categories (French Novel, Translated Foreign Novel, illustration, YA Lit, New, Special Prize):
Francophone Novel Award (Prix du roman francophone):
“Arkane, la desolation” by Pierre Bordage
Translated Foreign Novel Award (Prix du roman étranger)
“Sombres Cités souterraines” (Dark Cities Underground, 1999) by Lisa Goldstein (US)
Novella Award (Prix de la nouvelle)
“Kalpa Impérial” by Angélica Gorodischer (Argentina)
Y.A. Novel Award (Prix du roman jeunesse)
“Les Sœurs Carmine” by Ariel Holzl (France)
Illustration Award (Prix de l’illustration)
Yana Moskaluk - Boudicca (ActuSF)
Jury Award (Prix du Jury)
Melchior Ascaride, Julien Bétan, Mathieu Rivero - Tout au milieu du monde (Moutons électriques)
The Imaginales Prizes for High School Students, The Imaginales Prizes for College Students, The Imaginales Prizes for School Students: they allow to involve the youngest in this discovery of the imaginary.
And the newest distinction : The Imaginales Prize of Librarians !
